Michael Palliser was born 9 April 1922, the son of the late Admiral Sir Arthur Palliser, KCB, DSC, and Lady Palliser (née Margaret Eva King-Salter); he was educated at Wellington College and Merton College, Oxford (Honorary Fellow 1987). In 1948 he married Marie Marguerite, daughter of the late Paul-Henri Spaak.

After serving with the Coldstream Guards, 1942-47 (Captain, 1944), Palliser entered the Diplomatic Service in 1947. His career included: South East Asia Department, Foreign Office, 1947-49; Athens [Greece], 1949-51; Second Secretary, 1950; Foreign Office: German Finance Department, 1951-52; Central Department, 1952-54; Private Secretary to Permanent Under-Secretary, 1954-56; First Secretary, 1955; Paris [France], 1956-60; Head of Chancery, Dakar [Senegal], 1960-62 (Chargé d’Affaires in 1960, 1961 and 1962); Counsellor, and seconded to Imperial Defence College, 1963; Head of Planning Staff, Foreign Office, 1964; a Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, 1966; Minister, Paris, 1969; Ambassador and Head of UK Delegation to European Communities, Brussels [Belgium], 1971; Ambassador and UK Permanent Representative to European Communities, 1973-75; Permanent Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Head of Diplomatic Service, 1975-82.

He was awarded the GCMG in 1977 (KCMG 1973; CMG 1966); PC 1983. Sir Michael died on 19 June 2012.