David Wilson was born on 14 February 1935, the son of the Rev. William Skinner Wilson and Enid Wilson. He was educated at Trinity College, Glenalmond [Perth and Kinross, Scotland], then Keble College, Oxford (scholarship, MA), also taking a PhD in London in 1973. In 1967 he married Natasha Helen Mary Alexander; they have two sons.

Following his National Service in The Black Watch (1953-55), Wilson entered the Foreign Service in 1958 and his career included: Third Secretary, Vientiane [Laos], (1959-60); Language Student, Hong Kong, (1960-62); Second, later First Secretary, Peking [China], (1963-65); Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (1965-68); resigned, (1968); Editor, China Quarterly, (1968-74); Visiting Scholar, Columbia University, New York [United States], (1972); rejoined Diplomatic Service, (1974); Cabinet Office, (1974-77); Political Adviser, Hong Kong, (1977-81); Head, South European Department, FCO, (1981-84); Assistant Under-Secretary of State, FCO, (1984-87); Governor and Commander-in-Chief, Hong Kong, (1987-92).