Peter Hall was born on 26 July 1938, son of Bernard Hall and Monica Hall (née Blackbourn). He was educated at Portsmouth Grammar School, and after studying Russian at the Joint Services School for Linguists, during his National Service, went up to Pembroke College, University of Cambridge, to study mediaeval and modern languages. In 1972 he married Marnie Kay, having one son and one daughter. Sir Peter died on 12 June 2024.

Hall joined the diplomatic service in 1961, and his career included: Foreign Office (1961-63); 3rd Secretary, Warsaw [Poland] (1963-66); 2nd Secretary, New Delhi [India] (1966-69); Foreign and Commonwealth Office (European Integration Department), (1969-72); 1st Secretary, UK Permanent Representation to EEC (1972-76); Assistant Head, Financial Relations Department, FCO (1976-77); Counsellor, Caracas [Venezuela] (1977-78); Head of British Information Services, New York [United States] (1978-83) and Counsellor, British Embassy, Washington (1981-83); Director of Research, FCO (1983-86); Under Secretary, Cabinet Office (1986-88); Visiting Scholar, Stanford University (1988-89); Ambassador to Yugoslavia [later Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia] (1989-92); Adviser to 6th Lord Carrington (1992) and Lord Owen (1992-93), Peace Conference on Yugoslavia; Ambassador to Argentina (1993-97).