Basil Eastwood was born 4 March 1944, the son of Christopher Gilbert Eastwood, CMG and Catherine Emma (née Peel). He was educated at Eton and Merton College, Oxford and in 1970 married Alison Faith Hutchings, having four daughters.

Eastwood entered the Diplomatic Service in 1966 and his career included: Middle East Centre for Arab Studies, 1967; Jedda [Saudi Arabia], 1968; Colombo [Ceylon, later Sri Lanka], 1969; Cairo [Egypt], 1972; Cabinet Office, 1976; Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1978; Bonn [Germany], 1980; Khartoum [Sudan] 1984; Athens [Greece], 1987; Director of Research and Analysis, FCO, 1991-96; Ambassador to Syria, 1996-2000; Project Director, Middle East Institute, SOAS, 2000-01; Ambassador to Switzerland, 2001-04; founder of Cecily’s Fund (Charity for Zambian orphans).