Paul Lever was born on 31 March 1944, son of John Morrison Lever and Doris Grace (née Battey). He was educated at St Paul’s School and Queen’s College, University of Oxford (MA; Honorary Fellow, 2006). In 1990 he married Patricia Anne Ramsey, daughter of John and Anne Ramsey.

Lever joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1966 and his posts included: 3rd Secretary, FCO, 1966-67; 3rd, later 2nd Secretary, Helsinki [Finland], 1967-71; 2nd, later 1st Secretary, UK Delegation to NATO, 1971-73; FCO, 1973-81; Assistant Private Secretary to Foreign Secretary (David Owen), 1978-81; Chef de Cabinet to Christopher Tugendhat, Vice-President of EEC, 1981-85; Head of UN Department, FCO, 1985-86; Head of Defence Department, FCO, 1986-87; Head of Security Policy Department, FCO, 1987-90; Ambassador and Head, UK Delegation to Conventional Arms Control Negotiations, Vienna [Austria], 1990-92; Assistant Under- Secretary of State, FCO, 1992-94; Deputy Secretary, Cabinet Office, and Chairman, Joint Intelligence Committee, 1994-96; Deputy Under- Secretary of State (Director for EU and Economic Affairs), FCO, 1996-97; Ambassador to Germany, 1997-2003.