Stephen Wright was born 7 December 1946, the son of J. H. Wright, CBE and Joan Wright. He was educated at Shrewsbury School and The Queen’s College, University of Oxford (BA Modern History, 1968). He married (1st), in 1970, (marriage. dissolved 2000), having one son one daughter; 2nd, 2002, Elizabeth Abbott Rosemont.

Wright joined the Diplomatic Service in 1968, and his diplomatic career included: Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Rhodesia [later Zimbabwe] Political Department, 1968; Havana [Cuba], 1969-71; Civil Service College, 1971-72; FCO, Trade Policy Department, then Eastern European and Soviet Department, 1972-75; British Information Services, New York [United States], 1975-80; UK Permanent Representative to European Community, Brussels, 1980-84; FCO, Energy, Science, and Space Department, 1984-85; seconded to Cabinet Office, Deputy Chief of Assessments Staff, 1985-87; Counsellor and Head of Chancery, New Delhi [India], 1988-91; Counsellor (External Relations), UK Permanent Representative to European Community, Brussels, 1991-94; Assistant Under-Secretary of State, later Director, EU affairs, FCO, 1994-97; Minister, Washington, 1997-99; Director, Wider Europe, FCO, 1999-2000; Deputy Under-Secretary of State, FCO, Director-General, Defence and Intelligence, 2000-02; Ambassador to Spain, 2003-07.