Roger Bone was born 29 July 1944, son of Horace Bridgland Bone and Dora R. Bone (née Tring). He was educated at William Palmer’s School, Grays and St Peter’s College, University of Oxford, and in 1970 married Lena M. Bergman, having one son and one daughter.

Bone entered the Diplomatic Service in 1966 and in his diplomatic career served in the following posts: UK Mission to United Nations, 1966; Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1967; 3rd Secretary, Stockholm, 1968-70; 2nd Secretary, FCO, 1970-73; 1st Secretary, Moscow [Soviet Union], 1973-75; FCO, 1975-78; 1st Secretary, UK Permanent Representation to European Communities, Brussels, 1978-82; Assistant Private Secretary for Foreign Secretary, 1982-84; Visiting Fellow, Harvard University Center for International Affairs, 1984-85; Counsellor, 1985-89, and Head of Chancery, 1987-89, Washington [United States]; Counsellor, FCO, 1989-91; Assistant Under Secretary of State, FCO, 1991-95; Ambassador to Sweden, 1995-99; Ambassador to Brazil, 1999-2004.