Sir John Goulden was born on 21 Feb 1941, the son of George Herbert Goulden and Doris Goulden. He was educated at King Edward VII School, Sheffield and Queen’s College, University of Oxford (BA 1st Cl. Hons History, 1962), later taking a PhD in Music at the University of Durham (2013). In 1962 he married Diana Margaret Elizabeth Waite, having one son and one daughter.

Goulden joined the Diplomatic Service in 1962, and served in the following posts: Ankara, 1963-67; Manila [Philippines], 1969-70; Dublin [Ireland], 1976-79; Head of Personnel Services Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1980-82; Head of News Department, FCO, 1982-84; Counsellor and Head of Chancery, Office of the UK Permanent Representative to EEC, Brussels [Belgium], 1984-87; Assistant Under-Secretary of State, FCO, 1988-92; Ambassador to Turkey, 1992-95; Ambassador and UK Permanent Representative to North Atlantic Council and to Permanent Council of Western European Union, 1995-2001.