Christopher Long was born 9 April 1938, the son of Eric and May Long. He was educated at King Edward’s School, Birmingham, Balliol College, University of Oxford (Deakin Scholar) and the University of Münster, West Germany [later part of Germany]. In 1972, he married Patricia, daughter of Dennis and May Stanbridge, having two sons and one daughter.

Long joined the Diplomatic Service in 1963 and his career included the following posts: Foreign Office, 1963–64; Jedda [Saudi Arabia], 1965–67; Caracas [Venezuela], 1967–69; Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1969–74; Budapest, 1974–77; Belgrade [Yugoslavia, later Serbia] (CSCE), 1977; Counsellor, Damascus [Syria], 1978–80; Counsellor and Deputy Permanent Representative, UKMIS, Geneva, 1980–83; Head, Near East and North Africa Department, FCO, 1983–85; Assistant Under-Secretary of State (Deputy Chief Clerk and Chief Inspector), FCO, 1985–88; Ambassador to Switzerland, 1988–92 and also to Liechtenstein, 1992; Ambassador to Egypt, 1992–95; Ambassador to Hungary, 1995–98.