Henry Channon

Sir Henry Channon
Born	Henry Channon Template:Birth date Chicago, United States
Died	October 7, 1958(1958-10-07) (aged 61) London, England
Other names	Chips Channon
Occupation(s)	Politician, writer, diarist
Years active	1935–1958 (as MP)
Known for	Political and social diaries

Sir Henry Channon (7 March 1897 – 7 October 1958), widely known by the nickname Chips Channon, was an American-born British Conservative politician, writer, and diarist. After relocating to England in 1920, he developed a pronounced anti-American perspective, perceiving American cultural and economic influence as a danger to established European and British traditions. Channon rapidly became embedded within London’s social scene, emerging as a significant figure in both political and social circles.

He secured election as a member of parliament (MP) in 1935 and subsequently served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Rab Butler at the Foreign Office beginning in 1938 during the Chamberlain government. Although he maintained this position under Winston Churchill, his close association with the Chamberlain faction hindered his progression to higher ministerial offices. Today, he is chiefly remembered as one of the foremost political and social diarists of the twentieth century. His diaries were initially published in an edited form in 1967, with a complete edition later released in three volumes between 2021 and 2022, edited by Simon Heffer and issued by Hutchinson.

Early years

Channon was born in Chicago into an Anglo-American family, though he frequently cited 1899 as his birth year instead of the actual 1897. His family fortune originated from his grandfather’s prosperous Great Lakes shipping enterprise. On his father’s side, his grandmother traced her ancestry back to English settlers from the eighteenth century.

His parents were Henry ("Harry") Channon II and Vesta (née Westover). After completing studies at Francis W. Parker School and attending courses at the University of Chicago, he volunteered with the American Red Cross in France in 1917 and became an honorary attaché at the American embassy in Paris by 1918. During this period, he associated with prominent cultural figures including writer Marcel Proust and poet Jean Cocteau.

Between 1920 and 1921, Channon pursued studies at Christ Church, Oxford, where he earned a pass degree in French and acquired the moniker "Chips". He developed a lifelong bond with Prince Paul of Yugoslavia, whom he described as "the person I have loved most." The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography depicts this era as one when Channon embraced London’s elite society—its privilege, status, and wealth—and became an enthusiastic yet charming social aspirant. For some time, he shared a London residence with Prince Paul and close associate Lord Gage.

Author

Channon distanced himself from his American origins, showing a strong affinity for Europe—especially England. He regarded the United States as "a menace to the peace and future of the world," fearing that its ascendancy would undermine civilizations founded on beauty, tranquility, arts, hierarchy, and privilege.

His opposition to America is evident in his 1929 novel Joan Kennedy, which narrates the story of an English woman marrying a wealthy American man and explores their cultural differences. Despite his critical stance, Channon lived comfortably on inherited wealth from America, receiving $90,000 from his father along with an $85,000 legacy from his grandfather.

He authored two additional works: the novel Paradise City (1931), which critiques the negative impact of American capitalism; and the non-fiction volume The Ludwigs of Bavaria (1933), an examination of Bavaria’s Wittelsbach royal family. The latter was well received by critics and remained available for many years, although some noted Channon’s dependence on aristocratic sources. Its reissue in 1952 was acclaimed as "a fascinating study... excellently written."

Relationships

In 1933, Channon wed Lady Honor Guinness (1909–1976), the eldest daughter of Rupert Guinness, 2nd Earl of Iveagh, and an heiress to the brewing fortune. Their union produced one son, Paul, born in 1935. By 1936, the family had established their residence at 5 Belgrave Square in London, situated close to the Duke of Kent’s home. Two years later, in 1938, they purchased the Kelvedon Hall estate located in Essex. Channon gained recognition as a prominent society figure, hosting gatherings in his residence which featured a distinctive blue and silver dining room crafted by Stéphane Boudin.

Channon’s social stature reached a high point in November 1936 when he hosted a distinguished dinner attended by King Edward VIII and Mrs. Simpson, Prince Paul of Yugoslavia alongside Princess Olga, as well as the Duke of Kent with Princess Marina.

In July 1939, Channon initiated a relationship with landscape architect Peter Daniel Coats, a development that may have played a role in his separation from Lady Honor. She pursued divorce proceedings in 1941 on grounds of her involvement with Frank Woodsman; their marriage officially ended in 1945 after Channon filed for divorce without opposition from his wife. Additionally, Channon engaged in relationships with playwright Terence Rattigan and maintained close associations with Prince Paul of Yugoslavia and the Duke of Kent, although the exact nature of these connections remains uncertain.

Politics

Having become a naturalised British citizen in 1933, Channon aligned himself with the Conservative Party. At the general election of 1935, he secured a seat as Member of Parliament for Southend, taking over from his mother-in-law Gwendolen Guinness, Countess of Iveagh. Following boundary changes in 1950, he represented Southend West until his passing in 1958.

In 1938, Conservative minister Rab Butler appointed Channon as his Parliamentary Private Secretary. Identified with the party’s appeasement faction, Channon was an early advocate for Nazi Germany, influenced by German nobility who hoped for a restoration of the Hohenzollern dynasty. Invited by Joachim von Ribbentrop, he attended the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games and expressed approval of Nazi concentration camps, characterizing them as "tidy" and designed to eradicate class distinctions. He observed that social stratification had almost disappeared in Germany under the Nazi ideology of Volksgemeinschaft.

During the Sudetenland crisis in 1938, Channon accompanied Butler to Geneva for discussions at the League of Nations. Although he held the League in contempt—referring to it as an "absurd little Assembly" dominated by Russians and Jews who propagated war rumors—he enjoyed participating in its social functions. Channon regarded Soviet foreign commissar Maxim Litvinov as a cunning manipulator and believed that the USSR aimed to instigate another global conflict.

The British government was concerned that Czechoslovakia’s President Edvard Beneš might call upon League collective security if Germany invaded. To avoid forcing Britain into vetoing Czechoslovakia’s appeal, Butler and Channon endeavored to prevent the League from addressing the Sudetenland issue during September 1938.

After King George VI ascended the throne and appeasement policies failed, Channon’s influence within royal and Conservative circles diminished. He remained steadfastly loyal to Neville Chamberlain while maintaining criticism of Winston Churchill, whom he disparaged along with Butler. His enthusiasm for politics declined, turning instead toward involvement with the Guinness brewing enterprise while retaining popularity among his constituents.

Despite his ongoing public service until his death from a stroke in London on 7 October 1958 at age 61, Channon did not attain ministerial office or peerage; his highest honor was a knighthood awarded in 1957.

Diaries

Throughout his lifetime, Channon maintained diaries, which he entrusted to the British Museum with a restriction preventing access for 60 years. A censored selection was released in 1967, exposing frank perspectives on upper-class society and political environments. These revelations sparked intense responses from his contemporaries, including a libel lawsuit from a fellow Member of Parliament that was resolved privately.

A significant entry from 1941 mentioned the anticipated union between Prince Philip and Princess Elizabeth, showcasing Channon’s privileged connections with prominent individuals. The diaries were extensively edited before publication; Robert Rhodes James and editor Peter Coats prepared a typescript and conducted the initial redactions.

In these diaries, Channon’s self-portrayal reveals his vanity, social aspirations, and lack of interest in traditional masculine activities, instead highlighting his preoccupation with glamour and social circles. Early reviews of the published edition acknowledged its keen observations and openness despite an often flattering tone.

In 1991, four previously undiscovered volumes came to light, prompting the publication of a comprehensive three-volume unexpurgated edition edited by Simon Heffer. The first volume covers entries from 1918 to 1938, followed by volumes spanning 1938–1943 and 1943–1957. Some diary entries from 1929 to 1933 are still missing.

Critiques with a business perspective commended Channon’s literary skill and the historical significance of his writings. Lord Lexden regarded him as an exemplary diarist, while Joseph Epstein characterized the diaries as reflecting a vain, elitist politician fixated on trivial matters yet offering valuable insights into British political affairs.

Reputation

Richard Davenport-Hines, who authored Channon's entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, proposes that characters such as Elliot Templeton in W. Somerset Maugham's The Razor's Edge (1944) and the schoolmaster Crocker-Harris in Terence Rattigan's play The Browning Version (1948) were partially modeled on Channon.

Views on Channon during his lifetime were mixed. Nancy Mitford described his diary as "vile & spiteful & silly," highlighting a darker nature beneath his charming facade. Duff Cooper labeled him a "toady," although Cooper’s widow, Lady Diana Cooper, commended him as a devoted and generous companion who supported individuals across social strata.

Historian Max Hastings referred to Channon as a "consummate ass."

External links

• Kelvedon Hall