Christopher Soames, Baron Soames

Arthur Christopher John Soames, Baron Soames, born October 12, 1920, and died September 16, 1987, was a British Conservative politician best known for serving as the last Governor of Southern Rhodesia, overseeing the territory's transition to independence as Zimbabwe in 1979 and 1980. He was Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food from July 1960 to 1964 under Harold Macmillan and Alec Douglas-Home, having earlier served as Secretary of State for War, and he later served as British Ambassador to France, Vice-President of the European Commission, and Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Lords under Margaret Thatcher. He represented Bedford in Parliament from 1950 to 1966.