Field Marshal Lord Richards — Portrait Sitting

Chief of the Defence StaffField MarshalRoyal ArtilleryISAFLord RichardsBritish MilitaryChief of the General Staff

Oct 6

Field Marshal Lord Richards — Portrait Sitting for Heroes in Focus (Rory Lewis Photographer 2025)

Field Marshal David Julian Richards, Baron Richards of Herstmonceux, GCB, CBE, DSO, DL—appointed Honorary Field Marshal by His Majesty The King in June 2025—sat for my non-profit archive, Heroes in Focus, on Monday, 6 October 2025. This portrait marks a significant addition to our mission to document the living history of Britain’s senior military leadership.

Lord Richards’ distinguished career spans command in Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, and his tenure as Chief of the Defence Staff, the professional head of the British Armed Forces. In Sierra Leone, his decisive, morally clear actions helped avert catastrophe and safeguard countless lives—cementing his reputation as one of Britain’s most capable and compassionate commanders.

As Major General Alastair Bruce notes, the modern conferral of five-star rank is an honorary sovereign appointment—revived after the 1990s suspension of the substantive rank. The King’s elevation of Lord Richards and Lord Houghton of Richmond recognizes a lifetime of service at the very summit of command, awarded only after a suitable period in retirement to underscore its symbolic nature.

The rank’s heritage runs deep: from medieval marshals to the 18th-century Field Marshal, the tradition is embodied by the baton—a sovereign’s gift, historically signifying supreme military trust. In due course, Their Lordships will receive a baton of red velvet topped by St George slaying the dragon, inscribed with their names and that of the King.

For this portrait I worked with restrained, sculptural light—chiaroscuro that draws the eye to character and command. The intention was simplicity with weight: to let presence speak, to honor service over spectacle, and to place Lord Richards within a lineage that stretches from campaign portraits of old to contemporary service at the highest level.

From early service with the Royal Artillery through command of ISAF in Afghanistan, to the office of CDS and later contributions in the Lords, Lord Richards’ career maps the arc of Britain’s modern military story. This portrait joins our growing Heroes in Focus archive—an educational, non-profit resource preserving the faces and testimonies of those who lead.

3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery (RHA)

British ArmyField MarshalChief of The Defence StaffSierra LeoneAfghanistanISAFRoyal ArtilleryBritish Military3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery (RHA)

RORY LEWIS

Winner of the Portrait of Britain in 2017 and 2018. Lewis is a dedicated portrait photographer who has spent over a decade capturing many of the world’s most recognised faces. Sitters have included the likes of William Shatner, David Cameron, Sir Derek Jacobi, Iain Glen and Natalie Dormer. Rory’s images have been exhibited on both sides of the Atlantic, and several of his iconic portraits have been acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in London. His recent project, ‘Soldiery’, which documented the British Army of the 21st Century, was completed over a two year period and has been hailed as a national success story, named by the BBC as ‘The changing face of the British Army’. Rory divides his time between London and Los Angeles, working with a wide variety of clients. In addition to his projects and private portraits, his photography has been commissioned by Pepsi, Universal, the British Army, The Times, The Guardian and Cancer Research UK, among others. Rory draws immense inspiration from the masters of art including Hans Holbein the Younger, Titian, Caravaggio and Jusepe de Ribera.

http://www.rorylewis.studio

Field Marshal Lord Richards — Portrait Sitting

Field Marshal The Lord Houghton of Richmond Portrait Sitting

Gunnery Sergeant Marcus Lewis, U.S. Marine Corps