Field Marshal The Lord Houghton of Richmond Portrait Sitting

British ArmyField MarshalGreen HowardsIraq WarThe TroublesChief of the Defence Staff
Written By RORY LEWIS

Captured at the London Studio – 10 October 2025
By Rory Lewis – Heroes in Focus Foundation

On Friday, 10th October 2025, I had the privilege of welcoming Field Marshal The Lord Houghton of Richmond, GCB, CBE, DL back to my London studio for our second portrait sitting — the first having taken place in 2014, when he served as Chief of the Defence Staff. This latest session marks a continuation of a remarkable photographic relationship, now spanning more than a decade, and forms part of my long-term mission through Heroes in Focus to capture and preserve the likenesses of all living Field Marshals for the historical record.

Field Marshal The Lord Houghton of Richmond Portrait Sitting (Rory Lewis Photographer 2025)

Only a handful of Field Marshals remain today, and with His Majesty The King’s appointment of two new holders of the rank in 2025 — both of whom I also had the honour to photograph — this portrait becomes part of a rare and significant visual archive documenting Britain’s highest military leadership.

Lord Houghton’s distinguished career reflects the evolution of the modern British Army. Commissioned into the Green Howards in 1974 after graduating from St Peter’s College, Oxford, he went on to command his battalion in Northern Ireland during The Troubles and later served as *Senior British Military Representative and Deputy Commanding General, Multi-National Force – Iraq. His leadership culminated in his appointment as Chief of the Defence Staff in 2013, overseeing the Armed Forces during a critical period of transition following the Afghanistan campaign.

Promoted to Field Marshal in June 2025, alongside his predecessor The Lord Richards of Herstmonceux, Lord Houghton remains a figure of immense respect and reflection within the Armed Forces and the House of Lords, where he serves as a crossbench peer.

Our 2025 sitting sought to explore that evolution — from active command to elder statesmanship. The portrait captures not only the stature of a Field Marshal but also the calm wisdom of a man whose service has spanned war, reform, and ceremony. Rendered in my signature chiaroscuro style, the image emphasizes depth, restraint, and the gravity of leadership earned through experience.

To photograph Lord Houghton once again, now bearing the baton of Field Marshal, was to complete a narrative — one that began in uniformed service and continues in reflection and legacy. Through Heroes in Focus, I aim to ensure that such stories endure, preserving for posterity the humanity and history behind the rank.

— Rory Lewis, Founder, Photographer Heroes in Focus Foundation

Field Marshal The Lord Houghton of Richmond Portrait Sitting (Rory Lewis Photographer 2025)

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
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Field Marshal Lord Richards — Portrait Sitting