David Manning
A top British diplomat who served as a crucial confidential link between Prime Minister Tony Blair and President George W. Bush.
Born 1949 (age 77)·British diplomat·Birthday: December 5·Baby Boomers
Biography
Sir David Manning's diplomatic career placed him at the white-hot center of international affairs in the early 21st century. After postings in Moscow and New Delhi, he became Foreign Policy Advisor to Tony Blair, a role that leveraged his analytical calm and deep trust with the Prime Minister. This trust made him the ideal choice as Ambassador to Washington from 2003 to 2007, a period defined by the Iraq War and the intense 'special relationship' between Blair and Bush. Manning's detailed memorandum of a 2003 meeting between the two leaders, later known as the 'Manning Memo', became a critical historical document outlining their discussions on Iraq. In later years, he shifted to a quieter but influential role as a trusted advisor to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, guiding them on international charitable work.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
David was born in 1949, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1949
#1 Movie
Samson and Delilah
Best Picture
All the King's Men
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1949Born
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1954Started school
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1962Became a teenager
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Could drive
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1967Could vote
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Turned 21
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1979Turned 30
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 40
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 50
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 60
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 70
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 77 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as British Ambassador to the United States during the pivotal years of the Iraq War (2003-2007).
- Authored the confidential 'Manning Memo' documenting a key pre-Iraq War discussion between Tony Blair and George W. Bush.
- Appointed Foreign Policy Advisor to Prime Minister Tony Blair from 2001 to 2003.
Did You Know?
He was the first British Ambassador to the U.S. to present his credentials in the White House after the 9/11 attacks.
He later served as a foreign policy advisor to Prince William and Prince Harry.
He is a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG).
“Diplomacy is the patient work of building trust in a world of permanent interests.”
