Friday 20 December: St John is delighted to announce the appointment of Rear Admiral Simon Williams CB CVO OStJ as the new Prior of the Priory of England and the Islands of the Order of St John, and Chair of St John Ambulance.  

The Prior is the most senior volunteer of the Priory of England and the Islands and acts as an ambassador for both the Priory and St John Ambulance across the country and internationally.   

Following a rigorous external selection process, where the final decision was approved by HRH The Duke of Gloucester, The Grand Prior of the Order, Simon will succeed Stuart Shilson LVO GCStJ DL from 6 January. 

Simon has been a Trustee of the Priory and of St John Ambulance since May 2023. He is currently the Chancellor of the charity in England, a Crown Order of Chivalry, where he leads governance and strategic oversight of the Priory of England and the Islands and the St John Ambulance Transformation Committee. He also takes Appeals for Royal Navy Service Complaints and is Chairman of the Royal Fleet Club Charity.  

Simon has a wealth of senior experience in both the Ministry of Defence and Royal Navy, including multi-agency civilian and military operations, strategic people change management and the leadership of Reserve volunteers. In his role as the Defence Services Secretary to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, he oversaw policy for Orders of Chivalry while he has also Commanded the Royal Navy Leadership Academy and Training Establishments in addition to three Royal Navy Ships.  

Shona Dunn CB, CEO of St John, says:

“I’m so pleased Simon will be our next Prior. He has been a huge support to me in my first few months at St John and I look forward to continuing to work closely with him in his new role. I know he will lead our talented Board of Trustees with distinction and continue to champion this wonderful charity with great care, compassion and commitment as we deliver our important work across the country.” 

Simon responds:

“It is a huge honour to lead the Priory of England and the Islands and St John Ambulance, as we move forward on our journey of renewal. I will continue to serve St John to the very best of my abilities, alongside a dedicated Board of Trustees, and to support our wonderful volunteers and staff across the country. We are absolutely committed to ensuring a sustainable future for our charity, and a platform for St John people to enjoy a rich, meaningful experience in delivering life-saving capability to our communities. I am particularly grateful to our outgoing Prior, Stuart Shilson, for his leadership over the past few years as we’ve transformed our charity following the pandemic. We are indebted to his contribution.”