Brigadier Andrew Skeen ICD OBE (c. 1906 – 11 May 1984) was a British Army officer, and Rhodesian politician who served as the last High Commissioner from Rhodesia to the United Kingdom.

Quick Facts High Commissioner of Southern Rhodesia to the United Kingdom, Preceded by ...

Brigadier Andrew Skeen ICD OBE
High Commissioner of Southern Rhodesia to the United Kingdom
In office 22 July 1965 – 12 November 1965
Preceded by	Evan Campbell
Succeeded by	Sydney Brice (as chargé)
Member of the Southern Rhodesian Legislative Assembly for Arundel
In office 14 January 1966 – 10 April 1970
Preceded by	Clifford Dupont
Succeeded by	Parliament dissolved
Member of the House of Assembly of Rhodesia for Arundel
In office 10 April 1970 – 30 July 1974
Preceded by	New seat
Succeeded by	Archibald Wilson
Personal details
Born	3 October 1906 British India
Died	11 May 1984(1984-05-11) (aged 77–78) Bothas Hill South Africa
Resting place	Hillcrest South Africa
Political party	Rhodesian Front
Relations	Andrew Skeen (father) Chris Mann (poet) son in law
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch/service	British Army
Years of service	1926–1947
Rank	Brigadier
Battles/wars	World War II

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Born in India, Skeen was the son of General Sir Andrew Skeen. He was commissioned into the British Army in 1926,^[1] rising to the rank of Brigadier. He retired from the British Army in 1947 and moved to the self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia and settled in Vumba in Umtali district.^[2] Skeen opposed the creation of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland in 1953, as he saw it as not in the best interests of the white community in Southern Rhodesia, and by 1962, Skeen had joined the Rhodesian Front party of Ian Smith.^[3]

Skeen served as the High Commissioner for Rhodesia in London from 22 July to 12 November 1965.^[4] His total tenure lasted 115 days.

On 11 November 1965, when Rhodesia announced its Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI), Skeen was summoned by the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, Arthur Bottomley, for a meeting at 1.15pm where Bottomley ordered Skeen to denounce the UDI or face being declared persona non grata with the removal of all privileges and expulsion from 13 November.^[5] Skeen refused and departed London voluntarily the following day on 12 November 1965, although Rhodesia House (the High Commission) continued to function as a representative office with no official diplomatic status. Skeen's functions were assumed by chargé d'affaires Sydney Brice, who was officially regarded as "The Southern Rhodesian Representative" by the British Foreign Office.

On his return from London, Skeen was elected unopposed to the Southern Rhodesian Legislative Assembly (the House of Assembly from 1970) seat of Arundel in the 14 January 1966 by-election caused by the resignation of Clifford Dupont who had been appointed Officer Administering the Government after the UDI.^[6] He was re-elected for a second term at the 1970 general election but stood down at the 1974 general election and was succeeded by another former serviceman, Air Marshal Archibald Wilson.