Michael Brinton was born on October 6, 1941, in Belbroughton.

He was the son of Sir Tatton Brinton, who served as MP for Kidderminster and as deputy lieutenant and high sheriff.

Mr Brinton went to Eton before studying languages in Aix-en-Provence, France, and Perugia, Italy, and reading music at Vienna University.

He went on to become fluent in French, Italian and German and could also speak some Portuguese, Russian and Arabic.

He married Angela on June 18, 1966, at Holy Trinity Brompton, London, and the couple lived in Islington.

Son Julian was born in 1968, followed by daughter Birdie in 1969 and son Algy in 1978. The couple lived in Pershore and at Park Hall, near Kidderminster, in the early 70s.

He became director of Brintons in 1970 and took the role of export sales manager which took the family to Paris in 1976 where he also commuted between the UK and Dusseldorf.

He was marketing and sales director at Brintons in 1988 and became chairman from 1991, a post he held until 2006 when he became honorary life president.

In 1996, the family moved to Pudleston in Herefordshire, where they have since remained.

During his time in the carpet industry he was president of the Confederation Int des Tapis et Tissus D’ameublement from 1987-91 and Qualitas furnishing standards from 1992-95.

He belonged to the British Carpet Manufacturers Association from 1998 to 2000 and was chairman of CBI Hereford and Worcester in 1998.

He was also instrumental in setting up the Carpet Foundation, which promoted the interests of the industry.

He was also president of Worcestershire Ambassadors and Worcestershire Community Foundation.

Mr Brinton became high sheriff of Hereford and Worcester in 1990/91 and deputy lieutenant in 1991 – following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

He was made lord lieutenant in 2001 and represented the Queen in her absence at official functions and organised Royal visits to Worcestershire.

He was given the Order of St John in 2001 and the Knight of St John in 2002 for his service to St John Ambulance.

The Queen awarded him the Commander of the Royal Victorian Order for his personal service in January 2012 as part of the New Year’s Honours.