Sir Edward Ford, 96, aide to queen

LONDON -- Sir Edward Ford, the royal courtier who provided Queen Elizabeth II with the memorable phrase "annus horribilis" to describe her troubles in 1992, has died. He was 96.

Sir Edward , who was the queen's assistant private secretary from her accession in 1952 until he retired in 1967, died Sunday. The cause of death was not announced.

Educated at Eton and Oxford, one of his first jobs was as a private tutor to the heir to the Egyptian throne, Prince Farouk, who was then 15.

Sir Edward practiced law from 1937 to 1939. During World War II he saw service campaigns in Tunisia and Italy. He joined the palace staff in 1946.