Deane, Sir William (1931-…), served as governor general of Australia from 1996 to 2001. He had previously been a justice of the High Court of Australia from 1982 to 1995.
William Patrick Deane was born on Jan. 4, 1931, in Melbourne, Australia. He was educated at St. Christopher’s Convent, Canberra, and St. Joseph’s College, Sydney. He received a law degree from the University of Sydney. Deane became a barrister (lawyer qualified to argue cases in the highest courts) in 1957. He was appointed a queen’s counsel (senior barrister) in 1966. The title changed to king’s counsel after Charles III succeeded Elizabeth II as the British monarch in 2022. In 1977, Deane became a judge in the Supreme Court of New South Wales and a judge of the Federal Court of Australia. From 1977 to 1982, he was the president of the Australian Trade Practices Tribunal.
Deane was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1982. He was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in 1988. The Order of Australia is Australia’s highest award for service to the country or to humanity.
