The Grand Majistry has announced the death of Fra' Matthew Festing.

Born in Tarset, Northumberland in 1949 he died in Malta on Friday 12, 2021 at the age of 71.

Fra' Matthew was in Malta, where on November 4 he attended the solemn profession of religious vows of Fra' Francis Vassallo in St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta.

A few hours later e felt ill and was taken to hospital where his condition appeared immediately serious.

Matthew served as the 79th Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta. He was elected in 2008 and served as Grand Master until January 2017.

Fra' Matthew was appointed OBE by The Queen and served as one of her Deputy Lieutenants in Northumberland.

In a statement, the Order of Malta said: "The Lieutenant of the Grand Master, Fra' Marco Luzzago in offering prayers for Fra' Matthew, invites all members and volunteers of the Order of Malta to pray for his soul."

Fra’ Matthew Festing became a member of the Sovereign Order of Malta in 1977 and took solemn religious vows in 1991. Between 1993 and 2008 he was Grand Prior of England, the first holder of that role for 450 years.

In this capacity, he led humanitarian aid missions to Kosovo, Serbia and Croatia. He was a descendant of Sir Adrian Fortescue, a knight of Malta, who was martyred in 1539.

Elected Prince and 79th Grand Master on 11 March 2008, he resigned the position on 28 January 2017.

During his 10 years at the helm of the Order, he travelled to the five continents to strengthen diplomatic relations with countries and to see the Order’s works around the world at first-hand. He has taken part in dozens of Order of Malta pilgrimages to Lourdes and others Marian shrines, taking personal care of disabled pilgrims.

A date for the funeral has not yet been announced.