Maltese-born Sir Igor Judge has been appointed Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales.
Sir Igor, 67, is the son of Rosa Micallef-Judge and was educated at St Edward's College, Oratory School, Woodcote and Magdalene College, Cambridge.
He will take over in October as head of the judiciary from Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers.
He was appointed judge in 1988 promoted to the Court of Appeal in 1996 and became a Privy Councillor.
He became Deputy Lord Chief Justice in 2003 and Head of Criminal Justice in January 2007.