Marquand was born in Llanishen, Cardiff, Wales, the younger brother of the political writer and academic David Marquand and the son of Rachel E. (née Rees) and Hilary Marquand, who was a Labour member of Parliament and Minister in the Post Second World War Labour Government.Richard Marquand was educated at Emanuel School, the University of Aix (now Aix-Marseille University) in Aix-en-Provence, France and King's College, Cambridge. During National Service he studied Mandarin and was posted to Hon