 He went on to spend over a year (26 May 19829 August 1983) as Administrator of the Australian territory of Christmas Island.In 2003, at the age of 82, he earned a Doctorate in Political Science from the University of Melbourne following publication of his thesis on British policy during the Suez crisis.Yates married firstly, on 14 September 1946, the Honourable Rosemary Elton, the daughter of historian Godfrey Elton, 1st Baron Elton, and had with her one son, William (born 7 October 1951) and two daughters, Elisabeth (born 30 June 1948) and Angela (born 7 April 1950).