Guidubaldo Querci della Rovere was a consultant surgeon at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London. Known as 'Uccio', he was born in Venice, Italy, on 27 March 1946 into the ancient and eminent della Rovere family. His family history dates back many centuries and two popes (Julius II and Sixtus IV) were among his ancestors. His father Aldo Querci della Rovere was a general practitioner. His mother was Jone Galli. Uccio used to accompany his father on his rounds and studied medicine in Padua, where he qualified in 1971. After two years in junior posts in Padua, he did an academic job in Verona, completed his National Service in Florence, and then returned to Verona. In 1977 he was awarded a Rotary travelling fellowship to visit the Royal Marsden Hospital and then worked at St Margaret's Hospital, Epping, under Michael Morgan. He had to fight hard to get his Italian qualifications recognised by the General Medical Council, eventually winning a court case that set the precedent for other European practitioners to work in the UK. He was appointed as a consultant surgeon at the Royal Marsden in 1993, specialising in surgery for breast cancer. He married Anna née Morris in 1971. They had two daughters, Valentina and Francesca. A man of great charm and many interests, he was always elegantly turned out, had a passion for Wagner and the Ferrari team in Formula One racing, was an expert photographer and was widely read, especially in philosophy. He died on 14 July 2009.