Robert will be deeply missed within the Hart/Austen clan. I always felt he lit up any gathering with his warmth, unnassuming intelligence, and fantastic wit. When I think of Robert I think of twinkling blue eyes & a smile suggesting he alone knows the secrets of things and finds them deeply amusing; a smile which suggests it's all a big joke, and the joke's on us. I also felt in him an ally of sorts, being 2 lone smokers in a family of non-smokers; we would often share quietly companionable cigarette breaks away from the hubub at family gatherings. For my husband, Will, Robert was one of the stand-out guests at our wedding 2 years ago, probably even winning the award for Conversation Of The Day for the range & depth of topics they covered, combined with his clearly felt generosity of spirit. From both of us, our thoughts and love are with Rosie, James, Priscilla, Mark, Tim & Rachel at this time. X