The Comptroller of the Household is an ancient position in the British royal household, nominally the second-ranking member of the

Lord Steward The Lord Steward or Lord Steward of the Household is an official of the Royal Households of the United Kingdom, Royal Household in England. He is always a peerage, peer. Until 1924, he was always a member of the Government. Until 1782, the offic ...

's department after the

Treasurer of the Household The Treasurer of the Household is a member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The position is usually held by one of the government deputy Chief Whips in the House of Commons. The current holder of the office is Ma ...

. The Comptroller was an ''ex officio'' member of the Board of Green Cloth, until that body was abolished in the reform of the local government licensing in 2004. In recent times, a senior government

whip A whip is a tool or weapon designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism. They are generally e ...

has invariably occupied the office. On state occasions the Comptroller (in common with certain other senior officers of the Household) carries a white staff of office, as often seen in portraits.

History

Comptroller A comptroller (pronounced either the same as ''controller'' or as ) is a management-level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization. A financial comptroller is a senior-level executi ...

" is an alternative spelling of "controller", recorded since around 1500 in a number of British titles, and later also in the United States. The variant in spelling results from the influence of French ''compte'' "account". The office of Comptroller of the Household derives from the medieval Household office of Controller of the

Wardrobe A wardrobe or armoire or almirah is a standing closet used for storing clothes. The earliest wardrobe was a chest, and it was not until some degree of luxury was attained in regal palaces and the castles of powerful nobles that separate accomm ...

, who was deputy to the Keeper (or Treasurer) of the Wardrobe, as well as an important official in his own right as keeper of the Privy Seal. Later, both these offices became high-ranking political appointments.

Modern role

In modern times, the Comptroller has become a less prominent position in

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

politics. The holder is one of the Government

whips A whip is a tool or weapon designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism. They are generally ...

in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

, and their responsibilities for the Royal Household are now largely ceremonial. The role has been occupied by

Rebecca Harris Elizabeth Rebecca Scott Harris (born 22 December 1967) is a British Conservative Party politician who was elected at the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Castle Point. She is the incumbent Comptroller of the Househ ...

since 2022.

Known incumbents

15th century

* 1399–1400: Sir Robert Litton * 1402–1413: John Spencer *after 1413: Sir Robert Babthorpe * 1432–c1450:

Thomas Stanley, 1st Baron Stanley Sir Thomas Stanley, 1st Baron Stanley, titular King of Mann, KG (c. 1405 – 11 or 20 February 1459), of Lathom and Knowsley, Lancashire, was a Privy Councillor, Comptroller of the Royal Household The Comptroller of the Household is an ancie ...

* 1460: Thomas Charlton * 1461–?1470:

Sir John Scott John Scott, 1st Earl of Eldon, (4 June 1751 – 13 January 1838) was a British barrister and politician. He served as Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain between 1801 and 1806 and again between 1807 and 1827. Background and education Eldon ...

* 1471–1475: Sir William Parr''The Household of Edward IV'', Manchester University Press N
''Google ebook''
/ref>The DNB gives Sir William Parr as Comptroller of the Household from 1471 to 1483; ''Household of Edward IV'' gives Parr's office dates as 1471–1475 and again in 1481–1483 * 1475–1481: Sir Robert Wingfield * 1481–1483: Sir William Parr * 1483–1485: Sir Robert Percy of Scotton * 1485–1489: Sir Richard EdgecumbeGreen Cloth officeholders
Institute of Historical Research * 1489?–1492: Sir Roger Tocotes * 1492–1494: ''vacant'' * 1494–1506:

Sir Richard Guildford Sir Richard Guildford (alias ''Guilford, Guldeford'', etc.), KG (c. 1450 – 1506) was an explorer, naval commander, and English courtier who held important positions at the court of Henry VII, including the office of Master of the Ordnance. L ...

16th century

* 1507–1509: Sir John Hussey * 1509–1519: Sir Edward Poynings *

Sir Thomas Parr Sir Thomas Parr (c. 1483 – 11 November 1517) of Kendal in Westmorland (now Cumbria), England, was a courtier and is best known as the father of Queen Catherine Parr, the Wives of Henry VIII, sixth and final wife of King Henry VIII of England, ...

* 1519–1521:

Sir Thomas Boleyn Thomas Bolina, Earl of Wiltshire, 1st Earl of Ormond, 1st Viscount Rochford KG KB (c. 1477 – 12 March 1539), of Hever Castle in Kent, was an English diplomat and politician who was the father of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry ...

* 1521–1532: Sir Henry Guildford * 1532–1537: Sir William Paulet * 1537–1539: Sir John Russell * 1539–1540: Sir William Kingston * 1540–1547: Sir John Gage * 1547–1550:

Sir William Paget William Paget, 1st Baron Paget of Beaudesert (15069 June 1563), was an English statesman and accountant who held prominent positions in the service of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary I. Early life He was the son of John Pachett or Paget, ...

* 1550–1552: Sir Richard Wingfield * 1552–1553:

Sir Richard Cotton Sir Richard Cotton (in or before 1497 – 1556), was a courtier in the court of Henry VIII of England. He came from Shropshire and began his career as a lawyer before entering the king's service. His elder brother George Cotton was in charge of th ...

* 1553–1557: Sir Robert Rochester * 1557–1558: Sir Thomas Cornwallis * 1558–1559: Sir Thomas Parry * 1559–1568: Sir Edward Rogers * 1568: Anthony Crane * 1568–1570: ''vacant'' * 1570–1590:

Sir James Croft Sir James Croft PC (c.1518 – 4 September 1590) was an English politician, who was Lord Deputy of Ireland, and MP for Herefordshire in the Parliament of England. Life He was born the second but eldest surviving son of Sir Richard Croft of C ...

* 1590–1596: ''vacant'' * 1596–1602:

William Knollys, 1st Earl of Banbury William Knollys, 1st Earl of Banbury, KG, PC (1544 – 25 May 1632) was an English nobleman at the court of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I. Biography He was the son of Sir Francis Knollys, of Greys Court in Oxfordshire, and of Readin ...

17th century

* 1602–1604:

Sir Edward Wotton Sir Edward Wotton (1489–1551) was the Treasurer of Calais and a privy councillor to Edward VI of England. Life Edward first appears in the commission of the peace for Kent on 2 June 1524; subsequently his name was generally included in the comm ...

* c1604: William Pitt * 1616–1618: Sir Thomas Edmonds * 1618–1622: Sir Henry Cary (so created 1620) * 1622–1627: Sir John Suckling * 1627–1629: Sir John Savile, created a baron in 1628. * 1629–1639:

Henry Vane the Elder Sir Henry Vane, the elder (18 February 15891655) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1654. He served King Charles in many posts including secretary of state, but on the outbreak of the En ...

* 1639–1641: Sir Thomas Jermyn * 1641–1643: Sir Peter Wyche * 1643–1646: Christopher Hatton, 1st Baron Hatton * 1660–1662: Sir Charles Berkeley * 1662–1666: Sir Hugh Pollard, 2nd Baronet * 1666–1668: Sir Thomas Clifford * 1668–1672: Francis Newport, 2nd Baron Newport * 1672–1687:

William Maynard, 2nd Baron Maynard William Maynard, 2nd Baron Maynard (c. 1623 – 3 February 1688/89) was an English aristocrat, the son of William Maynard, 1st Baron Maynard and Anne Everard. He married Dorothy Banastre. He later married Lady Margaret Murray, daughter of W ...

* 1687–1688:

Henry Waldegrave, 1st Baron Waldegrave Henry Waldegrave, 1st Baron Waldegrave (166124 January 1689) was an English peer and Jacobite supporter. Early life He was the son of Sir Charles Waldegrave, 3rd Baronet and Eleanor, Lady Waldegrave ( Englefield), a daughter of Sir Francis E ...

* 1689–1702:

Thomas Wharton, 5th Baron Wharton Thomas Wharton, 1st Marquess of Wharton PC (August 1648 – 12 April 1715) was an English nobleman and politician. A man of great charm and political ability, he was also notorious for his debauched lifestyle. Background He was the son o ...

18th century

* 1702–1704: Sir Edward Seymour, Bt * 1704–1708: Sir Thomas Mansell, Bt * 1708: The Earl of Cholmondeley * 1708–1709: Sir Thomas Felton, Bt * 1709–1711: Sir John Holland, Bt * 1711–1712: The Lord Lansdowne * 1713–1714: Sir John Stonhouse, Bt * 1714–1720: Hugh Boscawen * 1720–1725: Paul Methuen * 1725–1730: Lord Finch * 1730–1754: Sir Conyers Darcy * 1754–1756: The Earl of Hillsborough * 1756:

Lord Hobart Robert Hobart, 4th Earl of Buckinghamshire, (6 May 17604 February 1816), styled Lord Hobart from 1793 to 1804, was a British Tory politician. Life Buckinghamshire was born at Hampden House, the son of George Hobart, 3rd Earl of Buckinghamshire ...

* 1756–1761: The Lord Edgcumbe * 1761: The Earl of Powis * 1761–1762: Lord George Cavendish * 1762–1763:

Humphry Morice Humphry Morice may refer to: * Humphry Morice (Governor of the Bank of England) (c. 1671 – 1731), British merchant * Humphry Morice (MP for Launceston) Humphry Morice (1723 – 18 October 1785) was a Whig Member of Parliament for the Cornish ...

* 1763–1765:

Lord Charles Spencer Lord Charles Spencer PC (31 March 1740 – 16 June 1820) was a British courtier and politician from the Spencer family who sat in the House of Commons between 1761 and 1801. Background Spencer was the second son of Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of ...

* 1765–1774: Thomas Pelham * 1774–1777: Sir William Meredith, Bt * 1777–1779: The Lord Onslow * 1779–1782: Sir Richard Worsley, Bt * 1782–1784: The Earl Ludlow * 1784–1787: The Viscount Galway * 1787–1790: Hon. John Villiers * 1790–1791: Hon. Dudley Ryder * 1791–1797: The Earl of Macclesfield * 1797–1804:

Lord Charles Somerset Lord Charles Henry Somerset PC (12 December 1767 – 18 February 1831), born in Badminton, England, was a British soldier, politician and colonial administrator.Charles Mosley, editor. Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, 2 volu ...

19th century

* 1804–1812: Lord George Thynne * 1812–1830:

Lord George Beresford Lord George Thomas Beresford GCH, PC (12 February 1781 – 26 October 1839) was an Anglo-Irish soldier, courtier and Tory politician. He served as Comptroller of the Household from 1812 to 1830. Background Beresford was the fourth son of Geo ...

* 1830–1834: Lord Robert Grosvenor * 1834–1835: Hon. Henry Lowry-Corry * 1835–1841: Hon. George Byng * 1841: Lord Marcus Hill * 1841–1846: Hon. George Dawson-Damer * 1846–1847: Lord Marcus Hill * 1847–1851: Hon. William Lascelles * 1851–1852:

Earl of Mulgrave The title Earl of Mulgrave has been created twice. The first time as a title in the Peerage of England and the second time as a Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation was in the Peerage of England in 1626 for Edmund Sheffield, 3r ...

* 1852: Hon. George Weld-Forester * 1853–1856: Viscount Drumlanrig * 1856–1858: Viscount Castlerosse * 1858–1859: Hon. George Weld-Forester * 1859–1866: Lord Proby * 1866–1868: Viscount Royston * 1868–1874: Lord Otho FitzGerald * 1874–1879: Lord Henry Somerset * 1879–1880:

Earl of Yarmouth Earl of Yarmouth is a title that has been created three times in British history, once in the Peerage of England and twice in the Peerage of Great Britain. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1679 in favour of the politician and ...

* 1880–1885: The Lord Kensington * 1885–1886:

Lord Arthur Hill Colonel Lord Arthur William Hill PC, DL, JP (28 July 1846 – 13 January 1931), was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Conservative politician. He served three times as Comptroller of the Household between 1885 and 1898 in the Conservative adminis ...

* 1886: Edward Marjoribanks * 1886–1892:

* 1892–1895:

George Leveson-Gower Sir George Granville Leveson-Gower KBE (19 May 1858 – 18 July 1951), was a British civil servant and Liberal politician from the Leveson-Gower family. He held political office as Comptroller of the Household between 1892 and 1895 and later s ...

* 1895–1898:

* 1898–1905: The Viscount Valentia

20th century

* 1905–1909: Master of Elibank * 1909–1912: The Earl of Liverpool * 1912–1915: The Lord Saye and Sele * 1915–1916: Charles Henry Roberts * 1916–1919: Sir Edwin Cornwall * 1919–1921:

George Frederick Stanley Sir George Frederick Stanley (14 October 1872 – 1 July 1938) was a British soldier and Conservative Party politician who served as a member of the UK Parliament for Preston and later, Willesden East. He also served the Governor of Madras from ...

* 1921–1924: Harry Barnston * 1924: John Allen Parkinson * 1924–1928: Sir Harry Barnston * 1928–1929: Sir William Cope * 1929–1931: Thomas Henderson * 1931: Goronwy Owen * 1931–1932: Walter Rea * 1932–1935: Sir Frederick Penny, Bt * 1935: Sir Victor Warrender, Bt * 1935: George Bowyer * 1935–1937: Sir Lambert Ward * 1937: Sir George Frederick Davies * 1937–1939: Charles Waterhouse * 1939–1940: Charles Kerr * 1940–1942:

William Whiteley William Whiteley (29 September 183124 January 1907) was an English entrepreneur of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was the founder of the William Whiteley Limited retail company whose eponymous department store became the Whiteleys ...

* 1942–1945:

William John William John or Will John may refer to: * William John (Medal of Honor) (1844–1927), American Civil War soldier and Medal of Honor recipient * Goscombe John, William Goscombe John (1860–1952), Welsh sculptor * Will John (politician) (William Jo ...

* 1945: George Mathers * 1945:

Leslie Pym Leslie Ruthven Pym (24 May 1884 – 17 July 1945) was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. The son of the Right Reverend Walter Ruthven Pym, Bishop of Bombay, Pym was educated at Bedford School and Magdalene College, C ...

* 1945–1946:

Arthur Pearson Arthur Pearson may refer to: * Arthur Pearson (British politician) (1897–1980), British Labour Party Member of Parliament for Pontypridd, 1938–1970 * Sir Arthur Pearson, 1st Baronet (1866–1921), British newspaper magnate and publisher * Arth ...

* 1946: Michael Stewart * 1946–1951:

Frank Collindridge Frank Collindridge CBE (1891 – 16 October 1951) was a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. Born in Barnsley, Collindridge became a coal miner, and became active in the Miners' Federation of Great Britain (MFGB) and the Labour Party ...

* 1951–1954: Roger Conant * 1954–1955:

Tam Galbraith Sir Thomas Galloway Dunlop Galbraith, known as Tam Galbraith, (10 March 1917 – 2 January 1982) was a Scottish Unionist politician. Early life The eldest son and heir of Thomas Galbraith, 1st Baron Strathclyde, Galbraith was educated at Ayt ...

* 1955–1957: Hendrie Oakshott * 1957–1958: Gerald Wills * 1958–1959: Edward Wakefield * 1959–1961:

Harwood Harrison Sir James Harwood Harrison, 1st Baronet (6 June 1907 – 11 September 1980) was a British Conservative Party politician. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Eye in Suffolk from 1951 to 1979, having first contested it ...

* 1961–1964:

Robin Chichester-Clark Sir Robert "Robin" Chichester-Clark (10 January 1928 – 5 August 2016) was Member of Parliament for Londonderry in the British House of Commons from 1955 until February 1974, and to date was the last member representing a seat in Northern Ire ...

* 1964–1966: Charles Grey * 1966–1967: William Whitlock * 1967–1968: William Howie * 1968–1970:

Ioan Evans Ioan Evans may refer to: * Ioan Evans (politician) Ioan Lyonel Evans (10 July 1927 – 10 February 1984) was a British politician. He served as a Labour and Co-operative Member of Parliament (MP) from 1964 to 1970 and from 1974 until his death. ...

* 1970: Walter Elliot * 1970–1972:

Reginald Eyre Sir Reginald Edwin Eyre (28 May 1924 – 27 January 2019) was a British Conservative Party politician. Early life and career Son of Edwin Eyre, a local government officer, and his wife Mary (née Moseley), a shopkeeper, Eyre was educated at Kin ...

* 1972–1973:

Bernard Weatherill Bruce Bernard Weatherill, Baron Weatherill, (25 November 1920 – 6 May 2007) was a British Conservative Party politician. He served as Speaker of the House of Commons between 1983 and 1992. Family He was the son of Bernard Bruce Weatherill ...

* 1973–1974:

Walter Clegg Sir Walter Clegg (18 April 1920 – 15 April 1994) was a British Conservative politician. Clegg contested Ince in 1959 and was elected Member of Parliament for North Fylde in 1966. He became a Lord of the Treasury in 1970 and was successivel ...

* 1974–1978: Joseph Harper * 1978–1979: James Hamilton * 1979–1981: Spencer le Marchant * 1981–1983:

Anthony Berry Sir Anthony George Berry (12 February 1925 – 12 October 1984) was a British Conservative politician. He served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Enfield Southgate and a whip in Margaret Thatcher's government. Berry served as an MP for near ...

* 1983–1986:

Carol Mather Sir David Carol MacDonnell Mather (3 January 19193 July 2006) was a British soldier and politician. After serving 22 years in the British Army, he was the Member of Parliament for Esher from 1970 until 1987. During his political career he he ...

* 1986–1988:

Robert Boscawen Robert Thomas Boscawen (17 March 1923 – 28 December 2013) was a British Conservative politician. He was the last member of the House of Commons to hold a Military Cross for action during the Second World War. Background and education Robert ...

* 1988–1989:

Tristan Garel-Jones William Armand Thomas Tristan Garel-Jones, Baron Garel-Jones, PC (28 February 1941 – 23 March 2020) was a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Watford from 1979 to 1997, befor ...

* 1989–1990:

Alastair Goodlad Alastair Robertson Goodlad, Baron Goodlad (born 4 July 1943) is a British politician who served as Chief Whip of the House of Commons from 1995 to 1997 and British High Commissioner to Australia from 2000 to 2005. A member of the Conservative ...

* 1990:

Sir George Young, 6th Baronet ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as ...

* 1990–1995:

David Lightbown Sir David Lincoln Lightbown (30 November 1932 – 12 December 1995) was the Conservative Member of Parliament for South East Staffordshire from 1983 until he died in office in 1995 aged 63 (he suffered a heart attack while watching a rugby match ...

* 1995–1997: Timothy Wood * 1997–2008:

Tommy McAvoy Thomas McLaughlin McAvoy, Baron McAvoy, (born 14 December 1943) is a British Labour and Co-operative politician serving as a life peer in the House of Lords since 2010. He served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Glasgow Rutherglen from ...

21st century

* 2008–2010:

John Spellar John Francis Spellar (born 5 August 1947) is a British politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Warley, formerly Warley West, since 1992. A member of the Labour Party, he previously represented Birmingham Northfield from 1 ...

* 2010–2013:

Alistair Carmichael Alexander Morrison "Alistair" CarmichaelFull name is given as "CARMICHAEL, Alexander Morrison, commonly known as Alistair Carmichael" in the returning officer'2010 general election declaration (born 15 July 1965) is a Scottish politician and s ...

* 2013–2015: Don Foster * 2015–2016: Gavin Barwell * 2016–2017:

Mel Stride Melvyn John Stride (born 30 September 1961) is a British politician who has served as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions since October 2022. He previously served in the May Government as Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster G ...

* 2017:

Christopher Pincher Christopher John Pincher (born 24 September 1969) is a British independent politician and a Conservative Party member, who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamworth since 2010. Pincher previously served as Government Deputy Chief Wh ...

* 2018: Christopher Heaton-Harris * 2018–2019: Mark Spencer *2019:

Jeremy Quin Jeremy Mark Quin (born 24 September 1968) is a British politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Horsham (UK Parliament constituency), Horsham since the 2015 United Kingdom general elec ...

*2019–2021:

Mike Freer Mike may refer to: Animals * Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum * Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off * Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and docume ...

*2021–2022: Marcus Jones *2022–present:

Notes

External links

Comptroller
Etymology OnLine

Loyola University Chicago

Political Science Resources {{British Monarchy Household Court titles

Household A household consists of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling. It may be of a single family or another type of person group. The household is the basic unit of analysis in many social, microeconomic and government models, and is im ...

Positions within the British Royal Household