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 Household in England. He is always a peer. Until 1924, he was always a member of the Government. Until 1782, the office was one of considerable political importance a ...

'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 The Board of Green Cloth was a board of officials belonging to the Royal Household of England and Great Britain. It took its name from the tablecloth of green baize that covered the table at which its members sat. It audited the accounts of the R ...

, 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 ...

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 exec ...

" 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 acco ...

, 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 politics. The holder is one of the Government whips 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 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 * 1460: Thomas Charlton * 1461–?1470: Sir John Scott * 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

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 sixth and final wife of King Henry VIII. Life Thomas was the son of ...

* 1519–1521: Sir Thomas Boleyn * 1521–1532:

Sir Henry Guildford Sir Henry Guildford, KG (1489–1532) was an English courtier of the reign of King Henry VIII, master of the horse and comptroller of the royal household. Early life He was the son of Sir Richard Guildford by his second marriage to Joan, s ...

* 1532–1537: Sir William Paulet * 1537–1539:

Sir John Russell Sir John Wriothesley Russell (22 August 1914 – 3 August 1984) was a British diplomat and ambassador. He was the only son of Thomas Wentworth Russell, better known as Russell Pasha, who was descended from John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford. H ...

* 1539–1540:

Sir William Kingston Sir William Kingston, KG ( – 14 September 1540) was an English courtier, soldier and administrator. He was the Constable of the Tower of London during much of the reign of Henry VIII. Among the notable prisoners he was responsible for were ...

* 1540–1547: Sir John Gage * 1547–1550: Sir William Paget * 1550–1552: Sir Richard Wingfield * 1552–1553: Sir Richard Cotton * 1553–1557: Sir Robert Rochester * 1557–1558:

Sir Thomas Cornwallis Sir Thomas Cornwallis (1518/1519 – 1604) was an English politician. Family Thomas Cornwallis was the eldest son of Sir John Cornwallis (c. 1491–1544), steward of the household of the future King Edward VI during the years 1538–1544, b ...

* 1558–1559: Sir

Thomas Parry Thomas Parry may refer to: * Thomas Parry (Comptroller of the Household) (c. 1515–1560), serving Queen Elizabeth I of England * Thomas Parry (ambassador) (1541–1616), English MP, ambassador to France and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster * T ...

* 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

17th century

* 1602–1604: Sir Edward Wotton * c1604: William Pitt * 1616–1618: Sir Thomas Edmonds * 1618–1622:

Sir Henry Cary ''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 ...

(so created 1620) * 1622–1627: Sir John Suckling * 1627–1629:

Sir John Savile Sir John Savile (1546–1607) was an English lawyer and judge. Life He was the eldest son of Henry Savile of Bradley, near Stainland, Yorkshire, by his wife Elizabeth, only daughter of Robert Ramsden; Sir Henry Savile and Thomas Savile were ...

, created a baron in 1628. * 1629–1639: Henry Vane the Elder * 1639–1641:

Sir Thomas Jermyn Sir Thomas Jermyn (1573–1645) of Rushbrooke, Suffolk, was an English courtier and Cavalier, Royalist who served as a Member of Parliament between 1604 and 1640. Early life Jermyn was the son of Sir Robert Jermyn of Rushbrooke. He was admitted ...

* 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 ''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 ...

* 1668–1672: Francis Newport, 2nd Baron Newport * 1672–1687: William Maynard, 2nd Baron Maynard * 1687–1688: Henry Waldegrave, 1st Baron Waldegrave * 1689–1702: Thomas Wharton, 5th Baron Wharton

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 Sir Conyers Darcy or Darcey, (c. 16851 December 1758), of Aske, near Richmond, Yorkshire, was a British Army officer, courtier and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1707 and 1758. Early life Darcy was the second survivin ...

* 1754–1756: The Earl of Hillsborough * 1756: Lord Hobart * 1756–1761: The Lord Edgcumbe * 1761: The Earl of Powis * 1761–1762: Lord George Cavendish * 1762–1763: Humphry Morice * 1763–1765: Lord Charles Spencer * 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

19th century

* 1804–1812: Lord George Thynne * 1812–1830: Lord George Beresford * 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 * 1852: Hon. George Weld-Forester * 1853–1856:

Viscount Drumlanrig Marquess of Queensberry is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. The title has been held since its creation in 1682 by a member of the Douglas family. The Marquesses also held the title of Duke of Queensberry from 1684 to 1810, when it was i ...

* 1856–1858: Viscount Castlerosse * 1858–1859: Hon. George Weld-Forester * 1859–1866: Lord Proby * 1866–1868:

Viscount Royston A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicial ...

* 1868–1874: Lord Otho FitzGerald * 1874–1879:

Lord Henry Somerset Lord Henry Richard Charles Somerset, PC, DL, JP (7 December 1849 – 10 October 1932) was a British Conservative politician and composer of popular music. He served as Comptroller of the Household under Benjamin Disraeli between 1874 a ...

* 1879–1880: Earl of Yarmouth * 1880–1885: The Lord Kensington * 1885–1886: Lord Arthur Hill * 1886: Edward Marjoribanks * 1886–1892: Lord Arthur Hill * 1892–1895: George Leveson-Gower * 1895–1898: Lord Arthur Hill * 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 Charles Henry Roberts (22 August 1865 – 25 June 1959) was a British radical Liberal politician. Early life Roberts was the son of Reverend Albert James Roberts, Vicar of Tidebrook, Sussex and Ellen Wace of Wadhurst, Sussex and was educated at ...

* 1916–1919:

Sir Edwin Cornwall ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English language, 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 i ...

* 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 Sir Harry Barnston, 1st Baronet, Justice of the Peace, JP, Deputy Lieutenant, DL (December 1870 – 22 February 1929) was a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician. The son of Major William Barnston of Crewe Hill, and Mary Emma ...

* 1924:

John Allen Parkinson John Allen Parkinson (15 October 1870 – 7 December 1941) was a British Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician and former coal miner. He stood for Parliament seven times and was overwhelmingly elected each time. Biography Parkinson was bo ...

* 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 * 1942–1945: William John * 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, Camb ...

* 1945–1946: Arthur Pearson * 1946: Michael Stewart * 1946–1951: Frank Collindridge * 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 Ayto ...

* 1955–1957:

Hendrie Oakshott Hendrie Dudley Oakshott, Baron Oakshott (8 November 1904 – 1 February 1975), known as Sir Hendrie Oakshott, 1st Baronet, from 1959 to 1964, was a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party politician. At the 1950 United Kingdom genera ...

* 1957–1958:

Gerald Wills Sir Gerald Wills, (3 October 1905 – 31 October 1969) was a British barrister and politician who was Member of Parliament (MP) for Bridgwater from 1950 until his death. Wills was born in Long Ashton, Somerset to a working family, and at 21 was ...

* 1958–1959: Edward Wakefield * 1959–1961: Harwood Harrison * 1961–1964: Robin Chichester-Clark * 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 Evans (footballer) * Ioan Evans (rugby union) See also * Ian Evans (disambiguation) Ian Evans may refer to: * Ian Evans (historian) (born 1940), Australian author, publisher and historian ...

* 1970: Walter Elliot * 1970–1972: Reginald Eyre * 1972–1973: Bernard Weatherill * 1973–1974: Walter Clegg * 1974–1978: Joseph Harper * 1978–1979:

James Hamilton James Hamilton may refer to: Dukes *James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton (1606–1649), heir to the throne of Scotland * James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton (1658–1712), Scottish nobleman * James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Hamilton (1703–1743), S ...

* 1979–1981:

Spencer le Marchant Sir Spencer Le Marchant (15 January 1931 – 7 September 1986) was a British Conservative Party politician. Early life Born in Edmonton, London, Le Marchant was educated at Eton College and was a member of the London Stock Exchange. He served ...

* 1981–1983: Anthony Berry * 1983–1986: Carol Mather * 1986–1988: Robert Boscawen * 1988–1989: Tristan Garel-Jones * 1989–1990: Alastair Goodlad * 1990: Sir George Young, 6th Baronet * 1990–1995: David Lightbown * 1995–1997:

Timothy Wood Timothy John Rogerson Wood (born 13 August 1940), known as Tim Wood, is a British politician. He was the Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Stevenage (UK Parliament c ...

* 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 fro ...

21st century

* 2008–2010: John Spellar * 2010–2013: Alistair Carmichael * 2013–2015: Don Foster * 2015–2016:

Gavin Barwell Gavin Laurence Barwell, Baron Barwell (born 23 January 1972) is a British politician and former Downing Street Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Theresa May. A member of the Conservative Party, he was Member of Parliament for Croydon Cen ...

* 2016–2017: Mel Stride * 2017: Christopher Pincher * 2018:

Christopher Heaton-Harris Christopher Heaton-Harris (born 28 November 1967) is an English politician who has served as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland since 6 September 2022. Early life and education Born on 28 November 1967, Heaton-Harris attended the Tiffin ...

* 2018–2019: Mark Spencer *2019: Jeremy Quin *2019–2021: Mike Freer *2021–2022: Marcus Jones *2022–present: Rebecca Harris

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