The Gentleman Usher to the Sword of State is an officer of the British Royal Household. He is responsible for bearing the Sword of State before the monarch on ceremonial occasions. However, the Gentleman Usher was removed from the procession at the

State Opening of Parliament The State Opening of Parliament is a ceremonial event which formally marks the beginning of a session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It includes a speech from the throne known as the King's (or Queen's) Speech. The event takes place ...

in 1998.

List of Gentlemen Ushers to the Sword of State

*10 January 1837 – 1874?: Sir William Martins *''vacant'' *23 July 1901 – 1 December 1915: Sir Spencer Ponsonby-Fane *27 June 1919 – 20 May 1924:

Sir Edward Goschen, 1st Baronet Sir William Edward Goschen, 1st Baronet, (18 July 1847 – 20 May 1924) was a British diplomat. Background and education Goschen was born at Eltham, England, the twelfth child and sixth son of Wilhelm Heinrich Göschen, originally of Leipzig, ...

*3 November 1924 – 1933: Sir Reginald Brade *10 March 1933 – 22 March 1946: Lieutenant General Sir Lewis Halliday *22 March 1946 – 4 November 1966: Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Barratt *3 February 1967 – 1973: General Sir William Stirling *26 October 1973 – 7 April 1980: Admiral Sir Desmond Dreyer *7 April 1980 – 2 May 1988: Air Chief Marshal Sir John Barraclough *2 May 1988 – 1997: General Sir Edward Burgess *1997 – 1 December 2005: Admiral Sir Michael Layard *1 December 2005 – ????: Air Chief Marshal Sir John Allison *2013 – present: General Sir

Kevin O'Donoghue General Sir Kevin O'Donoghue, (born 9 December 1947) is a retired British Army officer and former Chief of Defence Materiel. He retired from the service in December 2010, being succeeded as Chief of Defence Materiel by Bernard Gray. Early li ...

References

{{reflist Positions within the British Royal Household Ceremonial officers in the United Kingdom

List of Gentlemen Ushers to the Sword of State

See also

References