The High Steward of Westminster Abbey is an honorary role at

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...

, London. He is appointed by the Dean and Chapter, and holds the office for life. Past holders have included Robert Cecil (in the 16th century) and

Douglas Hurd Douglas Richard Hurd, Baron Hurd of Westwell, (born 8 March 1930) is a British Conservative Party politician who served in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major from 1979 to 1995. A career diplomat and political secretary to P ...

( fl. 2004). Since October 2016, the role has been held by Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry. The official costume is an orange cape and white ruff. The deputy High Steward is an ''ex officio'' role of the Lord Mayor of Westminster.

List of holders

Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch Walter Francis Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch, 7th Duke of Queensberry, (born Walter Francis Montagu-Scott; 25 November 1806 – 16 April 1884), styled Lord Eskdail between 1808 and 1812 and Earl of Dalkeith between 1812 and 18 ...

1842–1884 *

Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster, (13 October 1825 – 22 December 1899), styled Viscount Belgrave between 1831 and 1845, Earl Grosvenor between 1845 and 1869, and known as The Marquess of Westminster between 1869 and 1874, was an ...

? – 22 December 1899 *

Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (; 3 February 183022 August 1903) was a British statesman and Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom three times for a total of over thirteen y ...

January 1900 – 22 August 1903 ''(High Steward of the City and Liberty of Westminster)'' *

James Gascoyne-Cecil, 4th Marquess of Salisbury James Edward Hubert Gascoyne-Cecil, 4th Marquess of Salisbury, (23 October 1861 – 4 April 1947), known as Viscount Cranborne from 1868 to 1903, was a British statesman. Background and education Born in London, Salisbury was the eldest son ...

, 10 November 1903 – 4 April 1947 *

Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax, (16 April 1881 – 23 December 1959), known as The Lord Irwin from 1925 until 1934 and The Viscount Halifax from 1934 until 1944, was a senior British Conservative politician of the 19 ...

, 27 June 1947 – 23 December 1959 * Harry Crookshank, 1st Viscount Crookshank, 22 March 1960 – 17 October 1961 *

Ralph Assheton, 1st Baron Clitheroe Ralph Assheton, 1st Baron Clitheroe, (24 February 1901 – 18 September 1984), was an English aristocrat and politician. Biography Assheton was born on 24 February 1901. His father was Sir Ralph Assheton, 1st Baronet (1860–1955), and his m ...

, 22 February 1962 – 18 September 1984 *

Gordon Richardson, Baron Richardson of Duntisbourne Gordon William Humphreys Richardson, Baron Richardson of Duntisbourne (25 November 1915 – 22 January 2010) was a British banker, former lawyer, and former Governor of the Bank of England. Biography Richardson was born to John Robert and Nell ...

, 10 January 1985 – December 1988 *

Robert Blake, Baron Blake Robert Norman William Blake, Baron Blake, (23 December 1916 – 20 September 2003), was an English historian and peer. He is best known for his 1966 biography of Benjamin Disraeli, and for ''The Conservative Party from Peel to Churchill'', wh ...

, 6 January 1989 – September 1999 *

Douglas Hurd, Baron Hurd of Westwell Douglas Richard Hurd, Baron Hurd of Westwell, (born 8 March 1930) is a British Conservative Party politician who served in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major from 1979 to 1995. A career diplomat and political secretary to ...

, September 1999 – February 2011 *

Richard Luce, Baron Luce Richard Napier Luce, Baron Luce, (born 14 October 1936) is a British politician. He is a former Lord Chamberlain to the Queen, serving from 2000 to 2006, and has been Governor of Gibraltar, a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) from 1971 to ...

, February 2011 – October 2016 *

Richard Scott, 10th Duke of Buccleuch Richard Walter John Montagu Douglas Scott, 10th Duke of Buccleuch and 12th Duke of Queensberry, (born 14 February 1954), styled as Lord Eskdaill until 1973 and as Earl of Dalkeith from 1973 until 2007, is a Scottish landholder and peer. He is ...

, October 2016 – present

Sources

*Wrightson, "The Social World of Early Modern Westminster: Abbey, Court and Community, 1525–1640" (English Historical Review 2007; CXXII: 180–182) Westminster Abbey {{Anglican-stub