The Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the King/Queen (or Financial Secretary to the King/Queen) is responsible for the financial management of the Royal Household of the

Sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin , meaning 'above'. The roles of a sovereign vary from monarch, ruler or ...

of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and No ...

. The officeholder is assisted by the Deputy Treasurer to the King/Queen for the management of the Sovereign Grant, currently Sally O'Neill (formerly Chief Operating Officer of the Royal Opera House). The officeholder is also assisted by the Deputy Keeper of the Privy Purse for semi-private concerns, such as racing stables, the Royal Philatelic Collection,

Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse ("ascot" pronounced , often pronounced ) is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 horse races an ...

, the Chapel Royal, the

Page of Honour A Page of Honour is a ceremonial position in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It requires attendance on state occasions, but does not now involve the daily duties which were once attached to the office of page. The o ...

, Military Knights of Windsor, Royal Maundy, the

Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, o ...

grace and favour ''Grace & Favour'' (American title: ''Are You Being Served? Again!'') is a British sitcom and a spin-off of ''Are You Being Served?'' that aired on BBC1 for two series from 1992 to 1993. It was written by ''Are You Being Served?'' creators and ...

apartments, and the Duchy of Lancaster. These are funded from the

Privy Purse The Privy Purse is the British Sovereign's private income, mostly from the Duchy of Lancaster. This amounted to £20.1 million in net income for the year to 31 March 2018. Overview The Duchy is a landed estate of approximately 46,000 acres (200 ...

, which is drawn largely from the Duchy of Lancaster and the

Duchy of Cornwall The Duchy of Cornwall ( kw, Duketh Kernow) is one of two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Lancaster. The eldest son of the reigning Monarchy of the United Kingdom, British monarch obtains possession of the duchy and the ...

. The Keeper of the Privy Purse meets the Sovereign at least weekly. Among the duties is the allocation of grace and favour apartments at the royal palaces. The current Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the King is Sir Michael Stevens. At coronations in recent centuries, the holders of this office have invariably carried a ceremonial purse, embroidered with the royal coat of arms.

List of Keepers of the Privy Purse

Henry VIII

* Henry Norris by 1526–?1536 (executed 1536) *

Anthony Denny Sir Anthony Denny (16 January 1501 – 10 September 1549) was Groom of the Stool to King Henry VIII of England, thus his closest courtier and confidant. He was the most prominent member of the Privy chamber in King Henry's last years, having ...

c. 1536

Edward VI

* Peter Osborne 1551–1552

Elizabeth I

* John Tamworth, 1559–1569 *Henry Seckford 1559–1603

James I

* Sir Richard Molyneux, 1st Baronet, 1607–? *

George Home, 1st Earl of Dunbar George Home, 1st Earl of Dunbar, KG, PC (ca. 155620 January 1611) was, in the last decade of his life, the most prominent and most influential Scotsman in England. His work lay in the King's Household and in the control of the State Affairs of ...

, c. 1610–1611 * John Murray, 1st Earl of Annandale 1611–1616

Charles I

* Richard Molyneux, 1st Viscount Molyneux, PC 1616?–1636 * Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Ancram, PC 1636?–1639

Charles II

Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington, KG, PC (1618 – 28 July 1685) was an English statesman. Background and early life He was the son of Sir John Bennet of Dawley, Middlesex, by Dorothy, daughter of Sir John Crofts of Little Saxham, Suf ...

, KG, PC (1661–1662) * Charles Berkeley, 1st Earl of Falmouth, PC 1662–1665 * Baptist May 1665–1685

James II

* James Graham, 1685–1689

William III

William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland Hans William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland, (20 July 164923 November 1709) was a Dutch and English nobleman who became in an early stage the favourite of William, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder in the Netherlands, and future King of England. ...

, KG, PC 1689–1700 *Caspar Frederick Henning, 1700–1702

Anne

Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, Princess of Mindelheim, Countess of Nellenburg (née Jenyns, spelt Jennings in most modern references; 5 June 1660 (Old Style) – 18 October 1744), was an English courtier who rose to be one of th ...

1702–1711 * Abigail Masham, Baroness Masham 1711–1714

George I

*Caspar Frederick Henning, 1714–1727

George II

* Augustus Schutz, 1727–1757 *

The Honourable ''The Honourable'' ( British English) or ''The Honorable'' ( American English; see spelling differences) (abbreviation: ''Hon.'', ''Hon'ble'', or variations) is an honorific style that is used as a prefix before the names or titles of cert ...

Edward Finch, 1757–1760

George III

John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, (; 25 May 1713 – 10 March 1792), styled Lord Mount Stuart between 1713 and 1723, was a British nobleman who served as the 7th Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1762 to 1763 under George III. He was arguab ...

, KG, PC 1760–1763 * William Breton, 1763–1773 *

James Brudenell, 5th Earl of Cardigan James Brudenell, 5th Earl of Cardigan (20 April 1725 – 24 February 1811), styled The Honourable James Brudenell until 1780 and known as The Lord Brudenell between 1780 and 1790, was a British courtier and politician who sat in the House of Commo ...

, PC 1773–1811 *

The Right Honourable ''The Right Honourable'' (abbreviation: ''Rt Hon.'' or variations) is an honorific Style (form of address), style traditionally applied to certain persons and collective bodies in the United Kingdom, the former British Empire and the Commonwealth ...

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

Sir John McMahon, 1st Baronet Colonel Sir John McMahon, 1st Baronet (c. 1754 – 12 September 1817) was an Irish-born politician and Private Secretary to the Sovereign 1811–1817. Biography He was born in Limerick, son of John MacMahon, comptroller of the port of Lime ...

, 1812–1817 *

Lieutenant-General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Benjamin Bloomfield, 1st Baron Bloomfield, GCB GCH PC 1817–1822

George IV

Sir William Knighton, 1st Baronet, GCH 1821–1830

William IV

Major-General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Sir Henry Wheatley, 1st Baronet, GCH, CB 1830–1846

Victoria

* George Edward Anson 1847–1849 *

Sir Charles Beaumont Phipps KCB 1849–1866 *

General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...

Sir Charles Grey 1866–1867 (''jointly'') *

Thomas Myddleton-Biddulph KCB 1866–1878 (''jointly to 1867'') *

Sir Henry Ponsonby GCB 1878–1895 *

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Fleetwood Edwards

GCVO The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, or ...

, KCB, ISO 1895–1901

Edward VII

Sir Dighton Probyn, VC, GCB,

GCSI The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes: # Knight Grand Commander ( GCSI) # Knight Commander ( KCSI) # Companion ( CSI) No appointment ...

, ISO 1901–1910

George V

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir William Carington

KCB JP 1910–1914 * Lieutenant-Colonel

Frederick Ponsonby, 1st Baron Sysonby Frederick Edward Grey Ponsonby, 1st Baron Sysonby, (16 September 1867 – 20 October 1935) was a British soldier and courtier. Background Known as Fritz, Ponsonby was the second of three sons of General Sir Henry Ponsonby and his wife the Hon. ...

GCB

PC 1914–1935 *

Clive Wigram, 1st Baron Wigram Clive Wigram, 1st Baron Wigram, (5 July 1873 – 3 September 1960) was a British Indian Army officer and courtier. He was Private Secretary to the Sovereign from 1931 to 1936. Parentage and education Wigram was the son of Herbert Wigram. His ...

GCB

CSI PC 1935–1936

George VI

Major Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicat ...

Sir Ulick Alexander 19361952

Elizabeth II

Brigadier-General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed to ...

Charles George Vivian Tryon, 2nd Baron Tryon,

, KCB, DSO, DL, OStJ 1952–1971 *

Sir Rennie Maudslay,

KCB

MBE Mbe may refer to: * Mbé, a town in the Republic of the Congo * Mbe Mountains Community Forest, in Nigeria * Mbe language, a language of Nigeria * Mbe' language, language of Cameroon * ''mbe'', ISO 639 code for the extinct Molala language of t ...

1971–1981 * Sir Peter Miles, KCVO 1981–1987 *

Sir Shane Blewitt,

1988–1996 * Sir Michael Peat,

1996–2002 * Sir Alan Reid, GCVO 2002–2017 * Sir Michael Stevens KCVO 2018–2022

Charles III

* Sir Michael Stevens KCVO 2022–present

Deputies

Deputy Keepers

''This list is not complete''. * 1922–1925: Paymaster Rear-Admiral Sir John Henry George Chapple, KCB, CVO, RN * 1985–1988: Major Sir Shane Gabriel Basil Blewitt, GCVO * 1988–2002: Sir John Christopher Parsons, KCVO, FCA, FIC * 2002–?: Harold Smith * ?–2011: Ian Donald McGregor, CVO * 2011–2017: Sir Michael John Stevens, KCVO * 2017-present: Sally O'Neill

Deputy Treasurers

* 1923–1935: Sir Ralph Endersby Harwood, KCB, KCVO, CBE * 1941–1958: Commander Sir Dudley Colles, KCB, KCVO, OBE, RN * 1958–1968: Commander Sir Philip John Row, KCVO, OBE, RN * 1969–1985: Sir Russell Dillon Wood, KCVO, VRD * 1988–2002: Sir John Christopher Parsons, KCVO, FCA, FIC * 2003–2007: Stephen Ingleby Cawley, CVO, FCA * 2007–2017: Sir Michael John Stevens, KCVO * 2017-present: Sally O'Neill

References

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