The Master of the Household is the operational head (see Chief operating officer) of the "below stairs" elements of the

Royal Households of the United Kingdom The Royal Households of the United Kingdom are the collective departments that support members of the British royal family. Many members of the royal family who undertake public duties have separate households. They vary considerably in size, ...

. The role has charge of the domestic staff, from the Royal Kitchens, the pages and footmen, to the housekeeper and their staff. Since 2004 the

Office of the Prince of Wales The Royal Households of the United Kingdom are the collective departments that support members of the British royal family. Many members of the royal family who undertake public duties have separate households. They vary considerably in size, ...

has included a Master of the Household.

List of Masters of the Household

* Richard Browne 1603–1604 *Sir Robert Vernon bef. 1608 – c.1625 * Charles Glemham c. 1625 – 1625 * Roger Palmer 1626–1632 * ''In abeyance 1632–1645'' * George Lisle c. 1645 – 1648 * ''In abeyance?'' 1648–1660 * Sir Herbert Price, 1st Baronet 1660–1665 and 1666–1678 * Honourable Henry Bulkeley 1678–1688 *

Sir Thomas Felton, 4th Baronet Sir Thomas Felton, 4th Baronet (12 October 1649 – 3 March 1709), of Whitehall, Westminster and Playford, Suffolk, was an English courtier and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1690 and 1709 . Felton was the son of Sir ...

1689–1708 * Edmund Dunch 1708–1712 *

Sir William Pole, 4th Baronet Sir William Pole, 4th Baronet (1678 – 31 December 1741), of Colcombe Castle, near Colyton and Shute, near Honiton, Devon was an English landowner and Tory politician who sat in the English and British House of Commons between 1701 and 1734 ...

1712–1714 * Edmund Dunch 1714–1719 *

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 ...

, 1720–1730 * Sir George Treby 1730–1741 * Sir John Harris 1741–1767 * The Right Honourable Henry Thynne 1768–1771 *

Sir Francis Henry Drake, 5th Baronet Sir Francis Henry Drake, 5th Baronet (29 August 1723 – 19 February 1794) was an English Master of the Household and Member of Parliament. He was born the eldest son of Sir Francis Drake, 4th Baronet, whom he succeeded in 1740. He was educated ...

1771–1794 * Sir Henry Strachey, 1st Baronet 1794–1810 * Sir William Kenrick 1810–1812 * Samuel Hulse 1812–1827 * Sir Frederick Beilby Watson 1827–1838 *The Right Honourable Sir Charles Murray, 1838–1844 *

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Henry Meynell Henry Meynell (24 August 1789 – 24 March 1865) was a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative and Tories (British political party), Tory politician and naval officer. Family and early life Meynell was the second son of Hugo Meynell of Qu ...

1844–1845 * Major-General Sir George Bowles 1845–1851 *The Right Honourable General Sir Thomas Biddulph 1851–1866 *The Right Honourable Major-General Sir John Cowell, 1866–1894 * Lieutenant-Colonel

Lord Edward Pelham-Clinton Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Edward William Pelham-Clinton (11 August 1836 – 9 July 1907), known as Lord Edward Clinton, was a British Liberal Party politician. Life Clinton was the second son of Henry Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle a ...

, 1894–1901 *The Right Honourable Horace Farquhar, Lord Farquhar, 1901–1907 (later Earl Farquhar) *

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

Sir Charles Arthur Andrew Frederick, 1907–1912 * Lieutenant-Colonel The Honourable Sir Derek Keppel, 1913–1936 * Brigadier Sir Smith Child, 2nd Baronet, 1936–1941 * Lieutenant-Colonel The Honourable Sir Piers Legh, 1941–1953 *

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 indicators ...

Sir Mark Milbank, 4th Baronet Major Sir Mark Vane Milbank, 4th Baronet, (11 January 1907 – 4 April 1984) was a British Army officer and courtier, who served as Master of the Household from 1954 to 1967. Early life He was the son of Sir Frederick Richard Milbank, 3rd Baro ...

, 1954–1967 * Brigadier Sir Geoffrey Hardy-Roberts, 1967–1973 * Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Ashmore, 1973–1986 * Rear-Admiral Sir Paul Greening, 1986–1992 * Major-General Sir Simon Cooper, 1992–2000 * Vice-Admiral Sir Anthony Blackburn, 2000–2004 * Air Marshal Sir David Walker, 2005–2013 * Vice-Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt, 2013–

List of Deputy Masters of the Household

* Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Charles Arthur Andrew Frederick, 1901–1907 * Harry Lloyd-Verney, 1907–1911 * Lieutenant-Colonel Honourable Sir Derek Keppel, 1911–1912 *

Lord Arthur John Hamilton 1913–1914 * Honourable Sir Harry Stonor, 1918–1921 *

Lord Claud Nigel Hamilton Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...

, 1922–1924 *

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 ...

Sir Smith Child, 2nd Baronet 1929–1936 * Lieutenant-Colonel Ririd Myddleton, 1937–1939 *

Group Captain Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force, where it originated, as well as the air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank i ...

Peter Townsend, 1950–52 *

Mark Milbank Major Sir Mark Vane Milbank, 4th Baronet, (11 January 1907 – 4 April 1984) was a British Army officer and courtier, who served as Master of the Household from 1954 to 1967. Early life He was the son of Sir Frederick Richard Milbank, 3rd Baro ...

, 1952–1954 * Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Plunket, 1954–1975 * Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Blair Stewart-Wilson, 1976–1994 * Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Guy Acland, 1994–1999 * Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Richards, 1999–

The Staff

Master of the Household , ------------------ , , Deputy Master Master's Secretary , , -------------------------------------------------------------- , , , , Lady Clerk to the Deputy Master Chief Clerk , , , ------------------------- , , , Assistant to the Master(Food) , , , ---------------------------------------------- , , , , Deputy Assistant Master (Food) Lady Clerk to the Assistant Master (Food) , , , Catering Office Administrator , , , Senior Clerk , , , Clerk , , , -------------------------------------------------------------------------- , , , , , , , Royal Chef Head Coffee Room Maid Dining Room Canteen Senior , , , Supervisor Supervisor Storeman , Senior Sous Chef Deputy Head , , , , , Coffee Room Maid Senior Canteen Storemen , Pastry Sous Chef , Dining Room Assistants , , Coffee Room Maids Assistants , , Sous Chef , Daily Ladies , , Dining Room , Senior Cooks Assistants , , , , Cooks Wash-up , , Assistants , Apprentices , , , Kitchen Porters , , ------------------------- , , , Assistant to the Master (General) , , , --------------------------------------- , , , , , Lady Clerk to the Assistant Master (General) , , , , , ------------------------- , ---- Royal Florist , , , , , , Palace Foreman , ---- Senior Clerk , , , , , , -----------------, --------------------- , , , , ----, -----, , , , , , , Palace

Fendersmith A Fendersmith is a person employed to clean and repair the metal fenders before fireplaces in mansions, fine estates, or castles. The person is usually also responsible for lighting and keeping the fire contained within the fireplace. Few fend ...

Clerk Basement Night , , , Attendants Cleaners Patrolmen , , , , , , ----------------------------------------------------------------- , , , , , , , , , , French Carpet Locksmith Gilders Cabinet Upholsterers , , Polisher Planners Makers , , , Palace Steward , , , --------------------------------------- , , , , Page of the Yeoman of the Royal Pantries , Chambers , , , --------------------------------------------------- , , , , , , , Assistant Yeoman Assistant Yeoman Assistant Yeoman , , of the Plate Pantry of Windsor Castle of the Glass & China Pantry , , , , , , Underbutlers Underbutlers , , , , ------------------------------------------------------------------ , , , , , , Deputy Page Pages of the Yeoman of the Travelling Yeoman , of the Chamber Backstairs Royal Cellars , , , , ------------------------------- , , ------------ Assistant , , , , , Yeoman Sergeant Luggage Porters , Pages of the Queen's , Footman , Presence Piper Underbutlers , , Deputy , ------------------------------------ Sergeant , , , Footman , Superintendent Superintendent , , of Windsor Castle of Holyroodhouse , -------------- , , , , , , Assistant Office & Security Staff Footmen Livery Porters , Superintendent , , , Office Staff , Chief Housekeeper , , ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- , , , , , Deputy Housekeeper of Housekeeper of Housekeeper of Housekeeper of Housekeeper of Windsor Castle Holyroodhouse Sandringham House Balmoral Castle Buckingham Palace , , , , , Housemaids Housemaids Housemaids Housemaids Housemaids

References

Sources

*Hoey, Brian (1992). ''All The Queen's Men: Inside The Royal Household''. London: HarperCollins. .
Master of the Household 1660–1837

External links

Office of Master of the Household under the Tudors
{{British Monarchy Household Positions within the British Royal Household Ceremonial officers in the United Kingdom