The mistress of the robes was the senior lady in the Royal Household of the United Kingdom. Formerly responsible for the queen consort's/regnant's clothes and jewellery (as the name implies), the post had the responsibility for arranging the rota of attendance of the ladies-in-waiting on the queen, along with various duties at state ceremonies. In modern times, the mistress of the robes was almost always a duchess. During the 17th and 18th centuries, this role often overlapped with or was replaced as first lady of the bedchamber. In the past, whenever the queen was a

queen regnant A queen regnant (plural: queens regnant) is a female monarch, equivalent in rank and title to a king, who reigns '' suo jure'' (in her own right) over a realm known as a "kingdom"; as opposed to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigni ...

rather than a queen consort, the mistress of the robes was a political appointment, changing with the government. However, this has not been the case since the death of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...

in 1901, and Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states durin ...

had only had two mistresses of the robes in more than seventy years' reign. Queens dowager have their own mistresses of the robes, and in the 18th century princesses of Wales had one too.

Mistress of the robes to Mary I, 1553–1558

*1553–1558:

Susan Clarencieux Susan White, known as Susan Clarencius (before 1510 – in or after 1564), was a favourite lady in waiting and longtime friend of Queen Mary I of England. Family Susan's family, the Whites of Hutton, were a cadet branch of the White family of Sou ...

G. A. Bergenroth, P. De Gayangos, and others, ''Calendar of letters, despatches, and state papers, relating to the negotiations between England and Spain'', 13 vols., (1862–1954); M. A. S. Hume, ''Calendar of letters and state papers, relating to English affairs, preserved in the archives of Simancas'', 4 vols., (1892–9)

Mistress of the robes to Elizabeth I, 1558–1603

*1559/1562–1603: Dorothy, Lady Stafford

Mistress of the robes to Anne of Denmark, 1603–1619

*1603–1619: Audrey (Etheldreda), Lady Walsingham

Mistress of the robes to Henrietta Maria of France, 1625–1669

* 1626–1652: Susan Feilding, Countess of Denbigh (also called First Lady of the Bedchamber) * 1653–1669: Elizabeth Fielding Boyle, Countess of Guilford

Mistress of the robes to Catherine of Braganza, 1662–1692

* 1660–1692: Position vacant, replaced by a First Lady of the Bedchamber

Mistress of the robes to Mary of Modena, 1673–1688

* 1673–1688: Position vacant, replaced by a First Lady of the Bedchamber

Mistress of the robes to Mary II, 1688–1694

* 1688–1694: Lady Elizabeth Butler, Countess of Derby

Mistresses of the robes to Anne, Queen of Great Britain, 1704–1714

*1704–1710:

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 ...

*1710–1714:

Elizabeth Seymour, Duchess of Somerset Elizabeth Seymour, Duchess of Somerset and '' suo jure'' Baroness Percy (26 January 1667 – 23/24 November 1722) was an English heiress. She was styled Lady Elizabeth Percy between 1667 and 1679, Countess of Ogle between 1679 and 1681, Lady ...

Mistresses of the robes to Caroline of Ansbach, 1714–1737

*1714–1717: Diana Beauclerk, Duchess of St Albans *1717–1723: Possibly vacant *1723–1731:

Elizabeth Sackville, Duchess of Dorset Elizabeth Sackville, Duchess of Dorset (c. 1689 – 12 June 1768), formerly Elizabeth Colyear, was a British court official and noble, the wife of Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset. She was the daughter of Lieutenant-General Walter Colyear (wh ...

*1731–1735: Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk (Dowager Countess of Suffolk from 1733)Institute of Historical Research
/ref> *1735–1737: Position vacant

Mistresses of the robes to Augusta of Saxe-Gotha 1736–1763

*1736–1745:

Lady Archibald Hamilton Jane, Lady Archibald Hamilton (née Lady Jane Hamilton) (before 1704 – 6 December 1753, Paris) was a British noblewoman. She was the fifth child and third daughter of James Hamilton, 6th Earl of Abercorn (d. 1734) and Elizabeth Reading, daughter ...

*1745–1747: Position vacant *1747–1763:

Grace Sackville, Countess of Middlesex Grace Sackville, Countess of Middlesex (1723 – 10 May 1763), formerly the Hon. Grace Boyle, was the wife of Charles Sackville, Earl of Middlesex and later 2nd Duke of Dorset. Grace was born in London, the daughter and sole heir of Richard ...

Mistress of the robes to Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, 1761–1818

*1761–1793:

Mary Bertie, Duchess of Ancaster and Kesteven Mary Bertie, Duchess of Ancaster and Kesteven (died 19 October 1793), formerly Mary Panton, was the second wife of Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven. She was the daughter of Thomas Panton of Newmarket (1697-1782), who was an eq ...

(Dowager Duchess of Ancaster and Kesteven from 1778) *1793–1818:

Elizabeth Thynne, Marchioness of Bath Elizabeth Thynne, Marchioness of Bath (27 July 1735 – 12 December 1825), Lady Elizabeth Bentinck, was a British courtier and the wife of Thomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of Bath. From 1761 to 1793, she was a Lady of the Bedchamber to Charlotte ...

(Dowager Marchioness of Bath from 1796)

Mistress of the robes to Caroline of Brunswick 1795–1821

*1795–1808:

Anne Townshend, Marchioness Townshend Anne Townshend, Marchioness Townshend (c.1752 – 29 March 1819), formerly Anne Montgomery, was the second wife of George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend, previously Viscount Townshend. She was the daughter of Sir William Montgomery, 1st Ba ...

*1808–1817: Catherine Douglas, Baroness Glenbervie *1817–1821: Possibly vacant

Mistress of the robes to Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, 1830–1837

*1830–1837:

Catherine Osborne, Duchess of Leeds Catherine Osborne, Duchess of Leeds (21 January 1764 – 9 October 1837), formerly Catherine Anguish, was the second wife of Francis Osborne, 5th Duke of Leeds. She was the daughter of Thomas Anguish, Esq., a lawyer from Great Yarmouth, whos ...

*1830

Elizabeth Gordon, Duchess of Gordon Elizabeth Gordon, Duchess of Gordon (''née'' Brodie; 20 June 1794 – 31 January 1864), was a Scottish noblewoman. In 1813, she married George Gordon, 5th Duke of Gordon, George Gordon, Marquis of Huntly, afterwards the 5th Duke of Gordon. ...

Mistress of the robes to Queen Victoria, 1837–1901

*1837–1841: Harriet Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland *1841–1846: Charlotte Montagu Douglas Scott, Duchess of Buccleuch and Queensberry *1846–1852: Harriet Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland *1852–1853:

Anne Murray, Duchess of Atholl Anne Murray, Duchess of Atholl (17 June 1814 – 22 May 1897), born Anne Home-Drummond and known as The Lady Glenlyon between 1839 and 1846, as The Duchess of Atholl between 1846 and 1864 and as The Dowager Duchess of Atholl between 1864 and 1897 ...

*1853–1858: Harriet Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland *1858–1859: Louisa Montagu, Duchess of Manchester *1859–1861: Harriet Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland *1861–1868: Elizabeth Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington *1868–1870: Elizabeth Campbell, Duchess of Argyll *1870–1874:

Anne Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland Anne Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland VA (21 April 1829 – 25 November 1888), 1st Countess of Cromartie in her own right and known as the Marchioness of Stafford from 1849 to 1861, was a British peeress. Early life Anne Hay-Ma ...

*1874–1880: Elizabeth Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington *1880–1883:

Elizabeth Russell, Duchess of Bedford Elizabeth Russell, Duchess of Bedford VA (''née'' Sackville-West; 23 September 1818 – 22 April 1897) was born the daughter of the 5th Earl De La Warr and his wife Lady Elizabeth Sackville. Early life She was baptised as Elizabeth West on 1 ...

*1883–1885:

Anne Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe Anne Emily Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe (''née'' Spencer-Churchill; 14 November 1854 – 20 June 1923) was the daughter of the 7th Duke of Marlborough, who served in Conservative governments as Lord President of the Council and Lord Lieuten ...

*1885–1886: Louisa Montagu Douglas Scott, Duchess of Buccleuch and Queensberry *1886: Position vacant **Acting mistress of the robes:

*1886–1892: Louisa Montagu Douglas Scott, Duchess of Buccleuch and Queensberry *1892–1895: Position vacant **Acting mistress of the robes:

, and Anne Murray, Dowager Duchess of Atholl (jointly) *1894: Position vacant **Acting mistress of the robes: Louisa McDonnell, Countess of Antrim *1895–1901: Louisa Montagu Douglas Scott, Duchess of Buccleuch and Queensberry

Mistress of the robes to Alexandra of Denmark, 1901–1925

*1901–1912: Louisa Montagu Douglas Scott, Duchess of Buccleuch and Queensberry *1913–1925:

Winifred Cavendish-Bentinck, Duchess of Portland Winifred Anna Cavendish-Bentinck, Duchess of Portland (''née'' Dallas-Yorke; 7 September 1863 – 30 July 1954) was a British humanitarian and animal welfare activist. Background Born at Murthly Castle, Perthshire, she was the only daught ...

Mistress of the robes to Mary of Teck, 1910–1953

*1910–1916: Evelyn Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire *1916–1921:

Eileen Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland Eileen ( or ) is an Irish feminine given name anglicised from Eibhlín and may refer to: People Artists *Eileen Agar (1899–1991), British Surrealist painter and photographer * Eileen Fisher (born 1950), clothing retailer and designer * Eilee ...

*1921–1953: Evelyn Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (Dowager Duchess of Devonshire from 1938)

Mistress of the robes to Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, 1937–2002

*1937–1964: Helen Percy, Duchess of Northumberland (Dowager Duchess of Northumberland from 1946) *1964–1990: Kathleen Hamilton, Duchess of Abercorn (Dowager Duchess of Abercorn from 1979) *1990–2002: Position vacant

Mistress of the robes to Elizabeth II, 1953–2022

*1953–1967: Mary Cavendish, Dowager Duchess of Devonshire *1967–2021: Fortune FitzRoy, Dowager Duchess of Grafton (Countess of Euston until 1970, Duchess of Grafton from 1970 to 2011, Dowager Duchess of Grafton from 2011) *2021–2022: Position vacant

Mistress of the robes to Camilla Parker Bowles, 2022–present

*2022–present: Position vacant

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mistress Of The Robes Positions within the British Royal Household Ceremonial officers in the United Kingdom *