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, from the large Royal Household that supports 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 ...

to the household of the

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...

and

Princess of Wales Princess of Wales (Welsh: ''Tywysoges Cymru'') is a courtesy title used since the 14th century by the wife of the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. The current title-holder is Catherine (née Middleton). The title was firs ...

, with fewer members. In addition to the royal officials and support staff, the sovereign's own household incorporates representatives of other estates of the realm, including the government, the military, and the church. Government whips, defence chiefs, several

clerics Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

scientists A scientist is a person who conducts scientific research to advance knowledge in an area of the natural sciences. In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engaged in the philosophica ...

musicians A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wri ...

poets A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...

, and

artists An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner in the visual arts only. However, the ...

hold honorary positions within the Royal Household. In this way, the Royal Household may be seen as having a symbolic, as well as a practical, function: exemplifying the monarchy's close relationship with other parts of the constitution and of national life.

History

The royal household grew out of the earlier "

thegn In Anglo-Saxon England, thegns were aristocratic landowners of the second rank, below the ealdormen who governed large areas of England. The term was also used in early medieval Scandinavia for a class of retainers. In medieval Scotland, there w ...

hood". Among the most eminent and powerful of the king's

s were his "dishthegn", his "bowerthegn", and his horsethegn or staller. In Normandy at the time of the Conquest a similar arrangement, borrowed from the French court, had long been established. Norman dukes, like their overlords the kings of France, had their

seneschal The word ''seneschal'' () can have several different meanings, all of which reflect certain types of supervising or administering in a historic context. Most commonly, a seneschal was a senior position filled by a court appointment within a royal, ...

or steward, their

chamberlain Chamberlain may refer to: Profession *Chamberlain (office), the officer in charge of managing the household of a sovereign or other noble figure People *Chamberlain (surname) **Houston Stewart Chamberlain (1855–1927), German-British philosop ...

and their

constable A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...

. After the

Norman Conquest The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Norman, Breton, Flemish, and French troops, all led by the Duke of Normandy, later styled William the Conque ...

, the ducal household of

Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...

was reproduced in the royal household of England; and since, in the spirit of

feudalism Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was the combination of the legal, economic, military, cultural and political customs that flourished in medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of structur ...

, the great offices of the first and second were made hereditary. Thenceforth they were held by the grantees and their descendants as a holder of tenure in grand

serjeanty Under feudalism in France and England during the Middle Ages, tenure by serjeanty () was a form of tenure in return for a specified duty other than standard knight-service. Etymology The word comes from the French noun , itself from the Latin , ...

of the Crown. By the time of

Henry I Henry I may refer to: 876–1366 * Henry I the Fowler, King of Germany (876–936) * Henry I, Duke of Bavaria (died 955) * Henry I of Austria, Margrave of Austria (died 1018) * Henry I of France (1008–1060) * Henry I the Long, Margrave of the No ...

(), the royal household was divided into five departments as described in the . The Chapel—led by the

lord chancellor The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. The ...

—served the king's spiritual and secretarial needs. Subordinate to the chancellor was the master of the writing office (or chancery) who supervised the clerks who wrote various government documents. The Chamber was the main financial office within the king's government and also saw to the king's personal needs. The Chamber was led by the master chamberlain (Latin , later called the

Lord Great Chamberlain The Lord Great Chamberlain of England is the sixth of the Great Officers of State (United Kingdom), Great Officers of State, ranking beneath the Lord Privy Seal, Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal and above the Lord High Constable of England, Lord Hi ...

), lesser chamberlains, and other officials. The next department was the Hall, led by the stewards who probably were four in number and served in rotation. The buttery was led by the

butler A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some a ...

. The constabulary-marshalsea constituted the outdoor staff (including a large number of hunting officials) under the authority of the constables and master-marshal. These officers also supervised the knights of the royal household, who formed the backbone of the king's army. Knights of the or military household were often young men from prominent families for whom receiving military training in the king's household was considered a great honor. Others were younger sons forced to make their own way in the world. Over time, the offices of

Lord High Steward The Lord High Steward is the first of the Great Officers of State in England, nominally ranking above the Lord Chancellor. The office has generally remained vacant since 1421, and is now an ''ad hoc'' office that is primarily ceremonial and ...

and Lord Great Chamberlain lost both their political functions, which were taken over by the

Chief Justiciar Justiciar is the English form of the medieval Latin term ''justiciarius'' or ''justitiarius'' ("man of justice", i.e. judge). During the Middle Ages in England, the Chief Justiciar (later known simply as the Justiciar) was roughly equivalent ...

and

Lord High Treasurer The post of Lord High Treasurer or Lord Treasurer was an English government position and has been a British government position since the Acts of Union of 1707. A holder of the post would be the third-highest-ranked Great Officer of State in ...

, and their domestic functions, which were taken over by the

lord steward The Lord Steward or Lord Steward of the Household is an official of the Royal Households of the United Kingdom, Royal Household in England. He is always a peerage, peer. Until 1924, he was always a member of the Government. Until 1782, the offic ...

and

lord chamberlain The Lord Chamberlain of the Household is the most senior officer of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom, supervising the departments which support and provide advice to the Sovereign of the United Kingdom while also acting as the main cha ...

. The

marshal Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used for elevated o ...

of England took the place of the constable of England in the royal palace and was associated with him in the command of the royal armies. The marshalship and the constableship became hereditary, and, although the Lord High Constable and

Earl Marshal Earl marshal (alternatively marschal or marischal) is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England (then, following the Act of Union 1800, in the United Kingdom). He is the eig ...

retained their military authority until a comparatively late period, their original duties were transferred to the

master of the horse Master of the Horse is an official position in several European nations. It was more common when most countries in Europe were monarchies, and is of varying prominence today. (Ancient Rome) The original Master of the Horse ( la, Magister Equitu ...

. In these circumstances the holders of the original

great offices of state The Great Offices of State are senior offices in the UK government. They are the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary or, alternatively, three of those offices excluding the Prime Minister. Current ...

and the household ceased to attend court except on occasions of extraordinary ceremony, and their representatives either by inheritance or by special appointment continued to appear at

coronations A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a coronation crown, crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the ...

and some other public solemnities, such as 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 ...

or trials by the House of Lords. According to the (the Black Book of the household of

Edward IV Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...

) written between 1467 and 1477, the household was divided into the (the Chamber) and the (the Hall). The was led by the lord steward, who was in charge of the household's finances and led the counting house (the

Board of Green Cloth The Board of Green Cloth was a board of officials belonging to the Royal Household of England and Great Britain. It took its name from the tablecloth of green baize that covered the table at which its members sat. It audited the accounts of the R ...

). Financial officers serving under the lord steward were: *

Treasurer of the Household The Treasurer of the Household is a member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The position is usually held by one of the government deputy Chief Whips in the House of Commons. The current holder of the office is Ma ...

Comptroller of the Household The Comptroller of the Household is an ancient position in the British royal household, nominally the second-ranking member of the Lord Steward's department after the Treasurer of the Household. The Comptroller was an ''ex officio'' member of t ...

Cofferer of the Household The Cofferer of the Household was formerly an office in the English and British Royal Household. Next in rank to the Comptroller, the holder paid the wages of some of the servants above and below stairs, was a member of the Board of Green Cloth, ...

* two Clerks of the Green Cloth The lord steward's department also included the service areas (kitchens, bakehouse, buttery, laundry, woodyard, etc.) and the

great hall A great hall is the main room of a royal palace, castle or a large manor house or hall house in the Middle Ages, and continued to be built in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries, although by then the family used the great ...

where most of the household officers ate. The was led by the lord chamberlain. His department was responsible for the royal apartments and the people who served there: * body servants * waiting staff * royal physicians *

chaplains A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secular institution (such as a hospital, prison, military unit, intelligence ...

gentlemen ushers Gentleman Usher is a title for some officers of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom. See List of Gentlemen Ushers for a list of office-holders. Gentlemen Ushers as servants Historical Gentlemen Ushers were originally a class of servants foun ...

* yeoman ushers *

grooms A bridegroom (often shortened to groom) is a man who is about to be married or who is newlywed. When marrying, the bridegroom's future spouse (if female) is usually referred to as the bride. A bridegroom is typically attended by a best man an ...

pages Page most commonly refers to: * Page (paper), one side of a leaf of paper, as in a book Page, PAGE, pages, or paging may also refer to: Roles * Page (assistance occupation), a professional occupation * Page (servant), traditionally a young mal ...

In the 15th century, the Chamber divided into two sub-departments: the great chamber and the

privy chamber A privy chamber was the private apartment of a royal residence in England. The Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber were noble-born servants to the Crown who would wait and attend on the King in private, as well as during various court activities, f ...

. The privy chamber was overseen by

grooms of the chamber A bridegroom (often shortened to groom) is a man who is about to be married or who is newlywed. When marrying, the bridegroom's future spouse (if female) is usually referred to as the bride. A bridegroom is typically attended by a best man an ...

, led by the

groom of the stool The Groom of the Stool (formally styled: "Groom of the King's Close stool, Close Stool") was the most intimate of an List of English monarchs, English monarch's courtiers, responsible for assisting the king in excretion and hygiene. The physica ...

. The groom of the stool was one of the most powerful officials in the household until the office was abolished in 1837. He or she (when the monarch was female) acted as a royal

gatekeeper A gatekeeper is a person who controls access to something, for example via a city gate or bouncer, or more abstractly, controls who is granted access to a category or status. Gatekeepers assess who is "in or out", in the classic words of managem ...

, allowing or denying other household officials access to the monarch. In its main outlines the existing organisation of the royal household is essentially the same as it was under the

Tudors The House of Tudor was a royal house of largely Welsh and English origin that held the English throne from 1485 to 1603. They descended from the Tudors of Penmynydd and Catherine of France. Tudor monarchs ruled the Kingdom of England and it ...

or the

Plantagenets The House of Plantagenet () was a royal house which originated from the lands of Anjou in France. The family held the English throne from 1154 (with the accession of Henry II at the end of the Anarchy) to 1485, when Richard III died in batt ...

. It is divided into three principal departments, at the head of which are the lord steward, the lord chamberlain and the master of the horse, and the respective provinces of which may be generally described as "below stairs", "above stairs" and "out of doors". The duties of these officials, and the various officers under their charge are dealt with in the articles under those headings. When the reigning sovereign is a queen, the royal household is in some other respects rather differently arranged from that of a king and a queen consort. Under a king and a queen consort, a separate establishment "above stairs" and "out of doors" works for the queen consort. She has a

Lord Chamberlain The Lord Chamberlain of the Household is the most senior officer of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom, supervising the departments which support and provide advice to the Sovereign of the United Kingdom while also acting as the main cha ...

's department of her own, and all the ladies of the court from the

Mistress of the Robes 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 o ...

to the

Maids of Honour A maid of honour is a junior attendant of a queen in royal households. The position was and is junior to the lady-in-waiting. The equivalent title and office has historically been used in most European royal courts. Role Traditionally, a queen r ...

are in her service. At the commencement of the reign of Queen Victoria, the two establishments were combined, and considerably reduced. On the accession of

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria an ...

, the

civil list A civil list is a list of individuals to whom money is paid by the government, typically for service to the state or as honorary pensions. It is a term especially associated with the United Kingdom and its former colonies of Canada, India, New Zeal ...

was again reconstituted; while the household of the king and his consort became larger than during the previous reign, redundant or unnecessary offices were merged or abolished. The

household of Elizabeth II The Royal Households of the United Kingdom consist of royal officials and the supporting staff of the British royal family, as well as the Royal Household which supports the Sovereign. Each member of the Royal Family who undertakes public duties ...

included 1,200 employees. This was roughly the same size as Charles II's household but larger than

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

's, whose staff numbered 921.

The King and Queen Consort

Start of the new reign

Appointing a new monarch's household can take some time; in 1952 the full list of appointments to the new Queen's household was not published until almost six months after her accession to the throne. In 2022, walking in the state procession for the

state funeral of Elizabeth II On 8 September 2022, at 15:10 BST, Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, and the longest-reigning British monarch, died of old age at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, at the age of 96. The Queen's death wa ...

, the new King was followed by his Private Secretary, Principal Private Secretary, Master of the Household and two Equerries; however, since the King's new household had yet to be appointed they were gazetted, not as 'His Majesty's Household', but as the 'Household of the former Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall'. On 13 September, five days after the death of his mother,

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 Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

, 100 staff who had been working for

King Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to a ...

while he was Prince of Wales were notified of potential redundancies. This reflects the uncertain situation of members of the Royal Households at the start of each new reign: in the days following the death of King

James I James I may refer to: People *James I of Aragon (1208–1276) *James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327) *James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu *James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347) *James I of Cyprus (1334–13 ...

in 1625, the Countess of Bedford remarked 'What the King's resolution is yet for his own and his father's servants, he hath not declared (farther than the white staves, which are to remain as they were); but for the green cloth and other inferior officers both of the

household A household consists of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling. It may be of a single family or another type of person group. The household is the basic unit of analysis in many social, microeconomic and government models, and is im ...

and

chamber Chamber or the chamber may refer to: In government and organizations * Chamber of commerce, an organization of business owners to promote commercial interests *Legislative chamber, in politics * Debate chamber, the space or room that houses delib ...

, it is thought that he will employ his own and dismiss his father's, because he hath caused the latter all to be removed to

Denmark House Somerset House is a large Neoclassical complex situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The Georgian era quadrangle was built on the site of a Tudor palace (" ...

to attend the body, and lodged the former about himself at

Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London. The road forms the first part of the A roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme, A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea, London, Chelsea. It is the main ...

'. As consort of the British sovereign,

Queen Camilla Camilla (born Camilla Rosemary Shand, later Parker Bowles, 17 July 1947) is Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms as the wife of King Charles III. She became queen consort on 8 September 2022, upon the acc ...

will receive a household of her own. Traditionally, queens consort have appointed their own Lord Chamberlain and various

ladies-in-waiting A lady-in-waiting or court lady is a female personal assistant at a court, attending on a royal woman or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe, a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman but of lower rank than the woman to whom sh ...

as part of their household. This tradition was scrapped in accordance with the King's view of having a slimmed-down monarchy, and instead of ladies-in-waiting, Queen Camilla will be served by "Queen's companions", a group of six ladies that will occupy the new occasional and informal position and will not be involved in tasks such as replying to letters or developing schedules. The Queen's companions are the Marchioness of Lansdowne, Jane von Westenholz, Lady Brooke,

Sarah Troughton Sarah Rose Troughton (''née'' Colman; born 3 May 1953) is the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, appointed with effect from February 2012. She is the first woman to hold the position since it was created in the 16th century. A second cousin of Kin ...

, Lady Sarah Keswick and Baroness Chisholm. Major Ollie Plunket will serve as the Queen Consort's equerry. Queen Elizabeth II's ladies-in-waiting will be given new roles as "ladies of the household".

Present arrangements

The Household is for the time being configured as follows (according to the arrangements inherited from Elizabeth II):

Great Officers

The Great Officers of the Household are, in order of seniority, the

Lord Steward The Lord Steward or Lord Steward of the Household is an official of the Royal Households of the United Kingdom, Royal Household in England. He is always a peerage, peer. Until 1924, he was always a member of the Government. Until 1782, the offic ...

, the

and the

Master of the Horse Master of the Horse is an official position in several European nations. It was more common when most countries in Europe were monarchies, and is of varying prominence today. (Ancient Rome) The original Master of the Horse ( la, Magister Equitu ...

. Only the Lord Chamberlain fulfils an executive function; while the other two continue to have a ceremonial role, and are to be seen particularly on State occasions.

Lord Chamberlain

As currently arranged, the Royal Household is coordinated by the part-time

( Andrew Parker, Lord Parker of Minsmere

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), and organized into functionally separate units.

Heads of departments

The Private Secretary to the Sovereign ( Rt Hon. Sir Edward Young since 2017), manages the Private Secretary's Office, and also controls the Press Office, the

Royal Archives The Royal Archives, also known as the King's Archives, is a division of The Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It is operationally under the control of the Keeper of the Royal Archives, who is customarily the Private Secre ...

, and the

Defence Services Secretary The Defence Services Secretary is a senior member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. Responsibilities The Defence Services Secretary is the senior member of the Royal Household responsible for liaison between the Sover ...

's Office, serves as principal advisor to the Sovereign and serves as the principal channel of communication between the Sovereign and his or her governments. Besides these, he also manages the Sovereign's official programme and correspondence. The

Keeper of the Privy Purse 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 Households of the United Kingdom, Royal Household of the Monarchy of the United Kingd ...

has responsibility for the Sovereign's personal finances and those to do with semi-private concerns, along with, as

Treasurer to the King 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 of the United Kingdom. The officeholder is assisted by th ...

oversight of the

. The two positions are held together and, since 2018, they have both been held by Sir Michael Stevens . The

Master of the Household 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 role has charge of the domestic staff, from the Royal Kitchens, the pages and foot ...

, since 2013, has been Vice Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt and has overall responsibility for the domestic workings of the Household. The

Lord Chamberlain's Office The Lord Chamberlain's Office is a department within the British Royal Household. It is concerned with matters such as protocol, state visits, investitures, garden parties, royal weddings and funerals. For example, in April 2005 it organised the ...

, led by its

Comptroller A comptroller (pronounced either the same as ''controller'' or as ) is a management-level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization. A financial comptroller is a senior-level executi ...

current Lt-Colonel Michael Vernon, is responsible for official royal occasions. The Royal Collection Department is overseen by its

Director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''Di ...

who since February 2018 is

Tim Knox Timothy Aidan John Knox, (born 9 August 1962) is a British art historian and museum director. Since March 2018, he has been Director of the Royal Collection, the private art collection of the British Royal Family. The Royal Collection, held in ...

Other units

The

Royal Almonry The Royal Almonry is a small office within the Royal Households of the United Kingdom, headed by the Lord High Almoner, an office dating from 1103. The almoner is responsible for distributing alms to the poor. The Lord High Almoner is usually a ...

Ecclesiastical Household The Ecclesiastical Household is a part of the Royal Household of the sovereign of the United Kingdom. Reflecting the different constitutions of the churches of England and Scotland, there are separate households in each nation. England The Church ...

, and

Medical Household The Medical Household is the medical part of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It mainly comprises a range of Physicians and Surgeons to the Sovereign and to the Royal Household. None have more than a nominal or occasion ...

are functionally separate. For accounting purposes they are the responsibility of the Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the King. The

Crown Equerry The Crown Equerry is the operational head of the Royal Mews of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. He is responsible for the provision of vehicular transport for the Sovereign, both cars and horse-drawn carriages. Train tr ...

has day-to-day operation of the

Royal Mews The Royal Mews is a mews, or collection of equestrian stables, of the British Royal Family. In London these stables and stable-hands' quarters have occupied two main sites in turn, being located at first on the north side of Charing Cross, an ...

, and is part of the Lord Chamberlain's Office. The other equerries have a different role: attending and assisting the King in his official duties from day to day. (Historically, they too were part of the mews, but today they are entirely separate.) The

Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood The Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, or simply the Central Chancery, is an office of the Lord Chamberlain’s department within the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for the administration of or ...

is also under the Lord Chamberlain's Office, as is the office of the

Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps His Majesty's Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps is a senior member of the Royal Households of the United Kingdom, Royal Household of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, Sovereign of the United Kingdom. He is Charles III, the King's link with the di ...

. The

College of Arms The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional Officer of Arms, officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the ...

has been a branch of the Royal Household since its incorporation in 1484 by King

Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Battl ...

it was directly appointed by the Sovereign on the recommendation of Earl Marshal. The college is a corporation of thirteen royal

herald A herald, or a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is commonly applied more broadly to all officers of arms. Heralds were originally messengers sent by monarchs or noblemen to ...

s, overseen by the

, a hereditary office held by the

Duke of Norfolk Duke of Norfolk is a title in the peerage of England. The seat of the Duke of Norfolk is Arundel Castle in Sussex, although the title refers to the county of Norfolk. The current duke is Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk. The dukes ...

. The college is self-supporting and receives no funds from the Crown. The college holds jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to

heraldry Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branch ...

genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...

, and pedigrees in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and in some

Commonwealth realm A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state in the Commonwealth of Nations whose monarch and head of state is shared among the other realms. Each realm functions as an independent state, equal with the other realms and nations of the Commonwealt ...

s. Certain independent and honorific posts include

Master of the King's Music Master of the King's Music (or Master of the Queen's Music, or earlier Master of the King's Musick) is a post in the Royal Household of the United Kingdom. The holder of the post originally served the monarch of England, directing the court orche ...

Piper to the Sovereign The Piper to the Sovereign ( gd, Piobair an Bhàn Righ, also known as the Queen's Piper or King's Piper) is a position in the British Royal Household in which the holder of the office is responsible for playing the bagpipes at the Sovereign's reque ...

Poet Laureate A poet laureate (plural: poets laureate) is a poet officially appointed by a government or conferring institution, typically expected to compose poems for special events and occasions. Albertino Mussato of Padua and Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) ...

, and

Astronomer Royal Astronomer Royal is a senior post in the Royal Households of the United Kingdom. There are two officers, the senior being the Astronomer Royal dating from 22 June 1675; the junior is the Astronomer Royal for Scotland dating from 1834. The post ...

. The

King's Bargemaster The King's Bargemaster is a subordinate officer of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. Until the mid-19th century, the Royal Family frequently used a Royal barge for transport along the River Thames. The role of the King' ...

, the

Keeper of the Jewel House The Master of the Jewel Office was a position in the Royal Households of England, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom. The office holder was responsible for running the Jewel House The Jewel House is a vault housing the British ...

, the Serjeants-at-Arms, and the

Warden A warden is a custodian, defender, or guardian. Warden is often used in the sense of a watchman or guardian, as in a prison warden. It can also refer to a chief or head official, as in the Warden of the Mint. ''Warden'' is etymologically identic ...

and Marker of the Swans, perform less celebrated functions. The offices of

, and Vice-Chamberlain of the Household are held by senior government

whips A whip is a tool or weapon designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism. They are generally e ...

in the House of Commons. In the House of Lords, the Government Chief Whip is usually appointed

Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms The Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms is a post in the Government of the United Kingdom that has been held by the Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the ...

and the Deputy Chief Whip as

Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard The Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard is a UK Government post usually held by the Government Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords. The present Captain is The 9th Earl of Courtown, who was appointed to the position in ...

, with junior whips appointed as lords-in-waiting and baronesses-in-waiting. Occasionally these officers are called upon to undertake Household duties, especially the Vice-Chamberlain, who is responsible for writing regular parliamentary reports for the King. If the monarch is female she has

(formally styled either

ladies of the bedchamber Lady of the Bedchamber is the title of a lady-in-waiting holding the official position of personal attendant on a British queen regnant or queen consort. The position is traditionally held by the wife of a peer. They are ranked between the Mist ...

women of the bedchamber In the Royal Household of the United Kingdom the term Woman of the Bedchamber is used to describe a woman (usually a daughter of a peer) attending either a queen regnant or queen consort, in the role of lady-in-waiting. Historically the term 'G ...

), some of whom are in personal attendance on a daily basis. They are overseen by the

, who traditionally was head of the female household. If the monarch is male these roles are instead attached to the Household of the Queen consort. The Household includes a number of honorary military appointments: the aides-de-camp to the King (who are usually very high-ranking officers of the three armed services), the two Gold Sticks and the Vice Admiral and

Rear Admiral of the United Kingdom The Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom is a now honorary office generally held by a senior (possibly retired) Royal Navy admiral, though the current incumbent is a retired Royal Marine General. Despite the title, the Rear-Admiral of the Unit ...

. In addition, the two corps of royal bodyguards (the

Gentlemen at Arms His Majesty's Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms is a bodyguard to the British Monarch. Until 17 March 1834, they were known as The Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners. Formation The corps was formed as the Troop of G ...

and the

Yeomen of the Guard The King's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard is a Sovereign's Bodyguard, bodyguard of the British monarch. The List of oldest military units and formations in continuous operation, oldest British military corps still in existence, it was ...

) are part of the Household. Gentlemen ushers are unpaid members of the Royal Household, often retired military officers, who provide occasional assistance as marshals at royal events. The

Lady Usher of the Black Rod Black Rod (officially known as the Lady Usher of the Black Rod or, if male, the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod) is an official in the parliaments of several Commonwealth countries. The position originates in the House of Lords of the Parlia ...

is an important official in the Houses of Parliament; but technically she too is a member of the Royal Household (and acts as the King's messenger at the State Opening). The royal residences (see

list of British royal residences British royal residences are palaces, castles and houses occupied by members of the British royal family in the United Kingdom. Some, like Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, are owned by the Crown (ownership by the British monarch ...

) in current use are cared for and maintained by the Royal Household Property Section directly from the

grant-in-aid A grant-in-aid is money coming from a central government for a specific project. Such funding is usually used when the government and the legislature decide that the recipient should be publicly funded but operate with reasonable independence ...

provided by

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

, whereas

Balmoral Castle Balmoral Castle () is a large estate house in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and a residence of the British royal family. It is near the village of Crathie, west of Ballater and west of Aberdeen. The estate and its original castle were bought ...

and

Sandringham House Sandringham House is a country house in the parish of Sandringham, Norfolk, England. It is one of the royal residences of Charles III, whose grandfather, George VI, and great-grandfather, George V, both died there. The house stands in a estate ...

are privately owned and maintained. The unoccupied royal residences (including the Tower of London) are run by the

Historic Royal Palaces Historic Royal Palaces is an independent charity that manages some of the United Kingdom's unoccupied royal palaces. These are: * Tower of London * Hampton Court Palace * Kensington Palace (State Apartments and Orangery) * The Banqueting Hous ...

Agency, which is self-funding.

The Scottish Royal Household

The Royal Household in Scotland includes offices of personal, honorary and state appointments. Many appointments are vacant having fallen into

abeyance Abeyance (from the Old French ''abeance'' meaning "gaping") is a state of expectancy in respect of property, titles or office, when the right to them is not vested in any one person, but awaits the appearance or determination of the true owner. ...

; been abolished or returned to

The Crown The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, overseas territories, provinces, or states). Legally ill-defined, the term has different ...

; merged with other positions both before and after the Union of the Crown with England; or due to lack of a clear office holder. The Great Officers of the Royal Household, (not to be confused with the

Great Officers of State of Scotland Government in medieval monarchies generally comprised the king's companions, later becoming the Royal Household, from which the officers of state arose, initially having household and government duties. Later some of these officers became ...

which are political and judicial appointments, or the Great Officers of the Crown of Scotland though some officers are shared) are: * Lord High Constable –

Merlin Hay, 24th Earl of Erroll Merlin Sereld Victor Gilbert Hay, 24th Earl of Erroll (born 20 April 1948), is a crossbench member of the House of Lords, chief of the Scottish clan Hay, and hereditary Lord High Constable of Scotland. Early life and education Lord Erroll, elder ...

–

Torquhil Campbell, 13th Duke of Argyll Torquhil Ian Campbell, 13th and 6th Duke of Argyll (born 29 May 1968), styled as Earl of Campbell before 1973 and as Marquess of Lorne between 1973 and 2001, is a Scottish peer. The family's main seat is Inveraray Castle, although the Duke and ...

* Keeper of the Palace of Holyroodhouse –

Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton Alexander Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton, 13th Duke of Brandon (born 31 March 1978) is a Scottish nobleman and the premier peer of Scotland. Early life He is the son of Angus Douglas-Hamilton, 15th Duke of Hamilton, and his ...

* Armour-Bearer and Squire of His Majesty's Body – traditionally held by the Setons of

Touch In physiology, the somatosensory system is the network of neural structures in the brain and body that produce the perception of touch (haptic perception), as well as temperature (thermoception), body position (proprioception), and pain. It is ...

Bearer of the Royal Banner The Bearer of the Royal Banner is one of the Great Officers of the Royal Household in Scotland. The bearer participates in royal, state, and other ceremonial events when needed. In 1298, Alexander Scrymgeour was granted the office of Constable o ...

– Alexander Scrymgeour, 12th Earl of Dundee *

Bearer of the National Flag of Scotland The Bearer of the National Flag of Scotland is one of the Great Officers in the Royal Household of Scotland. The bearer participates in royal, state, or other ceremonial events when needed. By charter of novodamus of 1676, later ratified by th ...

–

Ian Maitland, 18th Earl of Lauderdale Ian Maitland, 18th Earl of Lauderdale (born 4 November 1937 in Belgrade), styled The Master of Lauderdale, Viscount Maitland from 1968 to 2008, is a Scottish peer. Early life Maitland is the son of Patrick Maitland, 17th Earl of Lauderdale and ...

* Lord Justice General of Scotland –

Colin Sutherland, Lord Carloway Colin John MacLean Sutherland, Lord Carloway (born 20 May 1954), is a Scottish advocate and judge who has served as the Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General since 2015. He was previously Lord Justice Clerk from 2012 t ...

Great Steward of Scotland Prince and Great Steward of Scotland are two of the titles of the heir apparent to the throne of the United Kingdom. The current holder of these titles is Prince William, who bears the other Scottish titles of Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, ...

– William, Duke of Rothesay Ecclesiastical officers of the Ecclesiastical Household of Scotland: *

Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland The Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the Scottish monarch's personal representative to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland (the Kirk), reflecting the Church's role as the national church of ...

–

Patrick Hodge, Lord Hodge Patrick Stewart Hodge, Lord Hodge, PC (born 19 May 1953) is a British lawyer, currently serving as Deputy President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. Early life Hodge was educated at Croftinloan School, an independent junior boarding ...

* Royal Almoner – (Vacant) *

Dean Dean may refer to: People * Dean (given name) * Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin * Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk * Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean Titles * ...

of the

Chapel Royal The Chapel Royal is an establishment in the Royal Household serving the spiritual needs of the sovereign and the British Royal Family. Historically it was a body of priests and singers that travelled with the monarch. The term is now also applie ...

– Professor David Fergusson *

Dean of the Thistle The Dean of the Thistle is an office of the Order of the Thistle, re-established in 1687. The office is normally held by a minister of the Church of Scotland, and forms part of the Royal Household in Scotland. In 1886 the office of Dean of ...

, an officer of the

Order of the Thistle The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland, who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order. The ...

– Professor David Fergusson * 2 Chaplains: **The minister at

Crathie Kirk Crathie Kirk is a small Church of Scotland parish church in the Scottish village of Crathie, best known for being the regular place of worship of the British royal family when they are in residence at the nearby Balmoral Castle. Crathie Kirk i ...

**The minister at

Canongate Kirk The Kirk of the Canongate, or Canongate Kirk, serves the Parish of Canongate in Edinburgh's Old Town, in Scotland. It is a congregation of the Church of Scotland. The parish includes the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the Scottish Parliament. It i ...

*10

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Scottish Reformation, Reformation of 1560, when it split from t ...

Honorary Chaplains to the King An honorary position is one given as an honor, with no duties attached, and without payment. Other uses include: * Honorary Academy Award, by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, United States * Honorary Aryan, a status in Nazi Germa ...

The Royal Household includes a number of other hereditary and non-hereditary offices: * Lord High Chamberlain – (Vacant) *

Treasurer of Scotland The Treasurer was a senior post in the pre-Act of Union 1707, Union government of Scotland, the Privy Council of Scotland. Lord Treasurer The full title of the post was ''Lord High Treasurer, Comptroller, Collector-General and Treasurer of the Ne ...

– (Vacant) *

Comptroller of Scotland The Comptroller of Scotland was a post in the pre-Union government of Scotland. The Treasurer of Scotland, Treasurer and Comptroller had originated in 1425 when the Chamberlain of Scotland, Chamberlain's financial functions were transferred to them ...

– (Vacant) * Great Marischal of Scotland – (Vacant) *

Knight Marischal The office of Knight Marischal was first created for the Scottish coronation of Charles I in 1633, at Scone. Unlike the separate office of Marischal, the office of Knight Marischal is not heritable, and has continued to be filled up to the deat ...

– (Vacant) *

Justiciar of Scotia The Justiciar of Scotia (in Norman-Latin, ''Justiciarus Scotie'') was the most senior legal office in the High Medieval Kingdom of Scotland. ''Scotia'' (meaning Scotland) in this context refers to Scotland to the north of the River Forth and Rive ...

– (Vacant) *

Justiciar of Lothian The Justiciar of Lothian (in Norman-Latin, ''Justiciarus Laudonie'') was an important legal office in the High Medieval Kingdom of Scotland. The Justiciars of Lothian were responsible for the administration of royal justice in the province of ...

– (Vacant) *

Justiciar of Galloway The Justiciar of Galloway was an important legal office in the High Medieval Kingdom of Scotland. The Justiciars of Galloway were responsible for the administration of royal justice in the province of Galloway. The other Justiciar positions wer ...

– (Vacant) *

Lord Warden of the Marches The Lord Warden of the Marches was an office in the governments of Scotland and England. The holders were responsible for the security of the border between the two nations, and often took part in military action. They were also responsible, alo ...

– (Vacant) *

Chancellor of the Order of the Thistle The Chancellor of the Order of the Thistle is an office of the Order of the Thistle, established in 1687. The Chancellor is normally one of the knights, though not necessarily the most senior. Office Holders from 1913 *1913: John James Hugh He ...

–

David Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie David George Coke Patrick Ogilvy, 8th (or 13th) Earl of Airlie, (born 17 May 1926) is a Scottish peer. Background and education Airlie is the eldest son of David Ogilvy, 12th Earl of Airlie and Lady Alexandra Coke. His younger brother was Sir ...

Gentleman Usher of the Green Rod The Gentleman Usher of the Green Rod is the Gentleman Usher to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, established in 1687. Office holders from 1714 *1714–1761: Sir Thomas Brand *1762–1787: Robert Quarme *1787–1800: Matthew ...

– Rear Admiral Christopher Hope Layman *

King's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer The King's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer is an officer in Scotland who represents the Crown's interests in ''bona vacantia'', ''ultimus haeres'' and treasure trove. The K<R holds two offices, both instituted at the foundation of the Cour ...

– David Harvie * Governor of Edinburgh Castle – Major General Alastair Andrew Bernard Reibey Bruce of Crionaich *A number of Hereditary Keepers of Palaces and Castles: **

Falkland Palace Falkland Palace, in Falkland, Fife, Scotland, is a royal palace of the Scottish Kings. It was one of the favourite places of Mary, Queen of Scots, providing an escape from political and religious turmoil. Today it is under the stewardship of ...

–

Ninian Crichton-Stuart Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Ninian Edward Crichton-Stuart (15 May 1883 – 2 October 1915) was a Scottish senior officer in the British Army and Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament. He was killed in action in the First Wor ...

Stirling Castle Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland, both historically and architecturally. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological ...

– the

Earl of Mar and Kellie The title Earl of Kellie or Kelly is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1619 for Sir Thomas Erskine, who was Captain of the Guard and Groom of the Stool for James VI. It is named after Barony of Kellie in Fife, Scotland. Since 1875 ...

Dunstaffnage Castle Dunstaffnage Castle ( gd, Caisteal Dhùn Stadhainis) is a partially ruined castle in Argyll and Bute, western Scotland. It lies NNE of Oban, situated on a platform of conglomerate rock on a promontory at the south-west of the entrance to Loc ...

– the

Duke of Argyll Duke of Argyll ( gd, Diùc Earraghàidheil) is a title created in the peerage of Scotland in 1701 and in the peerage of the United Kingdom in 1892. The earls, marquesses, and dukes of Argyll were for several centuries among the most powerful ...

** Dunconnel Castle – Sir Charles Edward Maclean of Dunconnel Bt, 2nd Baronet of Strachur and Glensluain, Baron Strachur **

Linlithgow Palace The ruins of Linlithgow Palace are located in the town of Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland, west of Edinburgh. The palace was one of the principal residences of the monarchs of Scotland in the 15th and 16th centuries. Although mai ...

– (Vacant) **

Carrick Castle Carrick Castle is a 14th-century tower house on the west shore of Loch Goil on the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is located between Cuilmuich and Carrick, south of Lochgoilhead. The castle stands on a rocky peninsula, and ...

– the

Dumbarton Castle Dumbarton Castle ( gd, Dùn Breatainn, ; ) has the longest recorded history of any stronghold in Scotland. It sits on a volcanic plug of basalt known as Dumbarton Rock which is high and overlooks the Scottish town of Dumbarton. History Dumba ...

– Brigadier Donald Hardie **

– the

Tarbert Castle Tarbert Castle is located on the southern shore of East Loch Tarbert, at Tarbert, Argyll, Scotland, at the north end of Kintyre. Tarbert Castle was a strategic royal stronghold during the Middle Ages and one of three castles at Tarbert. The cast ...

– the

Dunfermline Palace Dunfermline Palace is a ruined former Scottish royal palace and important tourist attraction in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. It is currently, along with other buildings of the adjacent Dunfermline Abbey, under the care of Historic Environm ...

– (Vacant) **

Castle Sween Castle Sween, also known as Caisteal Suibhne, and Caistéal Suibhne, is located on the eastern shore of Loch Sween, in Knapdale, south of the forestry village of Achnamara on the west coast of Argyll, Scotland. Castle Sween is thought to be one ...

– the

Blackness Castle Blackness Castle is a 15th-century fortress, near the village of Blackness, Scotland, on the south shore of the Firth of Forth. It was built, probably on the site of an earlier fort, by Sir George Crichton in the 1440s. At this time, Blacknes ...

– (Vacant) * Keeper and Ranger of the Park of Holyroodhouse - (Vacant - associated with the

Earl of Haddington Earl of Haddington is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1627 for the noted Scottish lawyer and judge Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Melrose. He was Lord President of the Court of Session from 1616 to 1625. Hamilton had alread ...

until 1844) *

Lord Lyon King of Arms The Right Honourable the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the head of Lyon Court, is the most junior of the Great Officers of State in Scotland and is the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in that country, issuing new grant ...

– The Reverend Canon Joseph John Morrow *The

heralds A herald, or a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is commonly applied more broadly to all officers of arms. Heralds were originally messengers sent by monarchs or noblemen to c ...

and

pursuivant A pursuivant or, more correctly, pursuivant of arms, is a junior officer of arms. Most pursuivants are attached to official heraldic authorities, such as the College of Arms in London or the Court of the Lord Lyon in Edinburgh. In the mediaeval ...

s, * Commissioners for the Safekeeping of the Regalia * Deputy-keeper of the Honours of Scotland * Yeoman-Keepers of the Honours of Scotland * Bailie of the Abbey Court of Holyroodhouse *

Gentleman Usher of the White Rod A gentleman (Old French: ''gentilz hom'', gentle + man) is any man of good and courteous conduct. Originally, ''gentleman'' was the lowest rank of the landed gentry of England, ranking below an esquire and above a yeoman; by definition, the ra ...

– The Rt Rev. Dr John A. Armes, Bishop of Edinburgh *

Postilion A postilion or postillion is a person who guides a horse-drawn coach or post chaise while mounted on the horse or one of a pair of horses. By contrast, a coachman controls the horses from the vehicle itself. Originally the English name for a ...

Grooms A bridegroom (often shortened to groom) is a man who is about to be married or who is newlywed. When marrying, the bridegroom's future spouse (if female) is usually referred to as the bride. A bridegroom is typically attended by a best man an ...

and

Footmen A footman is a male domestic worker employed mainly to wait at table or attend a coach or carriage. Etymology Originally in the 14th century a footman denoted a soldier or any pedestrian, later it indicated a foot servant. A running footman deli ...

of the

Scottish State Coach The Scottish State Coach is an enclosed, four-horse-drawn carriage used by the British Royal Family. The coach was built in 1830 for Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge to attend the coronation of William IV, and it was used for many years by ...

* Master of the Mint in Scotland – (Vacant) *

Master Carver The Master Carver or Hereditary Carver is a member of the Great Officer of State, Royal household of Scotland. A Crown Royal Charter, Charter of 1704 ratified by Parliament of Scotland, Parliament in 1705, erected Sir William Anstruther's land int ...

for Scotland – Sir Sebastian Anstruther of Balcluskie *

Butler of Scotland The office of Butler of Scotland ( la, Pincerna Regis), was a court position in the Kingdom of Scotland during the High Middle Ages. Office holders * Ranulf I de Soules * William II de HayaBalfour Paul, vol III, p 555 * Nicholas I de Soules * W ...

– (Vacant) *

Pantler of Scotland The office of Pantler of Scotland, (referred to in documents as la, Paniterius Scotiae) was a court position in the Kingdom of Scotland during the High Middle Ages. The now historical term ''pantler'' or ''panter'' designated an officer responsib ...

– (Vacant) * Washer of the Sovereign's Hands in Scotland – Simon Houison Craufurd, 29th Laird of Craufurdland Castle * Hereditary Royal Falconer of Scotland –

John Hugh Borthwick, 24th Lord Borthwick John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

Historiographer Royal Historiographer Royal is the title of an appointment as official chronicler or historian of a court or monarch. It was initially particularly associated with the French monarchy, where the post existed from at least 1550, but in the later 16th and 1 ...

–

Christopher Smout Thomas Christopher Smout CBE, FBA, FRSE, FSA Scot, FRSGS (born 19 December 1933) is a Scottish academic, historian, author and Historiographer Royal in Scotland. Early life One of the five sons of Arthur Smout, Christopher Smout was educated ...

* His Majesty's Botanist – Professor Stephen Blackmore *

Master of Work to the Crown of Scotland The Master of Works to the Crown of Scotland was responsible for the construction, repair and maintenance of royal palaces, castles and other crown property in Scotland. The main buildings were; Holyroodhouse; Edinburgh Castle; Stirling Castle; Li ...

- (Vacant) *The

Painter and Limner The Painter and Limner is a member of the Royal Household in Scotland. Appointments of Court Painters are recorded from 1581 onwards, and the post of Painter and Limner was created in 1702 for George Ogilvie. The duties included "drawing pictures ...

– Dame Elizabeth Blackadder *

Sculptor in Ordinary for Scotland The Sculptor in Ordinary for Scotland is a member of the Royal household in Scotland. The first appointment was made by Queen Victoria around 1838, although it was not listed as a member of the Royal household until the 1870s. The office was made ...

–

Alexander Stoddart Alexander "Sandy" Stoddart (born 1959) is a Scottish sculptor, who, since 2008, has been the Queen's Sculptor in Ordinary in Scotland. He works primarily on figurative sculpture in clay within the neoclassical tradition. Stoddart is best k ...

Surveyor of the King's Pictures The office of the Surveyor of the King's/Queen's Pictures, in the Royal Collection Department of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, is responsible for the care and maintenance of the royal collection of pictures owned ...

– (Vacant – in abeyance since 2020) *

Astronomer Royal for Scotland Astronomer Royal for Scotland was the title of the director of the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh until 1995. It has since been an honorary title. Astronomers Royal for Scotland See also * Edinburgh Astronomical Institution * City Observatory * R ...

–

Catherine Heymans Catherine Heymans (born 1978/1979) is a British astrophysicist, the Astronomer Royal for Scotland, and a professor at the University of Edinburgh based at the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh. Early life Heymans was born and grew up in Hitchin, ...

*Geographer Royal for Scotland – Professor Charles Withers *Various other Royal physicians, surgeons, apothecaries,

chemists A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties. Chemists carefully describe th ...

, etc. *The

Crown Jeweller The Crown Jeweller is responsible for the maintenance of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom, and is appointed by the British monarch. The current Crown Jeweller is Mark Appleby, who was appointed in 2017. History The post was created in 1843 ...

*Her Majesty's Clockmaker and Keeper and Dresser of His Majesty's Clocks in Scotland – Hamilton & Inches *Court Postmaster The Household Division, Sovereign's Body Guard, King's Guard, and ceremonial military posts and bodies *Lieutenant General of the North – (Vacant) *

Lord High Admiral of Scotland The Lord High Admiral of Scotland was one of the Great Officers of State of the Kingdom of Scotland before the Union with England in 1707. The office was one of considerable power, also known as ''Royal Scottish Admiralty'', including command ...

– (Vacant) *

Vice Admiral of Scotland The Lord High Admiral of Scotland was one of the Great Officers of State of the Kingdom of Scotland before the Union with England in 1707. The office was one of considerable power, also known as ''Royal Scottish Admiralty'', including command ...

– (Vacant) * Admiral of the Western Coasts and Isles –

* Vice-Admiral of Orkney and Shetland – (Vacant – historically associated with the Sheriff Depute of Orkney and Shetland) * Gold Stick and Silver Stick for Scotland *The

Royal Company of Archers The Royal Company of Archers, The King's Bodyguard for Scotland is a ceremonial unit that serves as the Sovereign's bodyguard in Scotland—a role it has performed since 1822 during the reign of King George IV when the company provided a perso ...

, the monarch's bodyguard in Scotland *

High Constables and Guard of Honour of the Palace of Holyroodhouse The High Constables of Holyroodhouse are a small corps of ceremonial bodyguards at the Sovereign's official residence in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. Created in the early sixteenth century to protect the Monarch in residence at Holyrood, as ...

* Doorward Guard of Partisans – personal retainers of the Lord High Constable of Scotland and bodyguard to the sovereign *The

Scots Guards The Scots Guards (SG) is one of the five Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. Its origins are as the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland. Its lineage can be traced back to 1642, although it was only placed on the ...

*The Mounted Troop of the

Royal Scots Dragoon Guards The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, and the senior Scottish regiment. The regiment, through the Royal Scots Greys, is the oldest surviving Cavalry Regiment of the Line in the British ...

– Ceremonial mounted unit based at Edinburgh Castle, assembled for events such as the

Waterloo Day Waterloo Day is 18 June, the date of the Battle of Waterloo, in 1815. It is remembered and celebrated each year by certain regiments of the British Army, in the same way that the Royal Navy celebrates Trafalgar Day Trafalgar Day is the celeb ...

celebrations *Balaklava Company of The

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland. Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...

, 5th Battalion,

Royal Regiment of Scotland The Royal Regiment of Scotland is the British Army Order of Precedence, senior and only Scottish regiment, Scottish line infantry regiment of the British Army Infantry. It consists of three regular (formerly five) and two Army Reserve (United ...

– tasked with State and Ceremonial Duties in Scotland such as mounting the Guard at Holyrood Palace *

and senior members of the Royal Family. *Her Majesty's state trumpeters in Scotland

Household of the Prince and Princess of Wales

A part-time Private Secretary to

Prince William William, Prince of Wales, (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982) is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales. Born in London, William was educat ...

and

Prince Harry Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, (Henry Charles Albert David; born 15 September 1984) is a member of the British royal family. He is the younger son of Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales. He is fifth in the line of succ ...

(

James Lowther-Pinkerton Anthony James Moxon Lowther-Pinkerton, LVO, MBE, DL (born 28 September 1960) is the former Private Secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and to Prince Harry. He was appointed on 2 May 2005 and resigned as full-time Private Secretary wit ...

MVO

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 Molal ...

Irish Guards The Irish Guards (IG), is one of the Foot Guards regiments of the British Army and is part of the Guards Division. Together with the Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of the two Irish infantry regiments in the British Army. The regiment has parti ...

(Rtd.)) was appointed in the Household of the Prince of Wales and the Princess of Wales in May 2005. In January 2009, a separate Household of Prince William and Prince Harry was established (formally "The Household of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales"), headed by Lowther-Pinkerton. Following their marriages, the Household also additionally served their wives. The Household's offices are currently based in

Kensington Palace Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has been a residence of the British royal family since the 17th century, and is currently the official L ...

, having formerly been based in

St James's Palace St James's Palace is the most senior royal palace in London, the capital of the United Kingdom. The palace gives its name to the Court of St James's, which is the monarch's royal court, and is located in the City of Westminster in London. Altho ...

. The Household, as of 2011, had the equivalent of 7.8 full-time staff. It was announced in June 2011 that the Duke and

Duchess of Cambridge Duke of Cambridge, one of several current royal dukedoms in the United Kingdom , is a hereditary title of specific rank of nobility in the British royal family. The title (named after the city of Cambridge in England) is heritable by male de ...

would temporarily move their official London residence to an apartment in

, a move that was completed in August of that year. The Duke and Duchess' primary residence continued to be the island of

Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...

in Wales, where the Duke served as an

RAF The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

search and rescue pilot. The couple previously shared an apartment at Clarence House with Prince Harry, which he retained. On 6 November 2011, it was announced that the Duke, Duchess and Prince Harry, along with the Queen and the Prince of Wales, had approved a plan that would have the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge permanently move to a larger apartment in Kensington Palace in 2013, after it is renovated. This apartment was previously occupied by the Queen's sister,

Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth ...

and her husband Antony Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon after their marriage in 1960. The apartment was retained by Princess Margaret after her divorce in 1978 and was her London residence until her death in 2002. Prince Harry then moved his official residence from Clarence House to the apartment vacated by the Duke and Duchess. In addition, once the move was complete, their official household was also moved to Kensington Palace from St James's Palace, although the household remained shared. Until the moves were complete, their Household remained based at St James's Palace and continued to be shared. It was later announced in early May 2013 that the royal couple's private secretary, James Lowther-Pinkerton, intended to leave his post as private secretary for the private sector, and his position was split with each member of the household receiving a private secretary. In September 2013, Miguel Head became Private Secretary to the Duke of Cambridge and Rebecca Deacon assumed the role of Private Secretary to the Duchess of Cambridge. Ed Perkins left his post as communication secretary at the household in 2014. On 21 November 2014, the palace announced his replacement as Jason Knauf.

List of Household staff

;Private Secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry * 2005–2013: Major

LVO 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 ...

(Retd.)The Prince of Wales – A new household...
Lowther-Pinkerton left his post in September 2013, but intended to spend one day a week at St James's Palace to act as a sounding board for the much younger members of staff who will take his place. ;Private Secretary to the Duke of Cambridge * 2013–2018: Miguel Head * 2018–2020:

Simon Case Simon Case (born 27 December 1978) is a British civil servant who is the current Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Home Civil Service since 9 September 2020, succeeding Sir Mark Sedwill. Case was Downing Street Permanent Secretary to Prime M ...

* 2020–2021: Christian Jones ;Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales * 2021–present:

Jean-Christophe Gray Jean-Christophe Gray (born November 1975) is a former British civil servant who served as the Prime Minister's official spokesperson for David Cameron between 2012 and 2015. In 2021, he became the Private Secretary to Prince William. Career J ...

;Private Secretary to the Duchess of Cambridge * 2013–2017: Rebecca Deacon * 2017–2019: Catherine Quinn ;Private Secretary to the Princess of Wales * 2020–2022: Hannah Cockburn-Logie ;Assistant Private Secretary to the Duke of Cambridge * 2016–: Laura Baker * 2018–: Zoë Ware ;Assistant Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales * 2021–: Georgina Riddle ;Assistant Private Secretary to the Princess of Wales * 2017–: Natalie Barrows ;Advisor to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge * 2009–2019:

Sir David Manning Sir David Geoffrey Manning, (born 5 December 1949) is a former British diplomat, who was the British Ambassador to the United States from 2003 to 2007. He authored the so-called " Manning Memo", that summarized the details of a meeting between ...

;Advisor to the Prince and Princess of Wales * 2019–present: Jason Knauf ;Communication Secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge * –2014: Ed Perkins * 2014–2019: Jason Knauf * 2019–2020: Christian Jones * 2021: Victoria O'Byrne ;Communication Secretary to the Prince and Princess of Wales * 2022–present: Lee Thompson ; Deputy Communication Secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry * –2016: Nick Loughran ;Digital and Social Lead to the Prince and Princess of Wales * 2020–present: David Watkins ;Official Spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry * –2013: Paddy Harverson, also Communications Secretary at Clarence House ;Equerries * –2020: Lt Cdr David Brannighan * 2020–present: Lt Cdr Rob Dixon

Household of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex

In 2013, it was announced that

had appointed former Household Cavalry captain, Edward Lane Fox, as his private secretary effective July 2013. In March 2019, it was announced that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would establish a new household for themselves, following the birth of their child in spring as well as the move of their official residence to

Frogmore Cottage Frogmore Cottage is a historic Grade II listed home on the Frogmore estate, which is part of Home Park in Windsor, England. Built in 1801 at the direction of Queen Charlotte in the gardens near Frogmore House, Frogmore Cottage is part of the Cro ...

, with their office set to be located at Buckingham Palace. Following the decision to step back from royal duties, it was announced in February 2020 that they would close their office at Buckingham Palace.

List of Household staff

;Private Secretary to the Duke of Sussex * 2013–2018: Edward Lane Fox ;Private Secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex * 2018–2019: Samantha Cohen * 2019–2020: Fiona Mcilwham ;Deputy Private Secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex * 2019–2020: Heather Wong ;Assistant Private Secretary to the Duke of Sussex * 2019–2020: Rob Reader ;Assistant Private Secretary to the Duchess of Sussex * 2018–2019: Amy Pickerill ;Personal Assistant to the Duchess of Sussex * 2018: Melissa Touabti ;Communication Secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex * 2019–2020: Sara Latham ;Assistant Communication Secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex * Marnie Gaffney ;Projects Manager to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex * 2018–2020: Clara Madden ;Digital Communications Lead to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex * 2019–2020: David Watkins

Household of the Princess Royal

The Household of the

Princess Royal Princess Royal is a substantive title, style customarily (but not automatically) awarded by a United Kingdom, British monarch to their eldest daughter. Although purely honorary, it is the highest honour that may be given to a female member of th ...

provides the administrative support to

Anne, Princess Royal Anne, Princess Royal (Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise; born 15 August 1950), is a member of the British royal family. She is the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the only sister of ...

, second child and only daughter of

The Queen In the English-speaking world, The Queen most commonly refers to: * Elizabeth II (1926–2022), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 1952 until her death The Queen may also refer to: * Camilla, Queen Consort (born 1947), ...

. While the Princess Royal's private residence is

Gatcombe Park Gatcombe Park is the country residence of Anne, Princess Royal, between the villages of Minchinhampton (to which it belongs) and Avening in Gloucestershire, England. Built in the late 18th century to the designs of George Basevi, it is a ...

; her office, headed by the

Private Secretary A private secretary (PS) is a civil servant in a governmental department or ministry, responsible to a secretary of state or minister; or a public servant in a royal household, responsible to a member of the royal family. The role exists in t ...

, is based at

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

while her official London residence is located at

Private Secretaries to the Princess Royal

*2019–: Charles DaviesCourt Circular, 31 January 2019 *2002–2019: Captain Sir Nick Wright KCVO, RN *1999–2002: Colonel

Timothy Earl Colonel Timothy James Earl, OBE was Private Secretary to the Princess Royal between 1999 and 2002. He was educated at Brentwood School and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. Commissioned into The Life Guards in 1964, he was promoted major ...

OBE *1997–1999: Rupert McGuigan *1982–1997: Lieutenant Colonel Sir Peter Gibbs KCVO *1976–1982: Major Nicholas Lawson LVO *1974–1976: Major Benjamin Herman MVO RM

Assistant Private Secretary

*2010: Commander Anne Sullivan RN

Office Secretary

*?–: Mrs Isabella Ward

Extra Equerry to the Princess Royal

*2019–: Captain Sir Nicholas Wright, KCVO

Household of the Duke of York

The Household of the Duke of York provides administrative support for the royal duties of

Prince Andrew, Duke of York Prince Andrew, Duke of York, (Andrew Albert Christian Edward; born 19 February 1960) is a member of the British royal family. He is the younger brother of King Charles III and the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince ...

, along with his immediate family. From 1971, Prince Andrew (then aged 11 years), had the assistance of one of

's equerries when required. The first was Sqn Ldr Peter Beer, who served until he was replaced by Maj.

George Broke Colonel George Robin Straton Broke CVO (born 1946) was Equerry to The Queen 1974–1977, and also responsible to the Princes Andrew and Edward. Broke was born in 1946, son of Major-General Robert Broke , and was educated at Eton College and ...

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

in 1974, and Lt Cdr Robert Guy RN in 1977. It was only with the appointment in 1980 of Sqn Ldr

Adam Wise Group Captain Adam Nugent Wise, (1 August 1943 – 14 February 2008) was a pilot, Equerry to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and Private Secretary and Equerry to Prince Andrew and Prince Edward from 1983 to 1987. Early life Born on 1 August ...

, that the Prince could be said to have acquired the assistance of his own staff – although he was still shared with the Queen and Prince Edward. In 1983, Wise was promoted to

wing commander Wing commander (Wg Cdr in the RAF, the IAF, and the PAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, formerly sometimes W/C in all services) is a senior commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and air forces of many countries which have historical ...

and appointed Private Secretary to Princes Andrew and Edward, severing his link with The Royal Household. He left the Duke of York's service in 1987, when Lt Col.

Sean O'Dwyer :''This page is about the soldier. For the artist, see Sean O'Dwyer (artist).'' Lieutenant-Colonel Sean Gillespie O'Dwyer, CVO DL (born 11 September 1941) was Private Secretary and Equerry to the Duke of York 1987-1990 and Private Secretary an ...

was appointed – also jointly with Prince Edward. The Duke of York is assisted by a private secretary, deputy private secretary, assistant private secretary and

equerry An equerry (; from French ' stable', and related to 'squire') is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually up ...

. There are an office assistant, and a handful of personal staff including cook and

. The Duke of York's office is based at

, and the Duke has a residence at the

Royal Lodge The Royal Lodge is a Grade II listed house in Windsor Great Park in Berkshire, England, half a mile north of Cumberland Lodge and south of Windsor Castle. Part of the Crown Estate, it was the Windsor residence of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mothe ...

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places Australia * Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area * Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland **Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...

, into which he moved during 2004, from

Sunninghill Park Sunninghill Park was a country house and estate of about directly north of Cheapside, in the civil parishes of Sunninghill and Ascot and Winkfield, adjoining Windsor Great Park in the English county of Berkshire. The early 19th-century house ...

, Ascot.

Private Secretaries to the Duke of York

*2012–2020: Mrs Amanda Thirsk *2003–2012: Maj. Alastair Watson LVO *2001–2003: Cdr

Charlotte Manley Charlotte Elizabeth Manley (born 1957) has been Chapter Clerk of St George's Chapel, Windsor since 2003, and was Private Secretary and Treasurer to the Duke of York 2001–2003. She served in the Royal Navy as an officer 1976–1996. Manley spe ...

LVO OBE RN *1990–2001:

Capt. 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 ...

Neil Blair Captain Robert Neil Blair CVO RN was Private Secretary and Treasurer to The Duke of York, 1990–2001. Blair was born in 1936, and educated at St John's College, Johannesburg, and Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. He served in the Ro ...

CVO RN *1987–1990: Lt Col.

MVO DL Irish Guards (Retd.) *1983–1987: Wg Cdr

LVO MBE

Assistant Private Secretaries to the Duke of York

* ?–present: James Upsher

Equerry to the Duke of York

*2004-2006: Lieutenant Caroline Clark RN *2019–: Lieutenant Commander Alex Davies, RNCourt Circular, 1 February 2019 *2017–2019: Captain Edward Monckton *2014–2017: Lieutenant Jack Cooper RN *2012–2014: Lieutenant Commander Michael Hutchinson RN *2010–2012: Flight Lieutenant Charlotte Fenn RAF *2008–2010: Captain Duncan Bailey ACG(SPS) *2006–2008: Captain James Todd RM

Household of the Earl and Countess of Wessex

The Household of the Earl and Countess of Wessex provides administrative support to

the Earl of Wessex Earl of Wessex is a title that has been created twice in British history – once in the pre-Conquest Anglo-Saxon nobility of England, and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. In the 6th century AD the region of Wessex (the lands of the W ...

, youngest son of the Queen, and to his wife,

the Countess of Wessex Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, (born Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones, 20 January 1965) is a member of the British royal family. She is married to Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, the youngest sibling of King Charles III. Sophie grew up in Brenchle ...

. While their private residence is

Bagshot Park Bagshot Park is a royal residence located near Bagshot, a village south of Windsor. It is on Bagshot Heath, a tract of formerly open land in Surrey and Berkshire. Bagshot Park occupies within the designated area of Windsor Great Park. The ...

, their office, headed by the

private secretary A private secretary (PS) is a civil servant in a governmental department or ministry, responsible to a secretary of state or minister; or a public servant in a royal household, responsible to a member of the royal family. The role exists in t ...

, is based at

Private Secretaries to the Earl and Countess of Wessex

* 2014–2018: Mr. Tim Roberts * 2002–2014: Brig. John Smedley CVO * 1987–2001: Lt Col.

LVO DL Irish Guards (Retd.) * 1983–1987: Wg Cdr

LVO MBE

Private Secretary to the Earl of Wessex

* 2019–present: Captain Andrew Aspden

Private Secretary to the Countess of Wessex

* 2019–present: Mr. Alexander Stonor

Assistant Private Secretary to the Earl and Countess of Wessex

* 2015–2018: Mr. Matthew Magee * 2018–2019: Mr. Alexander Stonor * 2021–present: Mr. Jason Keen

Equerry to the Earl and Countess of Wessex

* 2008–Present:

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 ...

Alastair Bruce of Crionaich Major-General Alastair Andrew Bernard Reibey Bruce (born 25 June 1960) is a journalist and television correspondent, and a senior British Army reservist and officer of arms of the Royal Household. He commanded the TA Media Operations Group ...

* ?–present: Col. Paul Arengo-Jones CVO

Assistant Private Secretaries and Ladies-in-Waiting to the Countess of Wessex

* 1999–present: Annabelle Galletley (Mrs. Angus Galletley) * 2000–present: Ms. Suzanne Lofthouse-Jackson * 2009–2020: Amy Mayes (Mrs. Jonathan Mayes)

Programme Co-ordinators to the Earl and Countess of Wessex

* 2016–present: Miss. Emily Mortimore * 2017–present: Miss. Jess Utton * 2017–2022: Miss. Kelly Tschumi

Secretarial Assistant to the Earl and Countess of Wessex

* ?–present: Ms. Jackie Phipps

Lesser households

Household of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester

* Private Secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester at Kensington Palace: Mr Alistair Wood, LVO MBE 2004–2012 *

Lady-in-waiting A lady-in-waiting or court lady is a female personal assistant at a court, attending on a royal woman or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe, a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman but of lower rank than the woman to whom sh ...

to the Duchess of Gloucester: Mrs Susan Wigley, CVO

Household of the Duke and Duchess of Kent

*Private Secretary to the Duke of Kent, KG at Wren House, Kensington Palace: Mr Nicholas Marden

Household of Princess Alexandra, The Hon Lady Ogilvy

*Private Secretary: Mrs Diane Duke *

Lady in Waiting A lady-in-waiting or court lady is a female personal assistant at a court, attending on a royal woman or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe, a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman but of lower rank than the woman to whom sh ...

: Mrs Peter Afia LVO

Household of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent

*Private Secretary to Prince Michael of Kent, GCVO at Kensington Palace: Mr Nicholas Chance, CVO (1997–2016)

Former households

Household of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra

King Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria a ...

(1841–1910) was created

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...

shortly after his birth, and his household was known as the Household of the Prince of Wales from 1841. Upon his marriage in 1863, he and his wife shared the Household of the Prince and Princess of Wales until their accession as King and Queen in January 1901, but several appointments were to either the Prince or the Princess (e.g., they each had separate Lords Chamberlain and private Secretaries). When he became King, his household was known as the Household of the Sovereign 1901–1910.

Queen Alexandra Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 January 1901 to 6 May 1910 as the wife of King ...

(1844–1925) received a separate household upon her husband's accession, the Household of the Queen. From 1910, it was known as the Household of Queen Alexandra.

Household of King George V and Queen Mary

Prince George (1865–1936) was created

Duke of York Duke of York is a title of nobility in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of English (later British) monarchs. The equivalent title in the Scottish peerage was Du ...

in 1892, and received a separate household together with his brother. Courtiers appointed to assist the Prince George of Wales until that year had been part of his parents' household. After his marriage to

Princess Mary of Teck Mary of Teck (Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes; 26 May 186724 March 1953) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 6 May 1910 until 20 January 1936 as the wife of King-Empe ...

in 1893 they shared the Household of the Duke and Duchess of York. On the accession of his father,

in January 1901, George automatically inherited the dukedom of Cornwall and was known as the Duke of Cornwall and York until the following November, when he was appointed

. From 1901 until his accession in 1910, he and his wife shared the Household of the Prince and Princess of Wales, but several appointments were to either the Prince or the Princess. When he became King, his household was known as the Household of the Sovereign 1910–1936. Queen Mary (1867–1953) received a separate household upon her husband's accession, the Household of the Queen. From 1936, it was known as the Household of Queen Mary.

Household of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother

This is an ''incomplete'' list of those who served in

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was the l ...

's Household *1923–1936: Included in Prince Albert, Duke of York's "Household of The Duke of York" *1936–1952: The Queen's "Household of The Queen" *1952–2002: The Queen Mother's "Household of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother"

Comptroller

*1952–1953: Peter Townsend *1953–1974:

Lord Adam Gordon Major Lord Adam Granville Gordon (1 March 1909 – 5 July 1984) was a British royal courtier. Gordon was the second son of Lt.-Col. Granville Cecil Douglas Gordon (1883–1930), who was later an equerry to the Duke of Connaught, and Violet ...

*1974–2002: Sir

Alastair Aird Captain Sir Alastair Sturgis Aird (14 January 1931 – 30 September 2009) was a British royal courtier. Aird was the second son of Colonel Malcolm Henry Aird O.B.E. (1899–1965), of the 9th Lancers, who, as son of Malcolm Rucker Aird, was a gra ...

Equerries

*1950–1956: Capt.

Oliver Dawnay Oliver Payan Dawnay CVO (4 April 192018 March 1988) was a British civil servant, banker, stockbroker, and private secretary to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother from 1951 to 1956."Captain Oliver Dawnay." ''The Times'', London, 21 March 1988, pg. ...

*1955–1956: Sir

Martin Gilliat Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Martin John Gilliat (8 February 1913 – 27 May 1993) was a British soldier and courtier who served as Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother for 37 years. Gilliat was a German prisoner of war in the Secon ...

*1956–1984: Sir Francis Legh *1959–2002: Sir

Ralph Anstruther Major Sir Ralph (Hugo) Anstruther, 7th Baronet (13 June 192119 May 2002) was a Scottish British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Na ...

Bt *1968–1970: Richard Jenkins *1984–2002: Maj. George Seymour *1992–1994: Edward Dawson-Damer *1993–2002: Sir

=Extra Equerries

= *1953–2002: The Rt Hon. The Lord Sinclair *1955–?: Sir Harvey Kearsley *1956: Maj Raymond Seymour *1956–1962: Capt.

*1958–?: Maj. Sir John Griffin *1964–1973:

*1995–2002: Capt.

Ashe Windham Ashe Windham (17 February 1673 – 4 April 1749), of Felbrigg, Norfolk, was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1708 to 1710. Life Windham was the eldest son of William Windham of Felbrigg (died 1689) and ...

*1998–2002:

Nicholas Assheton Nicholas Assheton (1590–1625), a country squire and writer who lived at Downham, Lancashire, near Clitheroe, is noteworthy on account of a brief diary which he left illustrating the character of the country life of that part of West Lancashire w ...

=Temporary Equerries

= *1955: Maj. Raymond Seymour *1956–1958: Maj. John Griffin *1958–1960: Capt. William Richardson *1960–1964: Capt. Alastair Aird *1980–1982: Capt.

*1982–1984: Capt. the Hon. Jeremy Stopford *1984–1986: Capt.

Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton Anthony James Moxon Lowther-Pinkerton, LVO, MBE, DL (born 28 September 1960) is the former Private Secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and to Prince Harry. He was appointed on 2 May 2005 and resigned as full-time Private Secretary with ...

*1986–1988 Capt. Niall Hall *1988–1990 Capt. Giles Bassett *?-1994: Capt. Edward Dawson-Damer *1994–?: Maj. Colin Burgess *2000–2002: Capt. Mark Grayson

Ladies-in-Waiting

*1923–1926: Lady Katharine Meade *1926–1932: Lady Helen Graham *1932–1936: Lettice Bowlby *1985–2002: Jane Walker-Okeover *1990–2002:

Lady Margaret Colville Sir John Rupert Colville, CB, CVO (28 January 1915 – 19 November 1987) was a British civil servant. He is best known for his diaries, which provide an intimate view of number 10 Downing Street during the wartime Premiership of Winston Church ...

*1991–2002:

Margaret Rhodes Margaret Rhodes (; 9 June 1925 – 25 November 2016) was a British aristocrat and a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. From 1991 to 2002, she served as Woman of the Bedchamber to her aunt Quee ...

*1993–2002: Jennifer Gordon-Lennox

=Extra Ladies-in-Waiting

= *1929–?: Lady Annaly

Ladies of the Bedchamber

*1937–1941: Viscountess Halifax (extra 1946–?) *1937–1947: Lady Nunburnholme *1937–1972: Countess Spencer DC VO OBE *1937–1994: Viscountess Hambleden GCVO (as Dowager Viscountess from 1948) *1945–1967: Lady Harlech (extra 1941–1945; as Dowager Lady from 1964) *1947–1979: The Countess of Scarbrough as Dowager Countess from 1969 *1973–2002: Lady Grimthorpe (daughter of the above Countess of Scarbrough) *1994–2002: The Countess of Scarbrough (daughter-in-law of the above Countess of Scarbrough)

Lord Chamberlain

*1937–1965: Col The Earl of Airlie KT GCVO MC *1965–1992: The Earl of Dalhousie KT GCVO GBE MC DL *1992–2002: The Earl of Crawford KT GCVO PC

Mistress of the Robes

*1937–1964:

Her Grace His Grace or Her Grace is an English style used for various high-ranking personages. It was the style used to address English monarchs until Henry VIII and the Scottish monarchs up to the Act of Union of 1707, which united the Kingdom of Scotland ...

The Dowager Duchess of Northumberland GCVO *1964–1990: Her Grace The Duchess of Abercorn DCVO *1990–2002: ''Vacant''

Pages of Honour

*1962–1964: James Charteris, Lord Neidpath *1964–1966: John Dalrymple-Hamilton *1966–1967: Valentine Cecil *1967–1969: Richard Scott, Lord Eskdaill (later

Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry Duke of Buccleuch (pronounced ), formerly also spelt Duke of Buccleugh, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland created twice on 20 April 1663, first for James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth and second suo jure for his wife Anne Scott, 4th Count ...

) *1969–1971: Simon Mulholland Esq. *1971–1973: Michael Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis (later

Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne is a title in the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was first created as Earl of Kinghorne in the Peerage of Scotland in 1606 for Patrick Lyon. In 1677, the designation of the earldom c ...

) *1973–1974: Gilbert Clayton Esq. *1974–1975: Colin Campbell-Preston *1975–1977: Charles Bruce, Lord Bruce *1977–1979: Gavin Rankin Esq. *1979–1982: Henry Beaumont *1982–1984: The Hon. Maurice Roche (later

Baron Fermoy Baron Fermoy is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. The title was created by Queen Victoria by letters patent of 10 September 1856 for Edmond Roche. Previous letters patent had been issued on 14 May 1855 which purported to create this barony for ...

) *1984–1986: Andrew Hope, Viscount Aithrie (later Earl of Hopetoun) *1987–1989: Andrew Lillingston *1989–1991: Richard Lumley, Viscount Lumley (later

Earl of Scarbrough Earl of Scarbrough is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1690 for Richard Lumley, 2nd Viscount Lumley. He is best remembered as one of the Immortal Seven who invited William of Orange to invade England and depose his father-i ...

) *1991–1993: John Carew-Pole *1993–1995:

Arthur Wellesley, Earl of Mornington Jemma Madeleine Wellesley, Countess of Mornington (née Kidd; born 20 September 1974), is a British make up artist, fashion model, and aristocrat. She currently resides on the Stratfield Saye estate, Hampshire. Biography Early life Lady Mo ...

*1995–1998: The Hon. Thomas Lumley *1998–1999: Harry Bengough *1999–2002: Andrew Matheson

Press secretary

*1956–2001: Sir John Griffin

Private secretaries

*1937–1946: Lt Col. Richard Streatfield *1946–1951: Maj. Thomas Harvey *1951–1956: Capt.

*1956–1993: Sir

*1993–2002: Sir

=Assistant private secretaries

= *1953–1974:

*1955–1956:

*1956–1959: Francis Legh *1959–1964: Sir

Bt *1964–1973: Alastair Aird *1993–2002: Maj. George Seymour

Treasurers

*1937–1946: Sir Basil Brooke *1946–1960: Sir

Arthur Penn Arthur Hiller Penn (September 27, 1922 – September 28, 2010) was an American director and producer of film, television and theater. Closely associated with the American New Wave, Penn directed critically acclaimed films throughout the 19 ...

*1961–1998: Sir Ralph Anstruther Bt *1998–2002: Nicholas Assheton

Women of the Bedchamber

*1937–1939: Lady Helen Graham *1937–1960: Lady Katharine Seymour *1937–1961: Marion Hyde, Lady Hyde *1937–1944: Lettice Bowlby *1939–?: Lady Adelaide Peel *1944–1947: Lady Mary Herbert *1947–2001: Lady Jean Rankin *1951–1961: The Hon Olivia Mulholland *1960–1993: Lady

Ruth Burke Roche, Baroness Fermoy Ruth Sylvia Roche, Baroness Fermoy, (''née'' Gill; 2 October 1908 – 6 July 1993) was a friend and confidante of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and the maternal grandmother of Diana, Princess of Wales. She was one of the Queen Mother's ladi ...

*1961–1963: Lady Mary Harvey *1965–2002: Dame Frances Campbell-Preston *1981–2002: Lady Angela Oswald

=Extra Women of the Bedchamber

= *1937–1994: Lady Victoria Wemyss (née Cavendish-Bentinck) *1939–?: Lady Helen Graham *1944–1988: Hon. Lettice Bowlby (née Annesley) *1947–?: Lady Mary Herbert *1947: Lady Jean Rankin *1947–?:

Alexandra Pelham, Lady Worsley Alexandra Mary Freesia Pelham, Lady Worsley, CBE (née Vivian; 27 February 1890–21 September 1963) was a British volunteer and courtier. Alexandra was a daughter of Hussey Vivian, 3rd Baron Vivian and a godchild of Queen Alexandra. Among he ...

CBE *1948–1951: Pamela Hore-Ruthven (later Cooper), Viscountess Ruthven of Canberra *1956–1960: The Dowager Lady Fermoy *1959–1981:

Lady Elizabeth Basset Lady Elizabeth Basset, DCVO (''née'' Legge; 5 March 1908 – 30 November 2000), was an English author and courtier. Biography Basset was born at 8 Prince's Gate, Knightsbridge, the second daughter of the 7th Earl of Dartmouth and Lady Rup ...

*1960–?: Lady Katherine Seymour

=Temporary Women of the Bedchamber

= *1963–1965: Lady Caroline Douglas-Home

Apothecaries

*1954–?: Dr

John Nigel Loring The Apothecary to the Household is an officer of the Medical Household of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. He has a salaried daily surgery. The Apothecary to the Household was originally responsible for providing medic ...

Physicians

*1936–?: George Frederick Still *1936–?: Sir John Weir *1936–?: Henry Letheby Tidy *1936–?: Daniel Thomas Davies

Surgeons

*1936–?: Sir Lancelot Barrington-Ward *1936–1946: Arthur Porritt

Surgeon-Apothecary

*1956–?: Richard May Esq.

Honorific positions

Piper to the Queen Mother The Piper to the Queen Mother was a position in the British Royal Household in which the holder of the office was responsible for playing the bagpipes at the request of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. The position was established in 1953 and dis ...

(1953–2002)

Household of Queen Elizabeth II

Household of the Duke of Edinburgh

The Household of the Duke of Edinburgh provided administrative support to

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from El ...

. It was based at

, and was headed by his

—the Treasurer (part-time 1970–1976) was formerly the senior officer. An

(a major or equivalent from any of the three armed services), and three temporary equerries (usually a captain from the

Royal Marines The Corps of Royal Marines (RM), also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, are the UK's special operations capable commando force, amphibious light infantry and also one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. The Corps of Royal Marine ...

, a captain from the

Grenadier Guards "Shamed be whoever thinks ill of it." , colors = , colors_label = , march = Slow: " Scipio" , mascot = , equipment = , equipment ...

, and a captain from the

Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME ) is a corps of the British Army that maintains the equipment that the Army uses. The corps is described as the "British Army's Professional Engineers". History Prior to REME's for ...

) were part of the household.

Treasurers

*1952–1959: Lt Gen. Sir

Frederick Browning Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Arthur Montague "Boy" Browning, (20 December 1896 – 14 March 1965) was a senior officer of the British Army who has been called the "father of the British airborne forces". He was also an Olympic bobslei ...

GCVO K BE CB DSO *Acting, 1957–1960:

David Alexander RM *1959–1970: RAdm Sir

Christopher Bonham-Carter Rear Admiral Sir Christopher Douglas Bonham-Carter, (3 November 1907 – 3 June 1975)"Sir Christopher Douglas Bonham-Carter, Obituary", ''The Times'', Thursday, 5 June 1975; pg. 16; Issue 59414; col F was a Royal Navy officer and Treasurer to the ...

C B GCVO *1970–1982:

Lord Rupert Nevill Lord Rupert Charles Montecute Nevill (29 January 1923 – 19 July 1982) was Chairman of the British Olympic Association from 1966 to 1977 and then its President until his death. As a courtier, he was treasurer and later private secretary to Prin ...

CVO JP DL K StJ *Acting, 1982–1984: Sir Richard Davies KCVO

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

*1984–1995: Sir

Brian McGrath Sir Brian Henry McGrath, GCVO, MW (27 October 1925 – 4 June 2016) was the Private Secretary to the Duke of Edinburgh. He was educated at Eton College. From 1943 to 1946, he served in the Irish Guards, and after World War II, he joined Cann ...

GCVO

Private Secretaries

*1947–1957:

Lt Cdr Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a Officer (armed forces), commissioned officer military rank, rank in many navy, navies. The rank is superior (hierarchy), superior to a l ...

Michael Parker CVO AM RAN *1957–1970: James Orr CVO *May–November 1970: RAdm Sir

GCVO CB *1970–1976: Cdr

William Willett William Willett (10 August 1856 – 4 March 1915) was a British builder and a promoter of British Summer Time. Biography Willett was born in Farnham, Surrey, and educated at the Philological School. After some commercial experience, he ent ...

OBE MVO

DSC DSC may refer to: Academia * Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) * District Selection Committee, an entrance exam in India * Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine Educational institutions * Dalton State Col ...

RN *1976–1982:

CVO DL *Acting 1982–1984: Sir Richard Davies KCVO CBE *1984–1992: Sir

GCVO *1993–2010:

Brig A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...

Sir

Miles Hunt-Davis Brigadier Sir Miles Garth Hunt-Davis, (7 November 1938 – 23 May 2018) was a British Army officer who was also the Private Secretary to The Duke of Edinburgh from 1993 until 2010. Early life and education Miles Hunt-Davis was born in Johanne ...

CBE *2010–2021: Brigadier Archie Miller-Bakewell

Household of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall

The Household of the

and the

Duchess of Cornwall Duchess of Cornwall is a courtesy title held by the wife of the eldest son and heir of the British monarch. The current title-holder is Catherine, wife of William, Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall. Duchesses of Cornwall Until her husband' ...

was the organised office and support system for

Charles, Prince of Wales Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...

, and his consort

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall Camilla (born Camilla Rosemary Shand, later Parker Bowles, 17 July 1947) is Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms as the wife of King Charles III. She became queen consort on 8 September 2022, upon the acc ...

. At the time of their 2009 annual review the Office of the Prince of Wales had the full-time equivalent of 121 staff. The head of the Household was the Principal

, Clive Alderton. Senior officials included the Deputy Private Secretary, a senior diplomat seconded from the

Foreign & Commonwealth Office The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is a department of the Government of the United Kingdom. Equivalent to other countries' ministries of foreign affairs, it was created on 2 September 2020 through the merger of the Foreign ...

to advise The Prince on Foreign and Commonwealth affairs, Scott Furssedonn-Wood;

Earl of Rosslyn Earl of Rosslyn is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1801 for Alexander Wedderburn, 1st Baron Loughborough, Lord Chancellor from 1793 to 1801, with special remainder to his nephew Sir James St Clair-Erskine, as We ...

; the Treasurer, Andrew Wright; Communications Secretary, Julian Payne; and the

Equerry An equerry (; from French ' stable', and related to 'squire') is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually up ...

, Commander Iain Kearsley RN. In 2000, the Prince revived a tradition of having an official harpist, a role last seen under

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 Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

. The first holder of the office was

Catrin Finch Catrin Ana Finch is a Welsh harpist, arranger and composer. She was the Official Harpist to the Prince of Wales from 2000 to 2004 and is visiting professor at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and the Royal Academy of Music in London. Fi ...

, followed in 2004 by

Jemima Phillips Jemima Phillips is an English-born Welsh harpist. She was the Official Harpist to the Prince of Wales from 2004 to 2007 but was later convicted of handling stolen goods. Biography Phillips was born in North London, where her father Robert was an ...

, and in 2007 by Claire Jones. The Prince of Wales' Office was principally based at

Clarence House Clarence House is a royal residence on The Mall in the City of Westminster, London. It was built in 1825–1827, adjacent to St James's Palace, for the Duke of Clarence, the future king William IV. Over the years, it has undergone much exte ...

, London, but also occupied rooms in the rest of

. There were also offices for official staff at

Highgrove House Highgrove House is the family residence of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. It lies southwest of Tetbury in Gloucestershire, England. Built in the late 18th century, Highgrove and its estate were owned by various families until it was pu ...

and

Birkhall House Birkhall (from the Scots ''Birk Hauch'': "Birch River-meadow") is a estate on Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, owned by King Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United K ...

, the Prince's private residences. Most of the expenses incurred in operating the office came from the Prince's private

appanage An appanage, or apanage (; french: apanage ), is the grant of an estate, title, office or other thing of value to a younger child of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture. It was common in much o ...

, 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 British monarch obtains possession of the duchy and the title of 'Duke of Cornwall' at ...

. The only significant costs met by

provided by the Government was for the upkeep of Clarence House, and for official travel by air and rail, and for communications support. Details of the Prince's Senior Staff were available in his office's annual reports. The following titles all have "to/of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall" suffixed when written in full. Prior to the Prince's 2005 marriage, they were instead suffixed "to/of The Prince of Wales".

Principal Private Secretaries

*2005–12 September 2011: Sir Michael Peat KCVOWilliam Nye appointed as Principal Private Secretary to Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall
The Prince of Wales, 30 June 2011 *12 September 2011 – 2015: William Nye LVO *2015–2022 Sir Clive Alderton KCVO

Private Secretaries

*2009–2012: Clive Alderton, Private Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs *2005–2011: Manon Williams MVO, Private Secretary for Wales ''(part-time)'' *2009–: Mark Leishman,

(as "Senior Deputy Private Secretary" January – July 2009) *2001–2008:

Elizabeth Buchanan Elizabeth Faith Currer Buchanan, CVO (born 1963) was formerly Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales. Buchanan worked in public relations. She was a spokeswoman for United Kingdom Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and a political adviser to Ce ...

C VO *2002–2005: Sir Michael Peat KCVO *1996–2002: Sir Stephen Lamport KCVO *1991–1996: Cdr

Richard Aylard Commander Richard J. Aylard, (born 10 April 1952) is a retired British Royal Navy officer and is a Director and Special Advisor to the Chief Executive of Thames Water. From 1991 to 1996 he was Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales. Educati ...

CVO RN *1990–1991:

Maj. Gen. 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

Christopher Airy Major General Sir Christopher John Airy, (born 8 March 1934) is a retired British Army officer who served as general officer commanding the London District and Major-General commanding the Household Division from 1986 to 1989. Military career ...

KCVO CBE *September 1985 – 1990: Sir John Riddell Bt CVO

FRSA The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), also known as the Royal Society of Arts, is a London-based organisation committed to finding practical solutions to social challenges. The RSA acronym is used m ...

*Acting 1 April–September 1985 David Roycroft *1979–1985:

Edward Adeane The Hon. George Edward Adeane (4 October 1939 – 20 May 2015) was an English barrister and royal advisor who served as Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales from 1979 to 1985. Early years and education Adeane was born in 1939, the so ...

CVO *1970–1978: Sqn Ldr Sir

David Checketts Squadron Leader Sir David John Checketts, (born 1930) was Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales 1970–1979. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1948 and received flying training at RATG Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia in 1948–1950. Checketts s ...

KCVO

Masters of the Household

*2014–: Cdr The Earl of Rosslyn, CVO, QPM *2008–2014: Wing Cdr Richard Pattle *2006–2008: Lt Col. Sir Malcolm Ross *2005–2006: Kevin Knott

Deputy Masters of the Household

*2006–2009: Andrew Farquharson

Treasurers

*2012–: Andrew Wright *2005–2012: Leslie Ferrar *–2005: Kevin Knott

Deputy Private Secretaries

*2017–: Scott Furssedonn-Wood *2014–2017: Jamie Bowden CMG OBE MVO *2012–2014: Simon Martin *2008–2013: Benet Northcote *2006–2008: Clive Alderton *2005–2008: Mark Leishman *2005–?: Mrs Manon Williams *2005: James Kidner MVO *2002–2005:

L VO *1998–2002:

Mark Bolland Mark William Bolland (born 10 April 1966) is a British public relations executive. Bolland worked for the Advertising Standards Authority and the Press Complaints Commission before serving as Deputy Private Secretary to Charles, Prince of Wales ...

*1993–1996: Stephen Lamport *1990–1993: Sir

Peter Westmacott Sir Peter John Westmacott (born 23 December 1950) is a senior British diplomat, who was British Ambassador to Turkey, then Ambassador to France (2007 to 2011) and finally Ambassador to the United States from January 2012 to January 2016, succ ...

KC MG LVO *1988–1990:

David Wright David Allen Wright (born December 20, 1982) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played his entire 14-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career for the New York Mets. He was drafted by the Mets in 2001 MLB draft and made ...

LVO *1986–1988:

Col. 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 of ...

Humphrey Mews Colonel Humphrey Mews (1941–1990) was Deputy Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales between 1986 and 1988. Mews joined the Royal Artillery after Sandhurst. After Sandhurst, he was posted as a 2nd Lieutenant to 22 ( Gibraltar 1779–83) Batte ...

Assistant Private Secretaries

*?–present: Emily Cherrington *?–2011: Sarah Kennedy-Good *2008: Shilpa Sinha *2008–: Sophie Densham *2006–2008: Anita Kumar *2006–: Jonathan Hellewell *2005–2007: Katy Golding *2005–: Joy Camm & Amanda MacManus ''(each part-time)'' *2004–2005: Mrs Manon Williams *2003–2005: Mark Leishman *2003–2005: James Kidner *2002–2005: Paul Kefford *2000–2003:

Nigel Baker Nigel Marcus Baker (born 9 September 1966) is a British diplomat, who was formerly Ambassador to Bolivia and Ambassador to the Holy See. He was Head of the Latin America department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 2016 to 2019, an ...

*1994–1998: Mrs Manon Williams

Equerries

*2020–: Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Thompson,

*2018–2020: Cdr. Iain Kearsley,

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

*2015–2018: Maj. Harry Pilcher,

Queen's Dragoon Guards 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards (QDG) is a regiment in the Royal Armoured Corps of the British Army. Nicknamed The Welsh Cavalry, the regiment recruits from Wales and the bordering English counties of Cheshire, Herefordshire, and Shropshire, and ...

*2013–2015: Maj. David Bevan,

Welsh Guards The Welsh Guards (WG; cy, Gwarchodlu Cymreig), part of the Guards Division, is one of the Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. It was founded in 1915 as a single-battalion regiment, during the First World War, by Royal Warrant of George V ...

*2011–2013: Maj. Peter Flynn, Parachute Regiment *2008–2011: Maj. Will Mackinlay

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, and the senior Scottish regiment. The regiment, through the Royal Scots Greys, is the oldest surviving Cavalry Regiment of the Line in the Britis ...

*2006–2008: Sqn Ldr Jayne Casebury,

*2004–2006: Wing Cdr Richard Pattle,

*2003–2004: Maj. Rupert Lendrum ''(Senior Equerry)'' *2002–2004: Lt Cdr Alastair Graham *1999–2002: Lt Cdr William Entwisle *1996–1999: Lt Cdr John Lavery *1994–1996: Maj. Patrick Tabor *1991–1994: Lt Cdr Robert Fraser *1989–1991: Cdr Alastair Watson *1987–1989: Maj. Christopher Lavender *1986–1987: Lt Col. Brian Anderson *1984–1986: Maj. Jack Stenhouse *1982–1984: Maj. David Bromhead *–1982: Maj. Quentin Winter,

PARA Para, or PARA, may refer to: Businesses and organizations * Paramount Global, traded as PARA on the Nasdaq stock exchange * Para Group, the former name of CT Corp * Para Rubber, now Skellerup, a New Zealand manufacturer * Para USA, formerly ...

*c.1979: Capt. Anthony Asquith,

RRW The Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) was a proposed new American nuclear warhead design and bomb family that was intended to be simple, reliable and to provide a long-lasting, low-maintenance future nuclear force for the United States. Initiated ...

*1977–: Capt. Christopher Haslett Elliott,

*1976–1978 Capt. T P G N Ward Welsh Guards *c.1976–1977: Capt. Alun James Davies,

*1972–: Lt Gilbert Kerruish,

*1970–1972: Lt the Hon.

Nicholas Soames Arthur Nicholas Winston Soames, Baron Soames of Fletching, (born 12 February 1948) is a British Conservative Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Mid Sussex from 1997 to 2019, having previously served as the MP for ...

11th Hussars The 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army established in 1715. It saw service for three centuries including the First World War and Second World War but then amalgamated with the 10th Royal Hussars (Pri ...

*c.1971: Lt David Wilson

Assistant Masters of the Household

*2007–:

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 certain ...

Virginia Carington, LVO **''as "Special Assistant" until 2007'' **''as "Assistant Master of the Household" since 2007''

Communications Secretary

*2022–present: Tobyn Andreae *2021–2022: Simon Enright *2016–2021: Julian Payne

Deputy Communications Secretary

*Miss Eva Omaghomi

Citations

References

* *

External links

The Royal Household of HM The King
Official website of the British monarchy
Prince of Wales Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Households of the United Kingdom Royal households Public bodies and task forces of the United Kingdom government Positions within the British Royal Household British royal family