The Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the

Scottish monarch The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies (the Bailiwi ...

's personal representative to the

General Assembly A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of pres ...

of the

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 Reformation of 1560, when it split from the Catholic Church ...

(the

Kirk Kirk is a Scottish and former Northern English word meaning "church". It is often used specifically of the Church of Scotland. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it. Basic meaning and etymology As a common noun, ''kirk' ...

), reflecting the Church's role as the

national church A national church is a Christian church associated with a specific ethnic group or nation state. The idea was notably discussed during the 19th century, during the emergence of modern nationalism. Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in a draft discussing ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

and the monarch's role as protector and member of that Church.

History

Lord High Commissioners were appointed to the Parliament of the Kingdom of Scotland between 1603 and 1707 as the monarch's personal representative. The

Act of Union 1707 The Acts of Union ( gd, Achd an Aonaidh) were two Acts of Parliament: the Union with Scotland Act 1706 passed by the Parliament of England, and the Union with England Act 1707 passed by the Parliament of Scotland. They put into effect the t ...

made this function redundant, but a Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has been appointed each year, as the monarch's personal representative, since 1690. The right of the monarch to be present at the General Assembly is enshrined in Church of Scotland's confessional standard, the

Westminster Confession of Faith The Westminster Confession of Faith is a Reformed confession of faith. Drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly as part of the Westminster Standards to be a confession of the Church of England, it became and remains the "subordinate standard" o ...

, which says that the "civil magistrate... hath power to call synods, to be present at them, and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the mind of God" (XXIII.3). Prior to 1929, the General Assembly was held in the former Tolbooth Highland St John's Church on Edinburgh's

Royal Mile The Royal Mile () is a succession of streets forming the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland. The term was first used descriptively in W. M. Gilbert's ''Edinburgh in the Nineteenth Century'' (1901), de ...

(this building is no longer used as a church, instead being converted into "The Hub" for the Edinburgh International Festival society), where a Throne was provided for the use of the Lord High Commissioner. The union of the

and the

United Free Church of Scotland The United Free Church of Scotland (UF Church; gd, An Eaglais Shaor Aonaichte, sco, The Unitit Free Kirk o Scotland) is a Scottish Presbyterian denomination formed in 1900 by the union of the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland (or UP) and ...

took place in 1929. Since 1930 the General Assembly has always met in the former United Free Church Assembly Hall on The Mound, Edinburgh. The Lord High Commissioner sits on the Throne in the Royal Gallery, which is technically "outside" the Assembly Hall—symbolising the independence of the Church in matters spiritual from state interference. The first Assembly of the newly united church in 1929 was held in halls in Annandale Street,

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

(now a bus garage), the only building large enough. Difficulty in accessing the Royal Gallery in this temporary location led to a seemingly trivial but nevertheless embarrassing dispute over protocol, whereby the Lord High Commissioner (the Earl of Inverness, later King

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of I ...

) would have had to enter through the Assembly Hall itself—an act of symbolic state interference in the hard-won spiritual independence of the church. The Moderator, Dr John White, was adamant that this would be unacceptable, even suggesting that the post of Lord High Commissioner could be dispensed with. Eventually a suitable arrangement was agreed upon and the office of Lord High Commissioner has survived.

Functions

The office has always been largely ceremonial. The person appointed invariably has a distinguished record of public service in Scotland as well as having close connections with the church, often being an Elder of the Church of Scotland. On behalf of the monarch, the Lord High Commissioner attends the General Assembly, makes opening and closing addresses to the Assembly, and carries out a number of official visits and ceremonial functions (not all related to the Church of Scotland). At the formal opening of the General Assembly, the Principal Clerk reads out the Royal Warrant appointing the Lord High Commissioner, who is then invited to address the Assembly. All ministers, elders and

deacons A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Churc ...

appointed by Presbyteries to attend the General Assembly are known as "Commissioners" and have voting powers; the Lord High Commissioner, however, has no vote, nor may he/she intervene in debates. Apart from his/her opening and closing addresses, the Lord High Commissioner makes no further intervention in Assembly debates but will be in daily attendance for at least part of each day's business. Following the Assembly, the Lord High Commissioner personally informs The King about the business of the week. The Lord High Commissioner also visits the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland annually.

Form of address

While the General Assembly is meeting, the Lord High Commissioner is treated as if a

regent A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...

. By custom, he or she is addressed as "Your Grace" and is greeted with a bow or curtsey. When the

Princess Royal Princess Royal is a style customarily (but not automatically) awarded by a British monarch to their eldest daughter. Although purely honorary, it is the highest honour that may be given to a female member of the royal family. There have been se ...

was appointed in 1996, she was styled as "Her Grace" for the duration rather than her normal dynastic style "Her Royal Highness" because the Lord High Commissioner is ranked higher in the order of precedence. If a woman is appointed to the office, the alternative title "His Majesty's High Commissioner" may, if requested, be used.

Margaret Herbison Margaret McCrorie Herbison (11 March 1907 – 29 December 1996) was a Scottish Labour politician who was Minister of Social Security from 1964 to 1967. Early life Herbison was born on 11 March 1907 in Shotts, Lanarkshire to Maria Jane McCro ...

was the first woman to hold the post (1970 & 1971).

Residence

Since 1834 the Lord High Commissioner has resided at the

Palace of Holyroodhouse The Palace of Holyroodhouse ( or ), commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace or Holyroodhouse, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh ...

and gave a garden party for Commissioners to the General Assembly on the Saturday afternoon of Assembly week and other hospitality. He or she is entitled to use the Scottish Royal Banner, and has

precedence Precedence may refer to: * Message precedence of military communications traffic * Order of precedence, the ceremonial hierarchy within a nation or state * Order of operations, in mathematics and computer programming * Precedence Entertainment, ...

immediately after The King and before the rest of the

Royal Family A royal family is the immediate family of kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/ rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term pa ...

. Even his or her official car receives special treatment and, except for the King's, is the only vehicle in the country not to have

number plates A vehicle registration plate, also known as a number plate (British English), license plate (American English), or licence plate (Canadian English), is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or Trailer (vehicle), trailer for offi ...

. However, the plates are re-attached during the closing speech of the Assembly, and the Lord High Commissioner returns to his royal but temporary residence as an ordinary citizen. In recent years, the garden party has been replaced by the "Heart and Soul" event, held in Princes Street Gardens and attended by the Lord High Commissioner.

Household

There is a Household of His Grace the Lord High Commissioner. This includes the Purse Bearer (who is the head of the Household),

Chaplain 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 ...

, Aides-de-Camp (three in 1949), a

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 ...

, Extra Lady-in-Waiting, and

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 ...

(three in 1949). The

Macebearer {{Short description, Royal court official with a ceremonial or real mace A mace-bearer, or macebearer, is a person who carries a mace, either a real weapon or ceremonial. Armed When the mace was still in actual use as a weapon, it was deemed fi ...

bears the Lord President's Mace or the Old Exchequer Mace. 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 ...

is no longer appointed. The subordinate staff further includes the Assistant to the Purse Bearer, and a Lady's Maid. The Household make no financial demands on the funds of the Church of Scotland, which are devoted exclusively to the Parish and Mission work of the

List of Purse Bearers

*c.1930: (Sir) John Charles Couper *1930–1958:

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

Sir Edward Daymonde-Stevenson *1959–1960: David Charles Scott-Moncrieff *1961–1969: Sir Alastair Blair *1969–1988: Sir Charles Fraser *1988–2001: Robin Blair *2001–present: Tom Murray

List of Lords High Commissioner

*1580: The Laird of Lundie & Sir James Balfour of Pittendreich or James Halyburton *1581: William Cunningham, 4th Laird of Caprington *April 1582:

Ralph Kerr Ralph (pronounced ; or ,) is a male given name of English, Scottish and Irish origin, derived from the Old English ''Rædwulf'' and Radulf, cognate with the Old Norse ''Raðulfr'' (''rað'' "counsel" and ''ulfr'' "wolf"). The most common forms ...

*October 1582: James Halyburton & Colonel

William Stewart of Houston Sir William Stewart of Houston (c. 1540 – c. 1605) was a Scottish soldier, politician and diplomat. He is often known as "Colonel Stewart", or the Commendator of Pittenweem. Life He began his career as a soldier in the Netherlands, where he ...

*''incomplete'' *1638:

James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton, KG, PC (19 June 1606 – 9 March 1649), known as The 3rd Marquess of Hamilton from March 1625 until April 1643, was a Scottish nobleman and influential political and military leader during the Thirty Year ...

*1639: The Earl of Traquair *1640: ''none'' *1641: The Earl of Wemyss *1642: The Earl of Dunfermline *1643: Sir Thomas Hope *1644–1645: ''none'' *1646: ''Letter from the King regretting that no Commissioner could be sent'' *1647–1650: ''none'' *1651: The Earl of Balcarres *1652: ''none'' *1653: ''none'' *1653–1690: ''no General Assembly'' *1690: The Lord Carmichael *1692: The Earl of Lothian *1694–1699: The Lord Carmichael *1700: The Viscount Seafield (became an earl before serving again in 1703) *1701: The Earl of Annandale (became a marquess before serving again in 1705 and 1711) *1702: The Earl of Marchmont *1703: The Earl of Seafield (succeeded as Earl of Findlater before serving again in 1724) *1704: The Lord Ross *1705: The Marquess of Annandale *1706–1710: The 1st Earl of Glasgow *1711: The Marquess of Annandale *1712–1714: The 1st Duke of Atholl *1715–1721: The Earl of Rothes *1722: The Earl of Loudoun *1723: The 1st Earl of Hopetoun *1724: The Earl of Findlater *1725–1726: The Earl of Loudoun *1727: The Earl of Findlater *1728: The Earl of Loudoun *1729: The Earl of Buchan *1730–1731: The Earl of Loudoun *1732–1738: The Marquess of Lothian *1739–1740: The Earl of Hyndford *1741–1753: The 5th Earl of Leven *1754: The 2nd Earl of Hopetoun *1755–1763: The Lord Cathcart *1764–1772: The 3rd Earl of Glasgow *1773–1776: The Lord Cathcart *1777–1782: The Earl of Dalhousie *1783–1801: The 6th Earl of Leven *1802–1816: The Lord Napier *1817–1818: The Earl of Erroll *1819–1824: The Earl of Morton *1825–1830: The Lord Forbes *1831–1841: The Lord Belhaven and Stenton *1842–1846: The Marquess of Bute *1847–1851: The Lord Belhaven and Stenton *1852: The Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield *1853–1857: The Lord Belhaven and Stenton *1858–1859: The Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield *1860–1866: The Lord Belhaven and Stenton *1867–1868: The Earl of Haddington *1869–1871: The 10th Earl of Stair *1872–1873: The Earl of Airlie *1874–1875: The Earl of Rosslyn *1876–1877: The Earl of Galloway *1878–1880: The Earl of Rosslyn *1881–1885: The Earl of Aberdeen *1886: The Lord Thurlow *1887–1889: The 7th Earl of Hopetoun *1889–1892: The Marquess of Tweeddale *1893–1895: The Marquess of Breadalbane *1896–1897: The Marquess of Tweeddale *1898–1906: The 11th Earl of Leven *1907–1909: The 11th Lord Kinnaird *1910: The 11th Earl of Stair *1911–1914: The Lord Glenconner *1915: The Earl of Aberdeen *1916–1917: The 5th Duke of Montrose *1918–1920: The 8th Duke of Atholl *1921–1922: The Duke of Sutherland *1923: The Lord Elphinstone *1924:

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the hono ...

MP (made a privy counsellor before serving again in 1930) *1925–1926: The 10th Earl of Elgin *1927–1928: The 12th Earl of Stair *1929: The Earl of Inverness *1930–1931: James Brown MP *1932: Sir Iain Colquhoun *1933–1934:

John Buchan John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (; 26 August 1875 – 11 February 1940) was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation. After a brief legal career ...

*1935: The Earl of St Andrews *1936–1937: The 12th Lord Kinnaird *1938–1939: Lt Col Sir John Gilmour, 2nd Bt *1940–1941: Sir Iain Colquhoun *1942–1943: The 6th Duke of Montrose *1944–1945:

The Marquess of Linlithgow Victor Alexander John Hope, 2nd Marquess of Linlithgow, (24 September 1887 – 5 January 1952) was a British Unionist politician, agriculturalist, and colonial administrator. He served as Governor-General and Viceroy of India from 1936 to 1943 ...

*1946–1947: George Mathers MP (made a privy counsellor before serving again in 1948) *1948: George Mathers MP *1949: The Lord Culloden *1950: The Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope *1951: George Mathers MP *1952: The Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope *1953–1955: The Duke of Hamilton *1956–1957: Walter Elliot MP *1958: The Duke of Hamilton *1959–1960: The Earl of Wemyss and March *1961–1963: The Lord Culloden *1964: General Sir

Richard O'Connor General Sir Richard Nugent O'Connor, (21 August 1889 – 17 June 1981) was a senior British Army officer who fought in both the First and Second World Wars, and commanded the Western Desert Force in the early years of the Second World War. ...

*1965–1966: Lord Birsay *1967–1968: The Lord Reith *1969: ''

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), ...

attended in person'' *1970: Peggy Herbison *1971–1972: The Lord Clydesmuir *1973–1974: The Lord Ballantrae *1975–1976: Sir Hector MacLennan *1977: The Earl of Wemyss and March *1978–1979: Willie Ross (former

Secretary of State for Scotland The secretary of state for Scotland ( gd, Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba; sco, Secretar o State fir Scotland), also referred to as the Scottish secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the Unit ...

) *1980–1981: The 11th Earl of Elgin *1982–1983: Col Sir John Gilmour, 3rd Bt *1984–1985: The Lord Maclean *1986–1987: The Viscount of Arbuthnott *1988–1989: Captain Sir Iain Tennant *1990–1991:

Lord Ross The title of Lord Ross was a Lordship of Parliament in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1499 for Sir John Ross, of Halkhead. The second Lord died at the Battle of Flodden. The 12th Lord was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Renfrew in 1 ...

Lord Justice Clerk The Lord Justice Clerk is the second most senior judge in Scotland, after the Lord President of the Court of Session. Originally ''clericus justiciarie'' or Clerk to the Court of Justiciary, the counterpart in the criminal courts of the Lord ...

*1992–1993: The Lord Macfarlane of Bearsden *1994–1995: Lady Fraser *1996:

The Princess Royal Princess Royal is a style customarily (but not automatically) awarded by a British monarch to their eldest daughter. Although purely honorary, it is the highest honour that may be given to a female member of the royal family. There have been sev ...

*1997: The Lord Macfarlane of Bearsden *1998–1999: The Lord Hogg of Cumbernauld *2000: The Duke of Rothesay *2001: The Viscount Younger of Leckie *2002: ''

attended in person'' *2003–2004: The Lord Steel of Aikwood *2005–2006: The Lord Mackay of Clashfern *2007: The Earl of Inverness *2008–2009:

George Reid Sir George Houston Reid, (25 February 1845 – 12 September 1918) was an Australian politician who led the Reid Government as the fourth Prime Minister of Australia from 1904 to 1905, having previously been Premier of New South Wales fr ...

*2010–2011: The Lord Wilson of Tillyorn *2012–2013: The Lord Selkirk of Douglas *2014: The Earl of Wessex *2015–2016: The Lord Hope of Craighead *2017:

*2018–2019: The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry *2020–2021: The Earl of Strathearn (2020 Assembly cancelled due to the

Covid-19 Pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

.) *2022:

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 boardin ...

References

External links

Church of Scotland website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lord High Commissioner To The General Assembly Of The Church Of Scotland British monarchy-related lists Church of Scotland