102-777: 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 channel of communication between the Sovereign and the House of Lords . The office organises all ceremonial activity such as garden parties , state visits , royal weddings , and
204-609: A 1,393-page report recommending 188 changes for smoother operations of the Royal Household. The Lord Chamberlain's Office is a department of the Royal Household and its day-to-day work is headed by the Comptroller. It is responsible for organizing ceremonial activities including state visits, investitures, garden parties, the State Opening of Parliament, weddings and funerals. On State and ceremonial occasions,
306-517: A Joint Select Committee on Stage Plays (Censorship) was established and recommended that the Lord Chamberlain should continue to act as censor but that it could be lawful to perform plays without a licence from the Lord Chamberlain. However, King Edward VII refused to accept these recommendations. The outbreak of both World Wars put an end to any parliamentary initiatives to change the laws regarding theatre censorship for many years. In 1948,
408-473: A commanding authority on London's theatre companies under the Royal Prerogative for many decades already. But by the 1730s the theatre was not controlled by royal patronage anymore. Instead it had become more of a commercial business. Therefore, the fact the Lord Chamberlain still retained censorship authority for the next 200 years gave him uniquely repressive authority during a period where Britain
510-416: A comparatively late period, their original duties were transferred to the master of the horse . In these circumstances, the holders of the original great offices of state 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 and some other public solemnities, such as
612-482: A large staff of domestic servants, military personnel, priests, and clerks. Household members included noble thegns for whom such service could lead to promotion to higher office. The highest ranking officers were: Cnut the Great ( r. 1016–1035 ) introduced officers known as stallers , who were close to the king and very wealthy. There could be as many as eight stallers at once, and they probably supervised
714-447: A later date. The royal prerogative is in much use in the realm of foreign affairs. It is the monarch who recognises foreign states (although several statutes regulate the immunities enjoyed by their heads and diplomatic representatives), issues declarations of war and peace, and forms international treaties. The monarch also has the power to annex territory, as was done in 1955 with the island of Rockall . Once territory has been annexed,
816-678: 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 . In addition, the two corps of royal bodyguards (the Gentlemen at Arms and the Yeomen of the Guard ) are part of the Household. Gentlemen ushers are unpaid members of
918-410: A particular type of prerogative power exists is a matter of common law to be decided by the courts as the final arbiter. A prominent constitutional theorist, A. V. Dicey , proposed in the nineteenth century that: The prerogative appears to be historically and as a matter of fact nothing else than the residue of discretionary or arbitrary authority which at any given time is legally left in the hands of
1020-457: A prerogative power must be one unique to the monarch. Monarchs also have power to exercise their prerogative over the granting of honours , the regulation of the armed forces and ecclesiastical appointments. Although the granting of most honours is normally decided by the executive, the monarch is still the person who technically awards them. Exceptions to this rule are membership of the Order of
1122-584: Is Tim Knox . The Royal Almonry , Ecclesiastical Household , and Medical Household 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 has day-to-day operation of the Royal Mews , and is part of the Lord Chamberlain's Office. The other equerries have a different role: attending and assisting
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#17327646694701224-587: Is a body of customary authority , privilege , and immunity attached to the British monarch (or "sovereign"), recognised in the United Kingdom . The monarch is regarded internally as the absolute authority , or "sole prerogative", and the source of many of the executive powers of the British government. Prerogative powers were formerly exercised by the monarch acting on his or her own initiative. Since
1326-576: Is done by the Attorney General of England and Wales (or the equivalent in Scotland or Northern Ireland) in the name of the Crown, to stop legal proceedings against an individual. This is not reviewable by the courts, as confirmed by R v Comptroller-General of Patents, ex parte Tomlinson , and does not count as an acquittal; the defendant may be brought before the courts on the same charge at
1428-404: Is the leader of the political party that is returned to Parliament with a majority of seats after a general election. Difficulties may result with a so-called hung parliament , in which no party commands majority support, as last occurred in 2017 . In this situation, constitutional convention is that the previous incumbent has the first right to form a coalition government and seek appointment. If
1530-568: Is usually a peer and before 1782 the post was of Cabinet rank . The position was a political one until 1924. The office dates from the Middle Ages when the King's Chamberlain often acted as the King's spokesman in Council and Parliament . The current Lord Chamberlain is The Lord Benyon , who has been in office since 4 November 2024. During the early modern period, the Lord Chamberlain
1632-503: The Crown Proceedings Act 1947 , the monarch is the sole authority for the armed forces, and as such their organisation, disposition and control cannot be questioned by the courts. This exercise of prerogative power gives the Crown authority to recruit members of the armed forces, appoint commissioned officers, and establish agreements with foreign governments to station troops in their territory. The prerogative empowers
1734-678: The Groom of the Stool/Stole ). His department not only furnished the servants and other personnel (such as physicians and bodyguards, the Yeomen of the Guard and Gentlemen Pensioners ) in intimate attendance on the Sovereign but arranged and staffed ceremonies and entertainments for the court. He also had (secular) authority over the Chapel Royal . In 1782, under the terms of the Civil List and Secret Service Money Act (22 Geo. III c.82),
1836-519: The Regalia : Officers of the Order of the Thistle : The Household Division, Sovereign's Body Guard, King's Guard, and ceremonial military posts and bodies: Other hereditary and non-hereditary offices and Court appointments : A part-time Private Secretary to Prince William and Prince Harry ( James Lowther-Pinkerton MVO MBE Irish Guards (Rtd.) ) was appointed in the Household of
1938-738: The State Opening of Parliament or trials by the House of Lords . In its main outlines the existing organisation of the royal household is essentially the same as it was under the Tudors or the Plantagenets . 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
2040-463: The State Opening of Parliament . They also oversee the Royal Mews and Royal Travel, as well as the ceremony around the awarding of honours. From 1737 to 1968, the Lord Chamberlain had the power to decide which plays would be granted a licence for performance; this meant that he had the capacity to censor theatre at his pleasure. The Lord Chamberlain is always sworn of the Privy Council ,
2142-739: 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 which are political and judicial appointments, or the Great Officers of the Crown of Scotland though some officers are shared) are: Ecclesiastical officers of the Ecclesiastical Household of Scotland : Officers of Administration and Legal Officers: Governors, Captains and Keepers of Palaces and Castles: Heraldic Officers and Keepers of
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#17327646694702244-555: The West End . In the case of John Osborne's play A Patriot for Me , the Lord Chamberlain at the time, Lord Cobbold , was irritated that the play was so widely publicized even though he had banned it and therefore pursued legal action. In the end, the play was allowed to continue as it was. At this point, several widely regarded authors had all been censored by the Lord Chamberlain at one time or another, including playwrights Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw . Sometimes censorship
2346-562: The clergy nor the Pope . Although the monarch was "the predominant partner in the English constitution", the courts recognised the growing importance of Parliament by stopping short of declaring him all-powerful. In Ferrer's Case , Henry accepted this restriction, believing he was far more powerful ruling with the consent of Parliament than without, especially in the matter of taxation. Sir Thomas Smith and other contemporary writers argued
2448-537: The green cloth and other inferior officers both of the household and chamber , 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 to attend the body, and lodged the former about himself at Whitehall '. As consort of the British sovereign, Queen Camilla will receive a household of her own. Traditionally, queens consort have appointed their own Lord Chamberlain and various ladies-in-waiting as part of their household. This tradition
2550-418: The housecarls (royal bodyguards). Other officers included the stewards ( stigweardas ) and the marshals ( horsethegns ) in charge of the royal stables and household travel. The household also included priests, who also probably had noble backgrounds. Priests in the royal chapel performed religious duties and acted as royal secretaries—writing letters, charters , and other official documents. By
2652-543: The prime minister , either at his or her discretion or following a motion of no confidence . Constitutional theorists have had differing views as to whether a unilateral dissolution of Parliament would be possible today; Sir Ivor Jennings wrote that a dissolution involves "the acquiescence of ministers", and as such the monarch could not dissolve Parliament without ministerial consent; "if ministers refuse to give such advice, she can do no more than dismiss them". A. V. Dicey, however, believed that in certain extreme circumstances
2754-485: The sovereign to the household of the Prince and Princess of Wales , 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 , scientists , musicians , poets , and artists hold honorary positions within
2856-454: The 19th century, by convention, the advice of the prime minister or the cabinet —who are then accountable to Parliament for the decision—has been required in order for the prerogative to be exercised. The monarch remains constitutionally empowered to exercise the royal prerogative against the advice of the prime minister or the cabinet, but in practice would likely only do so in emergencies or where existing precedent does not adequately apply to
2958-749: The Garter , the Order of the Thistle , the Order of Merit , the Royal Victorian Order and the Royal Victorian Chain , which the monarch has complete discretion to grant. In relation to the armed forces, the monarch is the Commander in Chief, and members are regulated under the royal prerogative. Most statutes do not apply to the armed forces, although some areas, such as military discipline, are governed by Acts of Parliament. Under
3060-772: The House of Commons. In the House of Lords, the Government Chief Whip is usually appointed Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms and the Deputy Chief Whip as Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard , 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
3162-415: The Household , since 2013, has been Vice Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt KCVO CB OBE and has overall responsibility for the domestic workings of the Household. The Lord Chamberlain's Office , led by its Comptroller current Lt-Colonel Michael Vernon, is responsible for official royal occasions. The Royal Collection Department is overseen by its Director who since February 2018
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3264-588: 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 is also under the Lord Chamberlain's Office, as is the office of the Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps . The College of Arms has been a branch of the Royal Household since its incorporation in 1484 by King Richard III it
3366-691: The King's Music , Piper to the Sovereign , Poet Laureate , and Astronomer Royal . The King's Bargemaster , the Keeper of the Jewel House , the Serjeants-at-Arms , and the Warden and Marker of the Swans , perform less celebrated functions. The offices of Treasurer of the Household , Comptroller of the Household , and Vice-Chamberlain of the Household are held by senior government whips in
3468-585: The King. If the monarch is female she has ladies-in-waiting (formally styled either ladies of the bedchamber or women of the bedchamber ), some of whom are in personal attendance on a daily basis. They are overseen by the Mistress of the Robes , 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
3570-472: The Lord Chamberlain carries specific symbols that represent his office: a white staff and a key (which is worn at the hip pocket). These insignia are returned to the monarch when the Lord Chamberlain retires from office; but if the monarch dies, the white staff is symbolically broken by the Lord Chamberlain and placed on the coffin of the deceased Sovereign at the end of the State Funeral service. This
3672-522: The Lord Chamberlain took on direct responsibility for items kept and maintained by the Great Wardrobe and the Jewel House (whereby these formerly semi-independent sub-departments were abolished). As other responsibilities of government were devolved to ministers, the ordering of the Royal Household was largely left to the personal taste of the Sovereign. To ensure that the chamber reflected
3774-804: 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 , having formerly been based in St James's Palace . The Household, as of 2011, had
3876-670: The Queen's equerry. Queen Elizabeth II's ladies-in-waiting will be given new roles as "ladies of the household". The Household is for the time being configured as follows (according to the arrangements inherited from Elizabeth II): The Great Officers of the Household are, in order of seniority, the Lord Steward , the Lord Chamberlain and the Master of the Horse . Only the Lord Chamberlain fulfils an executive function; while
3978-790: The Royal Household Property Section directly from the grant-in-aid provided by Parliament , whereas Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House are privately owned and maintained. The unoccupied royal residences (including the Tower of London) are run by the Historic Royal Palaces Agency, which is self-funding. The Royal Household in Scotland includes offices of personal, honorary and state appointments. Many appointments are vacant having fallen into abeyance ; been abolished or returned to The Crown ; merged with other positions both before and after
4080-543: The Royal Household, often retired military officers, who provide occasional assistance as marshals at royal events. The Lady Usher of the Black Rod 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 ) in current use are cared for and maintained by
4182-412: 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. The royal household has roots in the comitatus that provided military support to early Anglo-Saxon kings . In addition to the royal family, the household would have included
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4284-538: 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 has responsibility for the Sovereign's personal finances and those to do with semi-private concerns, along with, as Treasurer to the King oversight of the civil list . The two positions are held together and, since 2018, they have both been held by Sir Michael Stevens KCVO . The Master of
4386-494: The Sovereign and the House of Lords . Under Lord Airlie, the Lord Chamberlain’s ceremonial and non-executive role was altered to that of chief executive. Airlie initiated changes in the early 1990s under the auspices of "The Way Ahead Group". Under these plans the Queen agreed to pay tax, greater transparency for the public subsidy of the monarchy began and a greater emphasis on public relations started. In 1986, he produced
4488-545: The Supreme Court's 2019 judgment in Miller II established that the prerogative of prorogation is not absolute. The appointment of the prime minister is also, theoretically, governed by the royal prerogative. Technically the monarch may appoint as prime minister anyone he wants to appoint, but in practice the appointee is always the person who is best placed to command a majority in the House of Commons. Usually, this
4590-596: The United Kingdom King Charles III [REDACTED] William, Prince of Wales [REDACTED] Charles III ( King-in-Council ) [REDACTED] Starmer ministry ( L ) Keir Starmer ( L ) Angela Rayner ( L ) ( King-in-Parliament ) [REDACTED] Charles III [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The Lord Reed The Lord Hodge Andrew Bailey Monetary Policy Committee The royal prerogative
4692-523: The absolute powers of censorship enjoyed by the Lord Chamberlain but still slightly restricted his powers so that he could only prohibit the performance of plays where he was of the opinion that "it is fitting for the preservation of good manners, decorum or of the public peace so to do". The Act, however, did abolish the monopoly that the patent houses had in London, providing a minor win for playwrights and theatre managers wishing to produce new work. In 1909,
4794-400: The censorship process. The Lord Chamberlain is the most senior official of the Royal Household and oversees its business, including liaising with the other senior officers of the Household, chairing Heads of Department meetings, and advising in the appointment of senior Household officials. The Lord Chamberlain also undertakes ceremonial duties and serves as the channel of communication between
4896-428: The chamber divided into two sub-departments: the great chamber and the privy chamber . The privy chamber was overseen by grooms of the chamber , led by the groom of the stool . 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 , allowing or denying other household officials access to
4998-549: The circumstances in question. Today, the royal prerogative is available in the conduct of the government of the United Kingdom, including foreign affairs, defence, and national security. The monarch has a significant constitutional weight in these and other matters, but limited freedom to act, because the exercise of the prerogative is conventionally in the hands of the prime minister and other ministers or other government officials. The royal prerogative has been called "a notoriously difficult concept to define adequately", but whether
5100-447: The common law, citizens have the right freely to leave and enter the United Kingdom. In R v Foreign Secretary, ex parte Everett , the courts held that it was their right to review the granting of passports to, and the withholding of passports from, British citizens. The writ of ne exeat regno is also used to prevent a person leaving the country. The right to make treaties is a disputed prerogative power: under Blackstone's definition,
5202-597: The constitutional right to refuse assent". The royal prerogative to dissolve Parliament was abrogated by Section 3(2) of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 , and revived by the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 , which repealed the 2011 Act. Section 6(1) of the 2011 Act however specifically stated that the monarch's power to prorogue Parliament is not affected by the Act. Nonetheless,
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#17327646694705304-465: The crown. The prerogative is the name of the remaining portion of the Crown's original authority ... Every act which the executive government can lawfully do without the authority of an Act of Parliament is done in virtue of the prerogative. While many commentators follow the Diceyan view, there are constitutional lawyers who prefer the definition given by William Blackstone in the 1760s: By
5406-514: The design and the wearing of court uniform and dress and how insignia are worn. Royal Households of the United Kingdom The Royal Households of the United Kingdom are the collective departments that support members of the British royal family . Many members of the royal family who undertake public duties have separate households. They vary considerably in size, from the large household that supports
5508-486: The dissolution of Parliament through a refusal of royal assent ; this would very likely lead to a government resigning. By convention, the monarch always assents to bills; the last time the royal assent was not given was in 1708 during the reign of Queen Anne when, on ministerial advice, she withheld royal assent from the Scottish Militia Bill . This does not mean that the right to refuse, even contrary to
5610-736: The equivalent of 7.8 full-time staff. It was announced in June 2011 that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge would temporarily move their official London residence to an apartment in Kensington Palace , a move that was completed in August of that year. The Duke and Duchess' primary residence continued to be the island of Anglesey in Wales, where the Duke served as an RAF search and rescue pilot. The couple previously shared an apartment at Clarence House with Prince Harry, which he retained. On 6 November 2011, it
5712-433: The first British Theatre Conference recommended the termination of theatre censorship with the plan to pursue parliamentary action to ratify this. In the 1960s the debate to abolish theatre censorship rose again as a new generation of young playwrights came on the scene. They gained popularity with their new plays in local establishments, but since many were refused a licence by the Lord Chamberlain, they could not transfer to
5814-429: The form of commutations, a limited form of pardon where the sentence is reduced, on certain conditions. The granting of a pardon is not subject to judicial review, as confirmed by Council of Civil Service Unions v Minister for the Civil Service , but the courts have chosen to criticise its application or lack thereof, as in R v Secretary of State for the Home Department, ex parte Bentley . Granting nolle prosequi
5916-401: The household of Edward IV ) written between 1467 and 1477, the household was divided into the Domus Providencie (the Hall) and the Domus Regie Magnificencie (the Chamber). The Domus Providencie was led by the lord steward . The Domus Regie Magnificencie was led by the lord chamberlain . (kitchens, bakehouse, buttery, laundry, woodyard, etc) Sometime in the 15th century,
6018-460: The island of Heligoland was ceded to Germany in 1890, parliamentary approval was first sought. Monarchs can also regulate colonies and dependent territories by exercising the prerogative through Orders in Council . The courts have long fought against the monarch's use of this power: in R (Bancoult) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (No 2) , the Court of Appeal ruled that using Orders-in-Council to frustrate judicial rulings
6120-449: The issue and present a solution. This time the argument largely centered around this issue on the portrayal of living and recently dead individuals, particularly in reference to the monarchy as well as politicians. After much debate, the Theatres Act 1968 was finally passed; it officially abolished the censorship of the stage and repealed the Lord Chamberlain's power to refuse a licence to a play of any kind. The first London performance of
6222-465: The judicial system is the prerogative of mercy , which has two elements: the granting of pardons and the granting of nolle prosequi . Pardons may eliminate the "pains, penalties and punishments" from a criminal conviction, though they do not remove convictions themselves. This power is commonly exercised on the advice of the Secretary of State for the Home Department ; the monarch has no direct involvement in its use. Exercises of this power may also take
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#17327646694706324-401: The king's administrative and judicial responsibilities expanded, public duties were delegated to household officers, making them state officers as well. Typically, each office had two or three holders who most likely served on a rotating basis. The Merovingian and Carolingian royal households had similar offices, and there is evidence that it influenced its English counterpart. However, there
6426-399: The lack of copyright protection for their work and more importantly that only two patent theatres in London could legitimately perform new plays. After more pressure from playwrights and theatre managers, the findings of the committee were finally presented to Parliament. It was the proposals of this committee that Parliament implemented in the Theatres Act of 1843 . The Act still confirmed
6528-512: The ladies of the court from the Mistress of the Robes to the Maids of Honour 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 , the civil list 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 included 1,200 employees. This
6630-449: The monarch beyond statute is under the prerogative diverges from Blackstone's that the prerogative simply covers those actions that no other person or body in the United Kingdom can undertake, such as declaration of war . Case law exists to support both views. Blackstone's notion of the prerogative being the powers of an exclusive nature was favoured by Lord Parmoor in the De Keyser's Royal Hotel case of 1920, but some difficulty with it
6732-403: The monarch could dissolve Parliament single-handedly, on the condition that "an occasion has arisen on which there is fair reason to suppose that the opinion of the House is not the opinion of the electors ... A dissolution is allowable, or necessary, whenever the wishes of the legislature are, or may fairly be presumed to be, different from the wishes of the nation." The monarch could force
6834-464: The monarch could not levy taxes without Parliamentary approval. Henry and his descendants normally followed legal decisions, even though in theory they were not bound by them. One suggestion is they recognised stable government required legal advice and consent, while "all the leading lawyers, statesmen and publicists of the Tudor period" agreed everyone was subject to the law, including the king. Although possessing "unfettered discretion" in when to use
6936-431: The monarch has complete discretion as to the extent to which the government will take over the former government's liabilities; this was confirmed in West Rand Central Gold Mining Company v The King . Monarchs also have the power to alter British territorial waters and cede territory. Their freedom to do these things in practice is doubtful, in that they might deprive British citizens of their nationality and rights. When
7038-553: The monarch left it to the politicians involved to choose a successor through private consultations ( Winston Churchill in May 1940, Harold Macmillan in January 1957, Alec Douglas-Home in October 1963). Nowadays, the monarch has no discretion, as the governing party will elect a new leader who will near-automatically be appointed as he or she commands the support of the majority of the Commons (most recently Theresa May in 2016, Boris Johnson in 2019, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak in 2022). The most noted prerogative power that affects
7140-427: The monarch to appoint bishops and archbishops in the Church of England , and to regulate the printing and licensing of the Authorised (King James) Version of the Bible . The monarch also exerts a certain influence power on his or her weekly and closed conversations with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. R v Secretary of State for the Home Department, ex parte Northumbria Police Authority , recognised that
7242-448: The monarch was subject to the law. Until he had gained sufficient knowledge of the law, he had no right to interpret it which Coke also pointed out "requires long study and experience, before that a man can attain to the cognisance of it". In the 1611 Case of Proclamations , Coke further ruled the monarch could only exercise existing prerogatives, not create new ones. After the Glorious Revolution in November 1688, James II of England
7344-583: The monarch. Over time, the offices of Lord High Steward and Lord Great Chamberlain lost both their political functions, which were taken over by the Chief Justiciar and Lord High Treasurer , and their domestic functions, which were taken over by the lord steward and lord chamberlain. The marshalship and the constableship became hereditary, and, although the Lord High Constable and Earl Marshal retained their military authority until
7446-493: The musical Hair was actually delayed until the Act was passed after a licence had been refused. The battle regarding the abolition of censorship was largely a political one, fought on principle. Those who opposed the termination of this particular duty of the Lord Chamberlain were mostly concerned about how to protect the reputation of the royal family and the government instead of controlling obscenity and blasphemy on stage. However, this concern has largely been unfounded. Since
7548-790: The other two continue to have a ceremonial role, and are to be seen particularly on State occasions. The Royal Household is coordinated by the part-time Lord Chamberlain ( The Lord Benyon ). The Private Secretary to the Sovereign ( the Rt Hon. Sir Clive Alderton KCVO since 2022), manages the Private Secretary's Office, and controls the Press Office, the Royal Archives , and the Defence Services Secretary 's Office, serves as principal advisor to
7650-447: The prerogative, the monarch was limited in areas where the courts had imposed conditions on its use or where he had chosen to do so himself. James I of England challenged this consensus in the 1607 Case of Prohibitions , arguing the king had a divine right to sit as a judge and interpret the common law as he saw fit. Led by Sir Edward Coke , the judiciary rejected this idea on the grounds that while not subject to any individual,
7752-500: The prime minister decides to retire in the middle of a parliamentary session, then unless there is a clear "prime minister-in-waiting" (e.g. Neville Chamberlain in 1937 or Anthony Eden in 1955) the monarch in principle has to choose a successor (after taking appropriate advice, not necessarily from the outgoing prime minister), but the last monarch to be actively involved in such a process was George V, who appointed Stanley Baldwin rather than Lord Curzon in 1923. In more modern times,
7854-618: The reign of Edward the Confessor ( r. 1042–1066 ), the chapel's writing office had custody of the great seal used to authenticate writs . Service in the royal chapel could be a stepping stone towards becoming a bishop . Even though it traveled constantly with the king as an itinerant court , the royal household was the center of the Anglo-Saxon government . Initially, household officers performed domestic tasks (such as overseeing food, clothing, royal stables, or travel). As
7956-438: The royal tastes, the Lord Chamberlain received commands directly from the sovereign to be transmitted to the heads of subordinate departments. In 1594, the Lord Chamberlain, Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon , founded the Lord Chamberlain's Men , for which William Shakespeare was a part (and later a shareholder in the company) and for whom he wrote most of his plays during his career. Carey served under Elizabeth I of England at
8058-539: The termination of censorship, British drama has flourished and produced several prominent playwrights and new works since. The abolition of censorship opened a floodgate of theatrical creativity. The long standing role of the Lord Chamberlain as theatrical censor resulted in an extensive archive of both licensed and unlicensed play scripts being preserved. The collection held at the British Library also includes correspondence and administrative documents related to
8160-518: The theatre licensing system in England needed an upgrade. Playwrights, instead of representatives of minor theatres, actually initiated the final push for reform as they felt that their livelihoods were being negatively affected by the monopoly the larger theatres had on the industry, backed by the laws in the 1737 Act. A Select Committee was formed in 1832 with the purpose of examining the laws that affected dramatic literature. Their main complaints were
8262-428: The theatrical censor. The Licensing Act 1737 gave the Lord Chamberlain the statutory authority to veto the performance of any new plays: he could prevent any new play, or any modification to an existing play, from being performed for any reason, and theatre owners could be prosecuted for staging a play (or part of a play) that had not received prior approval. Historically though, the Lord Chamberlain had been exercising
8364-603: The time and was in charge of all court entertainment, a duty traditionally given to the Master of the Revels , a deputy of the Lord Chamberlain. Later, in 1603, James I of England , elevated the Chamberlain's Men to royal patronage and changed the name to the King's Men . In 1737, Sir Robert Walpole officially introduced statutory censorship with the Licensing Act of 1737 by appointing the Lord Chamberlain to act as
8466-467: The use of remaining prerogatives in future, one example being the Triennial Act 1694 , which required the monarch to dismiss and call Parliament at certain times. The power to dissolve parliament is "perhaps the most important residual prerogative exercised personally by the sovereign, and represents the greatest potential for controversy." This prerogative is normally exercised at the request of
8568-434: 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 's department of her own, and all
8670-679: The wishes of the Prime Minister, has died: the threat of the Royal Veto by George III and George IV made Catholic Emancipation impossible between 1800 and 1829, whilst George V had been privately advised (by his own lawyer, not by the Prime Minister) that he could veto the Third Irish Home Rule Bill ; Jennings writes that "it was assumed by the King throughout that he had not only the legal power but
8772-440: The word prerogative we usually understand that special pre-eminence which the King hath, over and above all other persons, and out of the ordinary course of common law, in right of his regal dignity ... it can only be applied to those rights and capacities which the King enjoys alone, in contradiction to others, and not to those which he enjoys in common with any of his subjects. Dicey's opinion that any action of governance by
8874-555: 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 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
8976-409: Was a way to exercise his power without the consent of others but its limits were unclear and an attempt to legally define its scope was first made in 1387 by Richard II . This "turbulence" began to recede over the course of the 16th century and the monarch became truly independent when Henry VIII and his successors became head of a Protestant Church of England , and therefore answerable neither to
9078-635: Was an unlawful abuse of power, although this ruling was later overturned. A judgment delivered in the Court of Appeal in 1988 ( ex parte Everett ), and re-stated in a ruling of the High Court delivered in July 2016, confirmed that granting or withdrawing British passports has always been an exercise of the royal prerogative, and continues to be exercisable at the Secretary of State's discretion. Under
9180-558: Was announced that the Duke, Duchess and Prince Harry, along with Elizabeth II and the Prince of Wales (later King Charles) 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 and her husband Antony Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon after their marriage in 1960. The apartment
9282-634: Was directly appointed by the Sovereign on the recommendation of Earl Marshal. The college is a corporation of thirteen royal heralds , overseen by the Earl Marshal , a hereditary office held by the Duke of Norfolk . The college is self-supporting and receives no funds from the Crown. The college holds jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to heraldry , genealogy , and pedigrees in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and in some Commonwealth realms . Certain independent and honorific posts include Master of
9384-470: Was experiencing "growing political enfranchisement and liberalization". Even further confusion rested in the fact that Members of Parliament could not present changes to the censorship laws because although the Lord Chamberlain exercised his authority under statute law, he was still an official whose authority was derived from the Royal Prerogative. By the 1830s, it started to become clear that
9486-554: Was expressed by Lord Reid in the Burmah Oil case of 1965 . A clear distinction has not been necessary in the relevant cases, and the courts may never need to settle the question as few cases deal directly with the prerogative itself. Prior to the 13th century, the English monarch exercised supreme power, which was checked by "the recrudescence of feudal turbulence in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries". The royal prerogative
9588-452: 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 , 100 staff who had been working for King Charles III while he
9690-539: Was last done by the Lord Parker of Minsmere , who broke his staff over the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. The Lord Chamberlain is ex-officio the Chancellor of the Royal Victorian Order , having possession of a Badge corresponding to that office. As such, they are often appointed to the said Order either upon appointment as Lord Chamberlain, or later in their career. The Lord Chamberlain also regulates
9792-628: Was no English equivalent to the powerful office of major domus (Latin for " mayor of the palace "), and English kings maintained ultimate authority over their households. By the time of Henry I ( r. 1100–1135 ), the royal household was divided into five departments as described in the Constitutio Domus Regis : According to the Liber Niger Domus Regis Angliae (the Black Book of
9894-418: Was one of the three principal officers of the Royal Household, the others being the Lord Steward and the Master of the Horse . The Lord Chamberlain was responsible for the "chamber" or the household "above stairs": that is, the series of rooms used by the Sovereign to receive increasingly select visitors, terminating in the royal bedchamber (although the bedchamber itself came to operate semi-autonomously under
9996-530: Was replaced by his eldest daughter Mary II and her husband William III , who accepted the throne under conditions set out in the Bill of Rights 1689 . These included limits to the royal prerogative, which many felt had been misused by James; Article 1 prevented the monarch suspending or executing laws without consent of Parliament, while Article 4 made it illegal to use the prerogative to levy taxes "without grant of Parliament". The Bill also allowed Parliament to limit
10098-592: 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 Cambridges. 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. Royal prerogative in
10200-411: Was roughly the same size as Charles II's household but larger than Victoria 's, whose staff numbered 921. 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 , the new King
10302-589: 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 , Lady Sarah Keswick and Baroness Chisholm . Major Ollie Plunket will serve as
10404-486: Was self-serving. A comedy written for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in the early 1960s had, as its plot, a jocular scheme to steal the Crown jewels. The Lord Chamberlain issued a one-line letter requiring the excision of that plot element. As Michael Palin , one of its authors and performers notes, that meant banning the entire production. Another Joint Select Committee was founded to further debate on
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