Andrew Ford (Royal Household)
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Charles Ford, is a retired Guards
officer of the British Army
, now holding the office of Comptroller
of the Lord Chamberlain's Office
, in the Royal Household
of the Sovereign
of the United Kingdom
, from 6 January 2006.
Following Royal Military College Sandhurst, Ford was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards
as a second lieutenant
on a Short Service Commission on 8 April 1977. He was promoted lieutenant
on 8 April 1979, and switched to a full commission on 21 August 1978. He was promoted captain
on 8 October 1983, major on 30 September 1989, and lieutenant-colonel on 30 June 1998. He transferred to the Welsh Guards
on 27 August 1999, and retired on 4 October 2005 (retaining a reserve commission), he also attended the Joint Service Defence College
.
He took office as Comptroller of The Lord Chamberlain's Office on 6 January 2006. The Lord Chamberlain's Office is a department within the British Royal Household
. It is presently concerned with matters such as protocol
, state visit
s, investiture
s, garden parties
, the State Opening of Parliament
, royal weddings and funerals. The Comptroller is the full-time head of department, responsible to the part-time Lord Chamberlain
.
Brigade of Guards
The Brigade of Guards is a historical elite unit of the British Army, which has existed sporadically since the 17th century....
officer of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, now holding the office of Comptroller
Comptroller
A comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
of the Lord Chamberlain's Office
Lord Chamberlain's Office
The Lord Chamberlain's Office is a department within the British Royal Household. It is presently concerned with matters such as protocol, state visits, investitures, garden parties, the State Opening of Parliament, royal weddings and funerals. For example, in April 2005 it organised the wedding of...
, in the Royal Household
Royal Household
A Royal Household in ancient and medieval monarchies formed the basis for the general government of the country as well as providing for the needs of the sovereign and his relations....
of the Sovereign
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, from 6 January 2006.
Following Royal Military College Sandhurst, Ford was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
on a Short Service Commission on 8 April 1977. He was promoted lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
on 8 April 1979, and switched to a full commission on 21 August 1978. He was promoted captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
on 8 October 1983, major on 30 September 1989, and lieutenant-colonel on 30 June 1998. He transferred to the Welsh Guards
Welsh Guards
The Welsh Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division.-Creation :The Welsh Guards came into existence on 26 February 1915 by Royal Warrant of His Majesty King George V in order to include Wales in the national component to the Foot Guards, "..though the order...
on 27 August 1999, and retired on 4 October 2005 (retaining a reserve commission), he also attended the Joint Service Defence College
Joint Service Defence College
The Joint Service Defence College was a training academy for British military personnel in the period from 1983 to 1997. It has now been amalgamated into the Joint Services Command and Staff College.-History:...
.
He took office as Comptroller of The Lord Chamberlain's Office on 6 January 2006. The Lord Chamberlain's Office is a department within the British Royal Household
Royal Households of the United Kingdom
The Royal Households of the United Kingdom are the organised offices and support systems for the British Royal Family, along with their immediate families...
. It is presently concerned with matters such as protocol
Protocol (diplomacy)
In international politics, protocol is the etiquette of diplomacy and affairs of state.A protocol is a rule which guides how an activity should be performed, especially in the field of diplomacy. In diplomatic services and governmental fields of endeavor protocols are often unwritten guidelines...
, state visit
State visit
A state visit is a formal visit by a foreign head of state to another nation, at the invitation of that nation's head of state. State visits are the highest form of diplomatic contact between two nations, and are marked by ceremonial pomp and diplomatic protocol. In parliamentary democracies, heads...
s, investiture
Investiture
Investiture, from the Latin is a rather general term for the formal installation of an incumbent...
s, garden parties
Garden party
A garden party is a social gathering with food provided, in the open in a park or a garden. An event described as a garden party is usually more formal than other similar gatherings, which may be called just parties, picnics, barbecues, etc,...
, the State Opening of Parliament
State Opening of Parliament
In the United Kingdom, the State Opening of Parliament is an annual event that marks the commencement of a session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is held in the House of Lords Chamber, usually in November or December or, in a general election year, when the new Parliament first assembles...
, royal weddings and funerals. The Comptroller is the full-time head of department, responsible to the part-time Lord Chamberlain
Lord Chamberlain
The Lord Chamberlain or Lord Chamberlain of the Household is one of the chief officers of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom and is to be distinguished from the Lord Great Chamberlain, one of the Great Officers of State....
.