Lord Great Chamberlain

The Lord Great Chamberlain of England is the sixth of the Great Officers of State, ranking beneath the Lord Privy Seal

Lord Privy Seal

The Lord Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. The office is one of the traditional sinecure offices of state...

 and above the Lord High Constable

Lord High Constable

There are two current and one former royal offices in the United Kingdom of Lord High Constable:* The Lord High Constable of England, the seventh of the Great Officers of State, ranking beneath the Lord Great Chamberlain and above the Earl Marshal...

. The Lord Great Chamberlain has charge over the Palace of Westminster

Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...

, and especially of the House of Lords

House of Lords

The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....

, and technically bears the Sword of State at State openings

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...

 and closings of Parliament, though this duty is usually delegated to a Lord of Parliament who is also a Field Marshal

Field Marshal

Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...

. The Lord Great Chamberlain also has a major part to play in royal coronations, having the right to dress the monarch on coronation day and to serve the monarch water before and after the coronation banquet, and also being involved in investing the monarch with the insignia of rule.

The position is a hereditary one, held in gross

Hereditary in gross

An office, not being held by serjeanty, or attached to some particular office or title, is said to be "in gross".Such offices are inherited in the same manner as a barony by writ: by sons in order of birth, and then by daughters...

. At any one time, a single person actually exercises the office of Lord Great Chamberlain. The various individuals who hold fractions of the Lord Great Chamberlainship are technically each Joint Hereditary Lord Great Chamberlain, and the right to exercise the office for a given reign rotates proportionately to the fraction of the office held. For instance, the Marquesses of Cholmondeley hold one-half of the office, and may therefore exercise the office or appoint a deputy every alternate reign. (A Deputy Lord Great Chamberlain is a person exercising the office who is not personally a co-heir to the office; historically these have been sons or husbands of co-heirs as the office has never been exercised by a woman, as women were barred from sitting in the Lords until the present reign).

The office of Lord Great Chamberlain is distinct from the non-hereditary office of Lord Chamberlain of the Household

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....

, a position in the monarch's household. This office arose, in fact, as a deputy of the Lord Great Chamberlain, to fulfil the latter's duties in the Royal Household, but now they are quite distinct.

The House of Lords Act 1999

House of Lords Act 1999

The House of Lords Act 1999 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999. The Act reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. For centuries, the House of Lords had included several hundred members who inherited their seats;...

 removed the automatic right of hereditary peer

Hereditary peer

Hereditary peers form part of the Peerage in the United Kingdom. There are over seven hundred peers who hold titles that may be inherited. Formerly, most of them were entitled to sit in the House of Lords, but since the House of Lords Act 1999 only ninety-two are permitted to do so...

s to sit in the House of Lords, but the Act provided that a hereditary peer exercising the office of Lord Great Chamberlain (as well as the Earl Marshal

Earl Marshal

Earl Marshal is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England...

) be exempt from such a rule, so that they may continue to carry out their ceremonial functions.

History of the office

The office was originally held by Robert Malet

Robert Malet

Robert Malet was an English/ Norman baron and a close advisor of Henry I.-Biography:Malet was the son of William Malet, and inherited his father's great honour of Eye in 1071. This made him one of the dozen or so greatest landholders in England...

, a son of one of the leading companions of William the Conqueror. In 1133, however, King Henry I

Henry I of England

Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...

 declared Malet's estates and titles forfeit, and awarded the office of Lord Great Chamberlain to Aubrey de Vere

Aubrey De Vere

Aubrey De Vere may refer to:* Aubrey de Vere I * Aubrey de Vere II , master chamberlain of England* Aubrey de Vere III , first earl of Oxford* Aubrey de Vere IV , second earl of Oxford...

, whose son was created Earl of Oxford

Earl of Oxford

Earl of Oxford is a dormant title in the Peerage of England, held for several centuries by the de Vere family from 1141 until the death of the 20th earl in 1703. The Veres were also hereditary holders of the office of master or Lord Great Chamberlain from 1133 until the death of the 18th Earl in 1625...

. Thereafter, the Earls of Oxford held the title almost continuously until 1526, with a few intermissions due to the forfeiture of some Earls for treason. In 1526, however, the fourteenth Earl of Oxford died, leaving his aunts as his heirs. The earldom was inherited by a more distant heir-male, his second cousin. The Sovereign then decreed that the office belonged to The Crown

The Crown

The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...

, and was not transmitted along with the earldom. The Sovereign appointed the fifteenth Earl to the office, but the appointment was deemed for life and was not heritable. The family's association with the office was briefly interrupted in 1540, when the fifteenth earl died and Thomas Cromwell, the King's chief adviser, was appointed Lord Great Chamberlain. However, after Cromwell's attainder

Attainder

In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical 'stain' or 'corruption of blood' which arises from being condemned for a serious capital crime . It entails losing not only one's property and hereditary titles, but typically also the right to pass them on to one's heirs...

 and execution later the same year, the office passed to the sixteenth Earl of Oxford, again as an uninheritable life appointment. Later, Queen Mary I

Mary I of England

Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...

 ruled that the Earls of Oxford were indeed entitled to the office of Lord Great Chamberlain on an hereditary basis.

Thus, the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth Earls of Oxford held the position on a hereditary basis until 1626, when the eighteenth Earl died, again leaving a distant relative as heir male, but a closer one as a female heir. The House of Lords

House of Lords

The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....

 eventually ruled that the office belonged to the heir male, Robert Bertie, 14th Baron Willoughby de Eresby

Robert Bertie, 1st Earl of Lindsey

Robert Bertie, 1st Earl of Lindsey was an English peer, soldier and courtier.-Early life:...

, who later became Earl of Lindsey

Earl of Lindsey

Earl of Lindsey is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1626 for the 14th Baron Willoughby de Eresby . He was First Lord of the Admiralty from 1635 to 1636 and also established his claim in right of his mother to the hereditary office of Lord Great Chamberlain of England...

. The office remained vested in the Earls of Lindsey, who later became Dukes of Ancaster and Kesteven. In 1779, however, the fourth Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven died, leaving two sisters as female heirs, and an uncle as a heir male. The uncle became the fifth and last Duke, but the House of Lords ruled that the two sisters were jointly Lord Great Chamberlain and could appoint a Deputy to fulfil the functions of the office. The barony of Willoughby de Eresby

Baron Willoughby de Eresby

Baron Willoughby de Eresby is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created by writ in 1313 for Robert de Willoughby of Eresby Manor, near Spilsby, Lincolnshire. The fourteenth Baron was created Earl of Lindsey in 1626. His great-grandson, the fourth Earl and seventeenth Baron, was created...

 went into abeyance

Abeyance

Abeyance 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. In law, the term abeyance can only be applied to such future estates as have not yet vested or possibly...

 between the two sisters, but the Sovereign terminated the abeyance and granted the title to the elder sister, Priscilla Bertie, 21st Baroness Willoughby de Eresby

Priscilla Bertie, 21st Baroness Willoughby de Eresby

Priscilla Barbara Elizabeth Bertie, 21st Baroness Willoughby de Eresby was a daughter of the 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven. On 23 February 1779, she married Sir Peter Burrell and they later had two children...

. The younger sister later married the first Marquess of Cholmondeley

George Cholmondeley, 1st Marquess of Cholmondeley

George James Cholmondeley, 1st Marquess of Cholmondeley KG, GCH, PC , styled Viscount Malpas between 1764 and 1770 and known as The Earl of Cholmondeley between 1770 and 1815, was a British peer and politician.-Background and education:...

. The office of Lord Great Chamberlain, however, was divided between Priscilla and her younger sister Georgiana. Priscilla's share was eventually split between two of her granddaughters, and has been split several more times since then. By contrast, Georgiana's share has been inherited by a single male heir each time; that individual has in each case been the Marquess of Cholmondeley, a title created for Georgiana's husband.

Lords Great Chamberlain, 1485-present

See Earl of Oxford

Earl of Oxford

Earl of Oxford is a dormant title in the Peerage of England, held for several centuries by the de Vere family from 1141 until the death of the 20th earl in 1703. The Veres were also hereditary holders of the office of master or Lord Great Chamberlain from 1133 until the death of the 18th Earl in 1625...

 for earlier Earls of Oxford who have served as Lord Great Chamberlain.

Years	Holder of the Lord Great Chamberlainship	Share
1485–1513	John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford , the second son of John de Vere, 12th Earl of Oxford, and Elizabeth Howard, was one of the principal Lancastrian commanders during the English Wars of the Roses...	1
1513–1526	John de Vere, 14th Earl of Oxford John de Vere, 14th Earl of Oxford John de Vere, 14th Earl of Oxford was the second but only surviving son of Sir George Vere and Margaret, the daughter and heir of Sir William Stafford of Bishop's Frome in Hereford. Custody of his person was granted on 29 May 1514 to Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk...	1
1526–1540	John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford was an English peer and courtier.-Biography:John de Vere was the son of John de Vere and Alice Kilrington , and the great-grandson of Richard de Vere, 11th Earl of Oxford, succeeding his second cousin, John de Vere, 14th Earl of Oxford.Oxford was Esquire of the...	1
1540–1562	John de Vere, 16th Earl of Oxford John de Vere, 16th Earl of Oxford John de Vere, 16th Earl of Oxford was born to John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford and Elizabeth Trussel, daughter of Edward Trussel...	1
1562–1604	Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford was an Elizabethan courtier, playwright, lyric poet, sportsman and patron of the arts, and is currently the most popular alternative candidate proposed for the authorship of Shakespeare's works....	1
1604–1625	Henry de Vere, 18th Earl of Oxford Henry de Vere, 18th Earl of Oxford Henry de Vere, 18th Earl of Oxford was an English aristocrat, courtier and soldier.-Life:He was born on 24 February 1593 at Newington, Middlesex, the only son of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, by his second wife, Elizabeth Trentham. He succeeded his father as on 24 June 1604.He is said to...	1
1626–1642	Robert Bertie, 1st Earl of Lindsey Robert Bertie, 1st Earl of Lindsey Robert Bertie, 1st Earl of Lindsey was an English peer, soldier and courtier.-Early life:...	1
1642–1666	Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey, 15th Baron Willoughby de Eresby, KG, PC was the eldest son of Robert Bertie, 1st Earl of Lindsey and his wife Elizabeth Montagu, daughter of Edward Montagu, 1st Baron Montagu of Boughton.-Early life:...	1
1666–1701	Robert Bertie, 3rd Earl of Lindsey Robert Bertie, 3rd Earl of Lindsey Robert Bertie, 3rd Earl of Lindsey, 16th Baron Willoughby de Eresby, PC, FRS was a British Hereditary Peer. He was the son of Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey and Martha Cokayne. His mother died shortly after his birth about July 1641.From 1661 to 1666 he was Member of Parliament for Boston in...	1
1701–1723	Robert Bertie, 1st Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven Robert Bertie, 1st Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven Robert Bertie, 1st Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, 1st Marquess of Lindsey, PC was a British statesman and nobleman.Bertie was born to Robert Bertie, 3rd Earl of Lindsey and Elizabeth Wharton...	1
1723–1742	Peregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven Peregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven Peregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, 2nd Marquess of Lindsey, 5th Earl of Lindsey, 18th Baron Willoughby de Eresby PC , also styled Hon...	1
1742–1778	Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven General Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, 3rd Marquess of Lindsey, 6th Earl of Lindsey, 19th Baron Willoughby de Eresby PC was the son of Peregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven....	1
1778–1779	Robert Bertie, 4th Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven Robert Bertie, 4th Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven Robert Bertie, 4th Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, 4th Marquess of Lindsey, 7th Earl of Lindsey, 20th Baron Willoughby de Eresby PC was a British hereditary peer...	1
1780–1828	Priscilla Bertie, 21st Baroness Willoughby de Eresby Priscilla Bertie, 21st Baroness Willoughby de Eresby Priscilla Barbara Elizabeth Bertie, 21st Baroness Willoughby de Eresby was a daughter of the 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven. On 23 February 1779, she married Sir Peter Burrell and they later had two children...	1/2
	Georgiana Cholmondeley, Marchioness of Cholmondeley	1/2
1828–1838	Peter Drummond-Willoughby, 22nd Baron Willoughby de Eresby	1/2
	Georgiana Cholmondeley, Marchioness of Cholmondeley	1/2
1838–1865	Peter Drummond-Willoughby, 22nd Baron Willoughby de Eresby	1/2
	George Cholmondeley, 2nd Marquess of Cholmondeley George Cholmondeley, 2nd Marquess of Cholmondeley George Horatio Cholmondeley, 2nd Marquess of Cholmondeley PC , styled Viscount Malpas from 1792 to 1815 and subsequently Earl of Rocksavage to 1827 was a British peer and Lord Great Chamberlain of England between 1838 and 1870...	1/2
1865–1870	Albyric Drummond-Willoughby, 23rd Baron Willoughby de Eresby Albyric Drummond-Willoughby, 23rd Baron Willoughby de Eresby Albyric Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Baron Gwydyr, 23rd Baron Willoughby de Eresby was a British noble baron. He was the son of Peter Robert Drummond Burrell, 22nd Baron Willoughby de Eresby and Sarah Clementina, née Drummond...	1/2
	George Cholmondeley, 2nd Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1870	Albyric Drummond-Willoughby, 23rd Baron Willoughby de Eresby	1/2
	William Cholmondeley, 3rd Marquess of Cholmondeley William Cholmondeley, 3rd Marquess of Cholmondeley William Henry Hugh Cholmondeley, 3rd Marquess of Cholmondeley , styled Lord William Cholmondeley from 1815 until 1870, was a British peer and Conservative Member of Parliament.-Background:...	1/2
1870–1879	Clementina Drummond-Willoughby, 24th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby Clementina Drummond-Willoughby, 24th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby Clementina Elizabeth Drummond-Willoughby, 24th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby was a suo jure British baroness. She was the daughter of Peter Robert Drummond-Burrell, 22nd Baron Willoughby de Eresby and Sarah Clementina, née Drummond...	1/4
	Charlotte Augusta Wynn-Carrington, Baroness Carrington	1/4
	William Cholmondeley, 3rd Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1879–1884	Clementina Drummond-Willoughby, 24th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby	1/4
	Charles Robert Wynn Carrington, 1st Marquess of Lincolnshire	1/4
	William Cholmondeley, 3rd Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1884–1888	Clementina Drummond-Willoughby, 24th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby	1/4
	Charles Robert Wynn Carrington, 1st Marquess of Lincolnshire	1/4
	George Henry Hugh Cholmondeley, 4th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1884–1910	Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 1st Earl of Ancaster Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 1st Earl of Ancaster Sir Gilbert Henry Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 6th Baronet, 1st Earl of Ancaster PC , known as 2nd Baron Aveland from 1867 to 1888 and as 25th Baron Willoughby de Eresby from 1888 to 1892, was a British Liberal politician and court official.Born Gilbert Henry Heathcote, he was the son of Gilbert...	1/4
	Charles Robert Wynn Carrington, 1st Marquess of Lincolnshire	1/4
	George Henry Hugh Cholmondeley, 4th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1910–1923	Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 2nd Earl of Ancaster Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 2nd Earl of Ancaster Sir Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 7th Baronet, 2nd Earl of Ancaster, 3rd Baron Aveland, 26th Baron Willoughby de Eresby , known as Lord Willoughby de Eresby from 1892 to 1910, was a British Conservative politician....	1/4
	Charles Robert Wynn Carrington, 1st Marquess of Lincolnshire	1/4
	George Henry Hugh Cholmondeley, 4th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1923–1928	Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 2nd Earl of Ancaster	1/4
	Charles Robert Wynn-Carrington, 1st Marquess of Lincolnshire	1/4
	George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley George Horatio Charles Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley GCVO , styled Earl of Rocksavage from birth until 1923, was a British peer. He was the Lord Great Chamberlain of England in 1936 and also between 1952 and 1966.-Personal:...	1/2
1928–1951	Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 2nd Earl of Ancaster	1/4
	Marjorie Wilson, Baroness Nunburnholme	1/20
	Lady Alexandra Palmer	1/20
	Ruperta Legge, Countess of Dartmouth	1/20
	Derek Keppel, Viscount Bury	1/20
	Lady Victoria Weld-Forester	1/20
	George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1951–1953	James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster	1/4
	Marjorie Wilson, Baroness Nunburnholme	1/20
	Lady Alexandra Palmer	1/20
	Ruperta Legge, Countess of Dartmouth	1/20
	Derek Keppel, Viscount Bury	1/20
	Lady Victoria Weld-Forester	1/20
	George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1953–1955	James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster	1/4
	Marjorie Wilson, Baroness Nunburnholme	1/20
	Lady Alexandra Palmer	1/20
	Ruperta Legge, Countess of Dartmouth	1/20
	Derek Keppel, Viscount Bury	1/20
	Lady Victoria Weld-Forester	1/20
	George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1955–1963	James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster	1/4
	Marjorie Wilson, Baroness Nunburnholme	1/20
	Anthony Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Ruperta Legge, Countess of Dartmouth	1/20
	Derek Keppel, Viscount Bury	1/20
	Lady Victoria Weld-Forester	1/20
	George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1963–1966	James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster	1/4
	Marjorie Wilson, Baroness Nunburnholme	1/20
	Anthony Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Lady Mary Findlay	1/100
	Lady Elizabeth Basset Lady Elizabeth Basset Lady Elizabeth Basset, DCVO was born Lady Elizabeth Legge, the daughter of the 7th Earl of Dartmouth....	1/100
	Lady Diana Matthews	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Josceline Chichester, Marchioness of Donegall	1/100
	Derek Keppel, Viscount Bury	1/20
	Lady Victoria Weld-Forester	1/20
	George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1966–1968	James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster	1/4
	Marjorie Wilson, Baroness Nunburnholme	1/20
	Anthony Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Lady Mary Findlay	1/100
	Lady Elizabeth Basset	1/100
	Lady Diana Matthews	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Josceline Chichester, Marchioness of Donegall	1/100
	Derek Keppel, Viscount Bury	1/20
	Sir Edward Legge-Bourke Harry Legge-Bourke Major Sir Edward Alexander Henry Legge-Bourke KBE was a British politician.He served alongside Jock Colville as a Page of Honour from 1926. Educated at Eton College and Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Legge-Bourke was commissioned into the Royal Horse Guards in 1934. He served there throughout...	1/20
	George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1968	James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster	1/4
	Charles Wilson, 3rd Baron Nunburnholme	1/20
	Anthony Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Lady Mary Findlay	1/100
	Lady Elizabeth Basset	1/100
	Lady Diana Matthews	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Josceline Chichester, Marchioness of Donegall	1/100
	Derek Keppel, Viscount Bury	1/20
	Sir Edward Legge-Bourke	1/20
	George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1968	James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster	1/4
	Charles Wilson, 3rd Baron Nunburnholme	1/20
	Anthony Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Lady Mary Findlay	1/100
	Lady Elizabeth Basset	1/100
	Lady Diana Matthews	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Josceline Chichester, Marchioness of Donegall	1/100
	Derek Keppel, Viscount Bury	1/20
	Sir Edward Legge-Bourke	1/20
	George Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley George Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley George Hugh Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley, GCVO, MC , styled Earl of Rocksavage from 1960 until 1968, was a British peer and Lord Great Chamberlain of England between 1968 and 1990.-Biography:...	1/2
1968–1970	James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster	1/4
	Charles Wilson, 3rd Baron Nunburnholme	1/20
	Anthony Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Lady Mary Findlay	1/100
	Lady Elizabeth Basset	1/100
	Lady Diana Matthews	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Josceline Chichester, Marchioness of Donegall	1/100
	Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle Rufus Arnold Alexis Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle is an award-winning product designer and the founder of the men's-shirt company Albemarle of London.-Early life and education:...	1/20
	Sir Edward Legge-Bourke	1/20
	George Hugh Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1970–1973	James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster	1/4
	Charles Wilson, 3rd Baron Nunburnholme	1/20
	Anthony Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Lady Mary Findlay	1/100
	Lady Elizabeth Basset	1/100
	James Gustavus Hamilton-Russell	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Josceline Chichester, Marchioness of Donegall	1/100
	Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle	1/20
	Sir Edward Legge-Bourke	1/20
	George Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1973–1974	James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster	1/4
	Charles Wilson, 3rd Baron Nunburnholme	1/20
	Anthony Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Lady Mary Findlay	1/100
	Lady Elizabeth Basset	1/100
	James Gustavus Hamilton-Russell	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Josceline Chichester, Marchioness of Donegall	1/100
	Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle	1/20
	William Legge-Bourke	1/20
	George Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1974–1983	James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster	1/4
	Ben Wilson, 4th Baron Nunburnholme Ben Wilson, 4th Baron Nunburnholme Ben Charles Wilson, 4th Baron Nunburnholme , was a British Peer and former head of the prominent English shipowning family of Thomas Wilson Sons & Co.-References:* Genealogical details on Cracroft's Peerage** **...	1/20
	Anthony Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Lady Mary Findlay	1/100
	Lady Elizabeth Basset	1/100
	James Gustavus Hamilton-Russell	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Josceline Chichester, Marchioness of Donegall	1/100
	Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle	1/20
	William Legge-Bourke	1/20
	George Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1983–1990	Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby Nancy Jane Marie Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby PC is the daughter of the late Gilbert James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster and Nancy née Astor....	1/4
	Ben Wilson, 4th Baron Nunburnholme	1/20
	Anthony Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Lady Mary Findlay	1/100
	Lady Elizabeth Basset	1/100
	James Gustavus Hamilton-Russell	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Josceline Chichester, Marchioness of Donegall	1/100
	Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle	1/20
	William Legge-Bourke	1/20
	George Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1990	Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby	1/4
	Ben Wilson, 4th Baron Nunburnholme	1/20
	Julian Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Lady Mary Findlay	1/100
	Lady Elizabeth Basset	1/100
	James Gustavus Hamilton-Russell	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Josceline Chichester, Marchioness of Donegall	1/100
	Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle	1/20
	William Legge-Bourke	1/20
	George Hugh Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1990–1995	Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby	1/4
	Ben Wilson, 4th Baron Nunburnholme	1/20
	Julian Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Lady Mary Findlay	1/100
	Lady Elizabeth Basset	1/100
	James Gustavus Hamilton-Russell	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Josceline Chichester, Marchioness of Donegall	1/100
	Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle	1/20
	William Legge-Bourke	1/20
	David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley David George Philip Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, KCVO, DL , was styled from birth Viscount Malpas until 1968, and subsequently Earl of Rocksavage until 1990...	1/2
1995–1998	Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby	1/4
	Ben Wilson, 4th Baron Nunburnholme	1/20
	Julian Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Lady Mary Findlay	1/100
	Lady Elizabeth Basset	1/100
	James Gustavus Hamilton-Russell	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Patrick Chichester, Earl of Belfast	1/100
	Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle	1/20
	William Legge-Bourke	1/20
	David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
1998–2000	Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby	1/4
	Hon Lorraine Wilson	1/80
	Hon Tatiana Dent	1/80
	Hon Ines Garton	1/80
	Hon Ysabel Wilson	1/80
	Julian Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Lady Mary Findlay	1/100
	Lady Elizabeth Basset	1/100
	James Gustavus Hamilton-Russell	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Patrick Chichester, Earl of Belfast	1/100
	Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle	1/20
	William Legge-Bourke	1/20
	David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
2000	Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby	1/4
	Hon Lorraine Wilson	1/80
	Hon Tatiana Dent	1/80
	Hon Ines Dent	1/80
	Hon Ysabel Wilson	1/80
	Julian Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Lady Mary Findlay	1/100
	Bryan Basset	1/100
	James Gustavus Hamilton-Russell	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Patrick Chichester, Earl of Belfast	1/100
	Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle	1/20
	William Legge-Bourke	1/20
	David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
2000–2002	Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby	1/4
	Hon Lorraine Wilson	1/80
	Hon Tatiana Dent	1/80
	Hon Ines Garton	1/80
	Hon Ysabel Wilson	1/80
	Julian Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Lady Mary Findlay	1/100
	Bryan Basset	1/100
	James Gustavus Hamilton-Russell	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Patrick Chichester, Earl of Belfast	1/100
	Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle	1/20
	William Legge-Bourke	1/20
	David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
2002–2003	Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby	1/4
	Hon Lorraine Wilson	1/80
	Hon Tatiana Dent	1/80
	Hon Ines Garton	1/80
	Hon Ysabel Wilson	1/80
	Nicholas Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Lady Mary Findlay	1/100
	Bryan Basset	1/100
	James Gustavus Hamilton-Russell	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Patrick Chichester, Earl of Belfast	1/100
	Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle	1/20
	William Legge-Bourke	1/20
	David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
2003–2009	Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby	1/4
	Hon Lorraine Wilson	1/80
	Hon Tatiana Dent	1/80
	Hon Ines Garton	1/80
	Hon Ysabel Wilson	1/80
	Nicholas Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Cdr Jonathan Findlay	1/100
	Bryan Basset	1/100
	Col James Gustavus Hamilton-Russell	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Patrick Chichester, 8th Marquess of Donegall (prior to 2007, Earl of Belfast)	1/100
	Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle	1/20
	Capt William Nigel Henry Legge-Bourke	1/20
	David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2
2009–	Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby	1/4
	Hon Lorraine Wilson	1/80
	Hon Tatiana Dent	1/80
	Hon Ines Garton	1/80
	Hon Ysabel Wilson	1/80
	Nicholas Llewellen Palmer	1/20
	Cdr Jonathan Findlay	1/100
	Bryan Basset	1/100
	Col James Gustavus Hamilton-Russell	1/100
	Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski	1/100
	Patrick Chichester, 8th Marquess of Donegall	1/100
	Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle	1/20
	Capt Harry Russell Legge-Bourke	1/20
	David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley	1/2

Persons exercising the office of Lord Great Chamberlain, 1780-present

Monarch	Acted as Lord Great Chamberlain	Years
George III George III of the United Kingdom George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...	Peter Burrell, 1st Baron Gwydyr Peter Burrell, 1st Baron Gwydyr Peter Burrell, 1st Baron Gwydyr PC featured in English politics at the end of the 18th century but he was best known for his involvement in cricket, particularly his part in the foundation of Marylebone Cricket Club in 1787...  as Deputy	1780–1820
George IV George IV of the United Kingdom George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...	Peter Burrell, 1st Baron Gwydyr Peter Burrell, 1st Baron Gwydyr Peter Burrell, 1st Baron Gwydyr PC featured in English politics at the end of the 18th century but he was best known for his involvement in cricket, particularly his part in the foundation of Marylebone Cricket Club in 1787...  as Deputy	1820–1821
	Peter Drummond-Willoughby, 2nd Baron Gwydyr as Deputy	1821–1828
	Peter Drummond-Willoughby, 22nd Baron Willoughby de Eresby	1828–1839
William IV William IV of the United Kingdom William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...	George Cholmondeley, 2nd Marquess of Cholmondeley George Cholmondeley, 2nd Marquess of Cholmondeley George Horatio Cholmondeley, 2nd Marquess of Cholmondeley PC , styled Viscount Malpas from 1792 to 1815 and subsequently Earl of Rocksavage to 1827 was a British peer and Lord Great Chamberlain of England between 1838 and 1870...	1830–1837
Victoria Victoria of the United Kingdom Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....	Peter Drummond-Willoughby, 22nd Baron Willoughby de Eresby	1837–1865
	Albyric Drummond-Willoughby, 23rd Baron Willoughby de Eresby Albyric Drummond-Willoughby, 23rd Baron Willoughby de Eresby Albyric Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Baron Gwydyr, 23rd Baron Willoughby de Eresby was a British noble baron. He was the son of Peter Robert Drummond Burrell, 22nd Baron Willoughby de Eresby and Sarah Clementina, née Drummond...	1865–1870
	Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 2nd Baron Aveland Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 1st Earl of Ancaster Sir Gilbert Henry Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 6th Baronet, 1st Earl of Ancaster PC , known as 2nd Baron Aveland from 1867 to 1888 and as 25th Baron Willoughby de Eresby from 1888 to 1892, was a British Liberal politician and court official.Born Gilbert Henry Heathcote, he was the son of Gilbert...  as Deputy	1871–1888
	Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 1st Earl of Ancaster Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 1st Earl of Ancaster Sir Gilbert Henry Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 6th Baronet, 1st Earl of Ancaster PC , known as 2nd Baron Aveland from 1867 to 1888 and as 25th Baron Willoughby de Eresby from 1888 to 1892, was a British Liberal politician and court official.Born Gilbert Henry Heathcote, he was the son of Gilbert...	1888–1901
Edward VII Edward VII of the United Kingdom Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...	George Cholmondeley, 4th Marquess of Cholmondeley George Cholmondeley, 4th Marquess of Cholmondeley George Henry Hugh Cholmondeley, 4th Marquess of Cholmondeley PC, DL was a British peer and Lord Great Chamberlain of England between 1884 and 1923.-Background:...	1901–1910
George V George V of the United Kingdom George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....	Robert Wynn Carrington, 1st Marquess of Lincolnshire Robert Wynn Carrington, 1st Marquess of Lincolnshire Charles Robert Wynn-Carrington, 1st Marquess of Lincolnshire KG, GCMG, PC, DL, JP , known as the Lord Carrington from 1868 to 1895 and as the Earl Carrington from 1895 to 1912, was a British Liberal politician and aristocrat.-Background and education:Born at Whitehall, London, Lincolnshire was the...	1910–1928
	William Legge, Viscount Lewisham William Legge, 7th Earl of Dartmouth Lieutenant-Colonel William Legge, 7th Earl of Dartmouth, GCVO, TD was a British peer and Conservative politician, known from 1891–1936 as Viscount Lewisham....  as Deputy	1928–1936
Edward VIII Edward VIII of the United Kingdom Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...	George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley George Horatio Charles Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley GCVO , styled Earl of Rocksavage from birth until 1923, was a British peer. He was the Lord Great Chamberlain of England in 1936 and also between 1952 and 1966.-Personal:...	1936
George VI George VI of the United Kingdom George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...	Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 2nd Earl of Ancaster Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 2nd Earl of Ancaster Sir Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 7th Baronet, 2nd Earl of Ancaster, 3rd Baron Aveland, 26th Baron Willoughby de Eresby , known as Lord Willoughby de Eresby from 1892 to 1910, was a British Conservative politician....	1936–1951
	James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 3rd Earl of Ancaster	1951–1952
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...	George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley George Horatio Charles Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley GCVO , styled Earl of Rocksavage from birth until 1923, was a British peer. He was the Lord Great Chamberlain of England in 1936 and also between 1952 and 1966.-Personal:...	1952–1966
	George Cholmondeley, Earl of Rocksavage George Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley George Hugh Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley, GCVO, MC , styled Earl of Rocksavage from 1960 until 1968, was a British peer and Lord Great Chamberlain of England between 1968 and 1990.-Biography:...  as Deputy	1966–1968
	George Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley George Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley George Hugh Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley, GCVO, MC , styled Earl of Rocksavage from 1960 until 1968, was a British peer and Lord Great Chamberlain of England between 1968 and 1990.-Biography:...	1968–1990
	David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley David George Philip Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, KCVO, DL , was styled from birth Viscount Malpas until 1968, and subsequently Earl of Rocksavage until 1990...	1990–

Current rotation

The rotation switches to the next person in line at the death of each monarch.

1. The Hon.Lorraine Wilson
2. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
3. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
4. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
5. Nicholas Llewellen Palmer (or his representative)
6. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
7. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
8. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
9. Jonathan Findlay (or his representative)
10. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
11. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
12. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
13. The Earl of Albemarle
14. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
15. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
16. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
17. Capt Harry Russell Legge-Bourke (or his representative)
18. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
19. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
20. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
21. Hon Tatiana Dent
22. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
23. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
24. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
25. Nicholas Llewellen Palmer
26. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
27. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
28. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
29. Bryan Ronald Basset (or his representative)
30. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
31. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
32. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
33. The Earl of Albemarle
34. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
35. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
36. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
37. Capt Harry Russell Legge-Bourke (or his representative)
38. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
39. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
40. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
41. Hon Ines Garton (or her representative)
42. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
43. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
44. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
45. Nicholas Llewellen Palmer
46. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
47. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
48. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
49. James Hamilton-Russell
50. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
51. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
52. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
53. The Earl of Albemarle
54. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
55. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
56. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
57. Capt Harry Russell Legge-Bourke (or his representative)
58. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
59. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
60. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
61. Hon Ysabel Wilson (or her representative)
62. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
63. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
64. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
65. Nicholas Llewellen Palmer
66. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
67. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
68. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
69. Lady Barbara Kwiatkowski (or her representative)
70. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
71. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
72. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
73. The Earl of Albemarle
74. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
75. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
76. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
77. Capt Harry Russell Legge-Bourke (or his representative)
78. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
79. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
80. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
81. Hon Lorraine Wilson (or her representative)
82. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
83. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
84. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
85. Nicholas Llewellen Palmer
86. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
87. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
88. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
89. The Marquess of Donegall
90. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
91. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
92. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
93. The Earl of Albemarle
94. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
95. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
96. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
97. Capt Harry Russell Legge-Bourke (or his representative)
98. The Marquess of Cholmondeley
99. The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
100. The Marquess of Cholmondeley

External links

• www.debretts.com
• www.royal.gov.uk