Lord of the Bedchamber
Encyclopedia
A Lord of the Bedchamber, previously known as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber
Gentleman of the Bedchamber
A Gentleman of the Bedchamber was the holder of an important office in the royal household of the Kingdom of England from the 11th century, later used also in the Kingdom of Great Britain.-Description and functions:...

 was a courtier in the 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...

 of the King 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...

 and the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...

. A Lord of the Bedchamber's duties consisted of assisting the King with his dressing, waiting on him when he ate in private, guarding access to him in his bedchamber and closet and providing companionship. The offices were in the gift of 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 were originally sworn by Royal Warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...

 directed to the 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....

. From 1660, the first Lord of the Bedchamber was Groom of the Stole
Groom of the Stole
Groom of the Stole in the British Royal Household is a position dating from the Stuart era but which evolved from the earlier Groom of the Stool, an office in existence until the accession of Elizabeth I. The original nomenclature derived from the chair used in the performance of the function...

.

This is an incomplete list of noblemen who have served as Lord of the Bedchamber:

Lords of the Bedchamber to Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII (1866–1910)

  • 1866–1883: James Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Abercorn
    James Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Abercorn
    James Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Abercorn KG, CB, PC , styled Viscount Hamilton until 1868 and Marquess of Hamilton from 1868 to 1885, was a British nobleman and diplomat...

  • 1872–1901: Charles Harbord, 5th Baron Suffield
    Charles Harbord, 5th Baron Suffield
    Charles Harbord, 5th Baron Suffield GCVO, KCB, PC, JP, DL , was a British peer, courtier and Liberal politician. A close friend of Edward VII, he served as a Lord of the Bedchamber and Lord-in-Waiting to the King...


Lords of the Bedchamber to George, Prince of Wales, later King George V (1901–1910)

  • 1901–?: Beilby Lawley, 3rd Baron Wenlock
    Beilby Lawley, 3rd Baron Wenlock
    Beilby Lawley, 3rd Baron Wenlock GCSI, GCIE, KCB, VD, PC was a British soldier, Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1880 and administrator who was the Governor of Madras from 1891 to 1896.-Early life:...

  • 1901–1907: Charles Cavendish, 3rd Baron Chesham
    Charles Cavendish, 3rd Baron Chesham
    Charles Compton William Cavendish, 3rd Baron Chesham KCB, PC, DL , styled The Honourable Charles Cavendish between 1863 and 1882, was a British soldier, courtier and Conservative politician...

  • 1908–1910: Luke White, 3rd Baron Annaly

See also

  • Gentleman of the Bedchamber
    Gentleman of the Bedchamber
    A Gentleman of the Bedchamber was the holder of an important office in the royal household of the Kingdom of England from the 11th century, later used also in the Kingdom of Great Britain.-Description and functions:...

     (title in earlier centuries)
  • Lady of the Bedchamber
    Lady of the Bedchamber
    This is an incomplete list of those who have served as Lady of the Bedchamber in the British Royal Household...

     (equivalent position in the time of a Queen regnant
    Queen regnant
    A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....

    )
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