The Vice-Chamberlain of the Household is a member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The officeholder is usually a senior government whip in the British House of Commons ranking third or fourth after the Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief Whip. The Vice-Chamberlain is the Deputy to the Lord Chamberlain of the Household and, like the Lord Chamberlain, carries a white staff of office when on duty on state occasions.

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Charles Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer; Vice-Chamberlain of the Household 1892–1895

The Vice-Chamberlain's main roles are to compile a daily private report to the Sovereign on proceedings in the House of Commons and to relay addresses from the Commons to the Sovereign and back. As a member of the Royal Household, the Vice-Chamberlain accompanies the Sovereign and Royal Household at certain diplomatic and social events, particularly the annual garden party at Buckingham Palace. When the Sovereign goes in procession to Westminster for the State Opening of Parliament, the Vice-Chamberlain stays and is "held captive" at Buckingham Palace. This custom began with the Stuart Restoration (1660), because of the previous parliament's role in the beheading of Charles I.[1] During their captivity the Vice-Chamberlain is offered a choice of champagne or sherry to drink by the Lord Chamberlain as they watch the State Opening of Parliament on television.[1]

During the latter part of her reign, the Vice-Chamberlain sent a daily email to Elizabeth II.[1] The Queen was regarded as well informed about British political affairs as she typically read daily newspapers and was a listener of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4.[1] The late queen's private secretary told Andrew MacKay, who held the post in 1996, to include more "gossip and the inside track" as his initial efforts had been "rather stilted". MacKay turned his efforts into a "who's up, who's down" for the queen.[1] Anne Milton, who held the post in 2014 and 2015, looked for things that "might amuse" the queen and to "give a bit of colour" to the proceedings in the House of Commons.[1] The Queen reportedly told Jim Fitzpatrick, who held the post of Vice-Chamberlain between 2003 and 2005 to send her news which "doesn't make the press" and that he felt encouraged to be "frank and transparent" with her due to the privacy of their communications.[1] Emails began to be sent to the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2014; the dispatches had previously been collected by a messenger.[1]

Notable holders of the office include Sir George Carteret, Lord Hervey, the Earl of Harrington, the Earl Spencer, Michael Stewart and Bernard Weatherill.

List of Vice-Chamberlains of the Household

More information Name, Entered office ...
NameEntered officeLeft officeNotesReference
Sir Charles Somerset1501UnknownLord Chamberlain from 1509; created Baron Herbert in 1504 and Earl of Worcester in 1514[2]
Sir Robert Wingfield1521Unknown[3]
William Sandys, 1st Baron Sandys of the VyneUnknown1526Became Lord Chamberlain[4]
Sir John Gage15261533Lord Chamberlain from 1553[5]
Sir William Kingston15361539
Sir Anthony Wingfield15391550[6]
Sir Thomas D'Arcy15501551Became Lord Chamberlain; created Baron Darcy of Chiche in 1551[7]
Sir John Gates1551Unknown[8]
Sir Henry Jerningham15531557[9]
Sir Henry Bedingfeld15571558[10]
Sir Edward Rogers15581559[11]
Sir Francis Knollys1559Unknown[12]
Sir Christopher Hatton15771587[13]
Sir Thomas Heneage15871595[14]
Sir John Stanhope, from 1605 Baron Stanhope16011616[15]
Sir John Digby, from 1618 Baron Digby and from 1622 Earl of Bristol16161625[16]
Sir Dudley Carleton16251626Created Baron Carleton in 1626 and Viscount Dorchester in 1628
Sir Humphrey May16261630[17]
Sir Thomas Jermyn16301639
George Goring, 1st Baron Goring16391644Created Earl of Norwich in 1644[18]
Vacant
Sir George Carteret, 1st Baronet16601680Notionally held the office from 1647[19][20][21]
Henry Savile16801687[20][21]
James Porter16871689[20][21]
Sir John Lowther, Bt16891694Created Viscount Lonsdale in 1679[20][21]
Peregrine Bertie16941706[20][21]
Thomas Coke17061727[20][21]
William Stanhope17271730Created Baron Harrington in 1730 and Earl of Harrington in 1742[20][21]
John Hervey, 2nd Baron Hervey17301740Became Lord Privy Seal[20][21]
Lord Sidney Beauclerk17401742[20][21]
William Finch17421765[20][21]
George Villiers, Viscount Villiers17651770Succeeded as Earl of Jersey in 1769[20][21]
Thomas Robinson, from 1770 Lord Grantham17701771[20][21]
John Montagu, Viscount Hinchingbrooke17711782Succeeded as Earl of Sandwich in 1792[20][21]
George Waldegrave, Viscount Chewton17821784Succeeded as Earl Waldegrave in 1784[20][21]
George Herbert, Lord Herbert17841794Succeeded as Earl of Pembroke in 1794[20][21]
Charles Francis Greville17941804 or 1809[20][22][21]
Lord John Thynne1804 or 18091812Succeeded as Baron Carteret in 1838[20][21]
Francis Seymour-Conway, Earl of Yarmouth18121812Succeeded as Marquess of Hertford in 1822[20][21]
Robert Jocelyn, Viscount Jocelyn, from 1820 Earl of Roden18121821[20][21]
James Graham, Marquess of Graham18211827Succeeded as Duke of Montrose in 1836[20][21]
Sir Samuel Hulse18271830[20][21]
George Chichester, Earl of Belfast18301834First period in office; succeeded as Marquess of Donegall in 1844[20][21]
Frederick Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh18341835Succeeded as Marquess of Londonderry in 1854[20][21]
Lord Charles FitzRoy18351838[20][21]
George Chichester, Earl of Belfast18381841Second period in office; succeeded as Marquess of Donegall in 1844[23]
Lord Ernest Brudenell-Bruce18411846First period in office; succeeded as Marquess of Ailesbury in 1878[24]
Lord Edward Howard18461852Created Baron Howard of Glossop in 1869[25]
Orlando Bridgeman, Viscount Newport18521852First period in office; Lord Chamberlain from 1866; succeeded as Earl of Bradford in 1865[26]
Lord Ernest Brudenell-Bruce18521858Second period in office; succeeded as Marquess of Ailesbury in 1878[27]
Orlando Bridgeman, Viscount Newport18581859Second period in office; Lord Chamberlain from 1866; succeeded as Earl of Bradford in 1865[28]
Valentine Browne, Viscount Castlerosse18591866First period in office; succeeded as Earl of Kenmare in 1871[29]
Lord Claud Hamilton18661868[30]
Valentine Browne, Viscount Castlerosse, from 1871 Earl of Kenmare18681872Second period in office; Lord Chamberlain from 1880[31]
Lord Richard Grosvenor18721874Created Baron Stalbridge in 1886[32]
George Barrington, 7th Viscount Barrington18741880[33]
Lord Charles Bruce18801885[34]
William Legge, Viscount Lewisham18851886First period in office; succeeded as Earl of Dartmouth in 1881[35]
Frederick Lambart, Viscount Kilcoursie18861886Succeeded as Earl of Cavan in 1887[36]
William Legge, Viscount Lewisham, from 1891 Earl of Dartmouth18861891Second period in office[37]
Lord Burghley18911892Succeeded as Marquess of Exeter in 1895[38]
Charles Spencer18921895[39]
Ailwyn Fellowes18951900Created Baron Ailwyn in 1921[40]
Sir Alexander Acland-Hood, Bt19001902Created Lord St Audries in 1911[41]
Frederick Glyn, 4th Baron Wolverton19021905[42]
Wentworth Beaumont, from 1907 Lord Allendale19051907Created Viscount Allendale in 1911[43]
John Fuller, from 1910 Sir John, 1st Baronet19071911[44]
Geoffrey Howard19111915[45]
Cecil Beck19151917[46]
William Dudley Ward19171922[47]
Douglas Hacking19221924First period in office; created Baron Hacking in 1945[48]
John Davison19241924[49]
Douglas Hacking19241925Second period in office; created Baron Hacking in 1945[50]
George Hennessy, from 1927 Sir George, 1st Baronet19251928Became Treasurer of the Household; created Baron Windlesham in 1937[51]
Frederick Thomson, from 1929 Sir Frederick, 1st Baronet19281929First period in office[52]
Jack Hayes19291931[53]
Sir Frederick Thomson, 1st Baronet19311931Second period in office[54]
Sir George Penny19311932Became Comptroller of the Household; created Viscount Marchwood in 1945[55]
Sir Victor Warrender, Bt19321935Became Comptroller of the Household; created Baron Bruntisfield in 1942[56]
Sir Lambert Ward, 1st Baronet19351935Became Comptroller of the Household[57]
George Davies, from 1936 Sir George19351936Became Comptroller of the Household[58]
Arthur Hope19371937Became Treasurer of the Household; succeeded as Baron Rankeillour in 1949[59]
Ronald Cross19371938[60]
Robert Grimston19381939Became Treasurer of the Household; created Baron Grimston of Westbury in 1952[61]
James Edmondson19391942Became Treasurer of the Household[62]
William Boulton, from 1944 Sir William, 1st Baronet19421944[63]
Arthur Young19441945[64]
Julian Snow19451946Created Lord Burntwood in 1970[65]
Michael Stewart19461947Created Lord Stewart of Fulham in 1979[66]
Ernest Popplewell19471951Created Lord Popplewell in 1966[67]
Henry Studholme19511956[68]
Richard Thompson19561957[69]
Peter Legh19571959Became Treasurer of the Household; succeeded as Lord Newton in 1960[70]
Edward Wakefield19591960Became Treasurer of the Household[71]
Richard Brooman-White19601960[72]
Graeme Finlay19601964[73]
William Whitlock19641966[74]
Jack McCann19661967[75]
Charles Morris19671969Became Treasurer of the Household[76]
Alan Fitch19691970[77]
Jasper More19701971[78]
Bernard Weatherill19711972Became Comptroller of the Household; created Lord Weatherill in 1992[79]
Walter Clegg19721973Became Comptroller of the Household[80]
Paul Hawkins19731974[81]
Don Concannon19741974[82]
James Hamilton19741978Became Comptroller of the Household[82]
Donald Coleman19781979[83]
Hon. Anthony Berry19791981Became Comptroller of the Household[84]
Carol Mather19811983Became Comptroller of the Household[85]
Robert Boscawen19831986Became Comptroller of the Household[86]
Tristan Garel-Jones19861988Became Comptroller of the Household; created Lord Garel-Jones in 1997[87]
Michael Neubert19881988[88]
Tony Durant19881990[89]
David Lightbown19901990Became Comptroller of the Household[90]
John Mark Taylor19901992[91]
Sydney Chapman19921995[92]
Timothy Kirkhope19951996[93]
Andrew MacKay19961996
Derek Conway19961997
Janet Anderson19971998
Graham Allen19982001
Gerry Sutcliffe20012003
Jim Fitzpatrick20032005
John Heppell20052007
Liz Blackman20072008[94]
Claire Ward20082009[95][96]
Helen Jones20092010[97]
Mark Francois20102012
Greg Knight20122013Previously Treasurer of the Household 1993-96
Desmond Swayne20132014
Anne Milton20142015
Kris Hopkins20152016
Julian Smith20162017Became Treasurer of the Household
Chris Heaton-Harris20172018Became Comptroller of the Household
Mark Spencer20182018Became Comptroller of the Household
Andrew Stephenson20182019
Craig Whittaker20192019
Stuart Andrew20192020Became Treasurer of the Household
Marcus Jones20202021Became Comptroller of the Household
James Morris20212022[98]
Michael Tomlinson20222022[98]
Jo Churchill20222023[99]
Stuart Anderson 2023 2024 [100]
Samantha Dixon2024present
Close

List of Shadow Vice-Chamberlains of the Household

References

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