Great Officer of State

In the United Kingdom, the Great Officers of State are officers who either inherit their positions or are appointed by the Crown, and exercise certain ceremonial functions. Separate Great Officers exist for England and Scotland, and formerly for Ireland.

England

The Great Officers of England are:

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• Lord High Steward
• Lord High Chancellor
• Lord High Treasurer
• Lord President of the Council
• Lord Privy Seal
• Lord Great Chamberlain
• Lord High Constable
• Earl Marshal
• Lord High Admiral

Some officers are appointed, while others inherit their positions. The Lord High Stewardship was held by the Earls of Leicester until 1399 when the holder became the Sovereign; and since 1421, a Lord High Steward has generally only been appointed temporarily either for the day of a coronation or for the trials of peers (before 1948). The office of Lord Great Chamberlain is also hereditary, originally being held by the Earls of Oxford. Later, however, the Chamberlainship came to be inherited by multiple heirs, each holding a fraction of the office. One of the holders, chosen by rotation, exercises the office as a Deputy. The post of Lord High Constable was originally inherited by the Earls of Hereford, but when one holder was attainted and executed in 1521, the office reverted to the Crown, only to be reinstated for the day of a coronation. The final inheritable office is that of Earl Marshal, held by the Dukes of Norfolk. During the many periods in which the Dukes were attainted, another individual was appointed to the post. Furthermore, prior to 1824, the Earl Marshal had to appoint a Protestant Deputy if he was a Roman Catholic.

Related Topics:
Earls of Leicester - Coronation - Peers - 1948 - Earls of Oxford - Earls of Hereford - Dukes of Norfolk

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Some offices are put into "commission"; that is, multiple commissioners are appointed to collectively exercise the office. The office of Lord High Treasurer has been in commission since 1714. The office of Lord High Admiral was for many years also in commission, and is now vested in the Sovereign. The remaining officers — Lord Chancellor, Lord President and Lord Privy Seal — are appointed by the Crown on the advice of the Prime Minister. The posts of Lord President and Lord Privy Seal are normally combined with that of Leader of the House of Commons and Leader of the House of Lords, respectively, though the current Government has the posts reversed.

Related Topics:
1714 - Leader of the House of Commons - Leader of the House of Lords

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The Great Officers had and have varying duties. The Lord High Steward was originally a holder of significant political power, but gradually became a ceremonial officer, as have become the Lord Great Chamberlain and the Earl Marshal. The Lord High Treasurer, Lord High Constable, and Lord High Admiral were originally responsible for monetary, military, and naval matters respectively. The Lord President of the Council is responsible for presiding over the meetings of the Privy Council. The Lord Privy Seal is a sinecure office, though he is technically the Keeper of the Privy Seal. The Lord Chancellor has the greatest range of functions: he is the Keeper of the Great Seal, the Speaker of the House of Lords, the most senior judge in England and Wales, and a cabinet minister responsible for the Lord Chancellor's Department (now the Department for Constitutional Affairs).

Related Topics:
Privy Council - Sinecure - House of Lords - Lord Chancellor's Department - Department for Constitutional Affairs

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The House of Lords Act 1999 removed the automatic right of hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords, but the Act provided that the Lord Great Chamberlain and Earl Marshal be exempt from such a rule, so that they may continue to carry out their ceremonial functions in the House of Lords.

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The current Great Officers are:

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• Lord High Chancellor - The Lord Falconer of Thoroton
• Lord President of the Council - The Lady Amos
• Lord Privy Seal - The Rt Hon. Geoffrey William Hoon
• Lord Great Chamberlain (Deputy) - The Marquess of Cholmondeley
• Earl Marshal - The Duke of Norfolk