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.

Scotland

The term "officer of state" is sometimes used loosely of any great office under the Crown. A number of historical offices ended at or soon after the Acts of Union 1707. There are also a number of Officers of the Crown and Great Officers of the Royal Household.

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Scotland's present Officers of State are:

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• Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland
• Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland
• Lord Clerk Register
• Lord Advocate
• Lord Justice Clerk
• Lord Justice General or Lord President of the College of Justice
• Lord Lyon King of Arms

Officers of the Crown are:

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• The Great Chamberlain
• The Lord High Constable
• Earl Marischal
• Lord High Admiral
• The Knight Marischal
• Lord Lyon King of Arms

The Great Officers of the Royal Household are:

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• The Lord High Constable
• The Master of the Household
• The Keeper of Holyroodhouse
• The Armour-Bearer
• The Bearer of the Royal Banner
• The Bearer of the National Flag of Scotland
• Lord Justice General
• Great Steward of Scotland

A number of offices ended at or soon after the Union of 1707. These include the Lord Chancellor of Scotland, the Treasurer of Scotland, the Treasurer-depute of Scotland, the Secretary of State, Scotland, the Master of Requests and the President of the Privy Council.

Related Topics:
Union of 1707 - Lord Chancellor of Scotland - Treasurer of Scotland - Treasurer-depute of Scotland - Secretary of State, Scotland - Master of Requests - President of the Privy Council

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As in England, many offices are hereditary. The post of High Constable is held by the Earls of Erroll. Originally, the heads of the Keith family held the office of Earl Marischal, but in 1716, the holder was attainted for treason, and the office has not been regranted. The Dukes of Argyll are the Hereditary Masters of the Household. All other officers are Crown appointees. Many of these offices, though originally associated with political power, are only ceremonial now.

Related Topics:
Hereditary - Earls of Erroll - 1716 - Dukes of Argyll - Political - Ceremonial

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The remaining officers are related to Scotland's judiciary. The Lord Justice General was originally an important noble, though in the 19th century, the office was combined with that of Lord President of the Court of Session. Now, the Lord Justice General is the head of Scotland's judiciary. The Lord Clerk Register is an officer with miscellaneous functions that included conducting the elections of representative peers and registering births and deaths. The Lord Advocate is at the head of the law offices of Scotland; all prosecutors act in his name. The Lord Justice Clerk serves as a deputy of the Lord Justice General. Finally, the Lord Lyon King of Arms is the sole judge in the Lyon Court, which determines cases relating to heraldry.

Related Topics:
Judiciary - Lord Justice General - Noble - 19th century - Court of Session - Representative peer - Lord Advocate - Prosecutor - Heraldry

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The current Great Officers are:

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• Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland - The Rt Hon. Jack McConnell
• Keeper of the Privy Seal - office unfilled since death of Marquess of Breadalbane in 1922
• Lord Clerk Register - Francis David Charteris, 12th Earl of Wemyss
• Lord Advocate - The Rt Hon. Colin Boyd
• Lord Justice Clerk - The Rt Hon. Lord Gill
• Lord Justice General - The Lord Cullen of Whitekirk
• Lord Lyon King of Arms of Scotland - The Rt Hon. Robin Orr Blair
• Lord High Constable - Merlin Sereld Victor Gilbert Moncreiffe, 24th Earl of Erroll
• Hereditary Master of the Household in Scotland - The Duke of Argyll

The Royal Household in Scotland also includes a number of other hereditary and non-hereditary offices, now including The Master Carver, Hereditary Keepers of Palaces and Castles, the Lord Lyon and his heralds and pursuivants, the Governor of Edinburgh Castle, the (Queen's Bodyguard), the Dean of the Thistle, the Dean of the Chapel Royal, chaplains, physicians, surgeons, apothecaries, the Historiographer Royal, the Botanist, the Painter and Limner, the Sculptor and the Astronomer Royal for Scotland.

Related Topics:
The Master Carver - Hereditary Keepers of Palaces and Castles - Lord Lyon - Heralds - Pursuivants - Edinburgh Castle - - Dean of the Thistle - Dean of the Chapel Royal - Historiographer Royal - Botanist - Painter and Limner - Sculptor - Astronomer Royal for Scotland

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