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Lord Chamberlain
| Lord Chamberlain of the Household | |
|---|---|
.svg) Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom | |
 | |
| Lord Chamberlain's Office Royal Households of the United Kingdom | |
| Member of | Royal Household of the United Kingdom |
| Appointer | His Majesty The King |
| Term length | At His Majesty's Pleasure |
| Inaugural holder | Sir Thomas Erpingham |
| Formation | c. 1399 |
| Website | Official Website |
The Lord Chamberlain of the Household is the most senior officer of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom, supervising the departments which support and provide advice to the Sovereign of the United Kingdom while also acting as the main channel of communication between the Sovereign and the House of Lords. The office organises all ceremonial activity such as garden parties, state visits, royal weddings, and the State Opening of Parliament. They also oversee the Royal Mews and Royal Travel, as well as the ceremony around the awarding of honours.
From 1737 to 1968, the Lord Chamberlain had the power to decide which plays would be granted a licence for performance; this meant that he had the capacity to censor theatre at his pleasure.[1]
The Lord Chamberlain is always sworn of the Privy Council, is usually a peer and before 1782 the post was of Cabinet rank. The position was a political one until 1924. The office dates from the Middle Ages when the King's Chamberlain often acted as the King's spokesman in Council and Parliament.[2]
The current Lord Chamberlain is The Lord Benyon, who has been in office since 4 November 2024.
- ^ Handley, Miriam (2004). The Lord Chamberlain Regrets...: A History of British Theatre Censorship. London, England: British Library. pp. 3–17, 86–87, 140, 149, 162, 169. ISBN 0712348654.
- ^ "The Lord Chamberlain". Monarchy of the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 2 June 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2011.
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