Lord-in-waiting
Lords-in-Waiting (female: Baronesses-in-Waiting) are peers who hold office in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom.[1] In the official Court Circular they are styled 'Lord in Waiting' or 'Baroness in Waiting' (i.e. without hyphenation).
There are two kinds of Lord in Waiting: political appointees by the government of the day who serve as junior government whips in the House of Lords (the senior whips have the positions of Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard); and non-political appointments by the monarch (who, if they have a seat in the House of Lords, sit as crossbenchers). Baronesses and Lords in Waiting (whether political or non-political) may be called upon periodically to represent the Sovereign; for example, one of their number is regularly called upon to greet visiting Heads of State on arrival at an airport at the start of a State or official visit, and they may then play a role in accompanying them for the duration of their stay. (For instance, on 3 June 2019 the Lord in Waiting Viscount Brookeborough was in attendance at Stansted Airport to welcome the President of the United States and Mrs Trump on behalf of the Queen; he and Viscountess Brookeborough then remained 'specially attached' to the President and Mrs Trump for the duration of their visit.[2]) They are also occasionally in attendance on other State or royal occasions. 'Extra' Lords in Waiting may also be appointed, supernumerary to the regular appointees, who fulfil a similar role; for example, the Baroness Rawlings, whose appointment as a government whip (and Baroness in Waiting) ceased in 2012, has since then served as an Extra Baroness in Waiting,[3] and has continued to represent The Queen on certain occasions (for example on 27 February 2019 she was present at RAF Northolt to welcome the King and Queen of Jordan, while at the same time another Baroness in Waiting, Baroness Manzoor, was present at Heathrow Airport to welcome the President of the Republic of Slovenia).[4]
In addition, the honour of serving as a Permanent Lord in Waiting is occasionally bestowed on very senior courtiers following their retirement. A Permanent Lord in Waiting may also represent the Sovereign, as often happens at funerals or memorial services for former courtiers.
Political appointments
Most Baronesses and Lords in Waiting serve as government whips in the House of Lords. Being members of the government, they are appointed by the Sovereign on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and invariably relinquish their position when there is a change of government.
Currently, there are six Lords and Baronesses in Waiting who serve as junior whips in the House of Lords:[5]
Portfolio | Name | Since |
---|---|---|
Lords in waiting | The Viscount Younger of Leckie | 14 May 2015 |
The Lord Bethell | 29 July 2019 | |
The Lord Parkinson of Whitley | 13 February 2020 | |
Baroness in waiting | The Baroness Berridge of The Vale of Catmose | 19 March 2020 |
The Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist | 29 July 2019 | |
The Baroness Scott of Bybrook | 13 February 2020 |
Non-political appointments
Alongside the political appointees two non-political Lords in Waiting are always appointed,[1] at the personal discretion of the sovereign (distinguished from their political counterparts by the designation 'Personal Lord in Waiting').[6]
Those currently serving in this capacity are:[7]
Portfolio | Name | Since |
---|---|---|
Personal Lord in Waiting | The Viscount Brookeborough[8] | 1 May 1997 |
The Viscount Hood | 30 July 2008 |
Additional appointments
Any additional appointees are termed Extra Lords (or Baronesses) in Waiting.
Those currently serving in this capacity are:[9]
Portfolio | Name | Since |
---|---|---|
Extra Baroness in Waiting | Baroness Rawlings | 2012 |
Extra Lord in Waiting | Lord St John of Bletso | 19 March 1998 |
Lord Denham[10] | 19 March 1998 |
Permanent Lords-in-Waiting
Permanent Lords in Waiting are retired senior officials of the Royal Household. Those serving in this capacity include:[11]
Portfolio | Name | Since | Formerly |
---|---|---|---|
Permanent Lord in Waiting | The Lord Vesty | 1 August 2019 | Former Master of the Horse |
Lord Geidt | 4 March 2019 | Former Private Secretary to The Queen | |
Lord Janvrin | 13 November 2007 | Former Private Secretary to The Queen | |
Lord Luce | 16 July 2007 | Former Lord Chamberlain | |
Lord Camoys | c. 2001 | Former Lord Chamberlain | |
The Earl of Airlie | 17 December 1997 | Former Lord Chamberlain |
References
- ^ a b Tomlinson, Richard (20 Dec 1992). "They also serve, who only ush". Independent.
- ^ Court Circular, Buckingham Palace, 3 June 2019.
- ^ UK Parliament website biographical page
- ^ Court Circular, Buckingham Palace, 27 February 2019.
- ^ [1]
- ^ E.g. Court Circular, Buckingham Palace, 30 July 2008
- ^ Court Circular, Buckingham Palace
- ^ Biography on UK Parliament website
- ^ Court Circular, Buckingham Palace
- ^ Dilworth, Jennifer; Stuart-Jones, Megan. International Year Book and Statesmen's Who's Who. doi:10.1163/1570-6664_iyb_SIM_person_19748.
- ^ Court Circular, Buckingham Palace