# Lord Chamberlain

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.
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.
The current Lord Chamberlain is Richard Benyon, Baron Benyon, who has been in office since 4 November 2024.

## Historic role

During the early modern period, the Lord Chamberlain was one of the three principal officers of the Royal Household, the others being the Lord Steward and the Master of the Horse. The Lord Chamberlain was responsible for the "chamber" or the household "above stairs": that is, the series of rooms used by the Sovereign to receive increasingly select visitors, terminating in the royal bedchamber (although the bedchamber itself came to operate semi-autonomously under the Groom of the Stool/Stole). His department not only furnished the servants and other personnel (such as physicians and bodyguards, the Yeomen of the Guard and Gentlemen Pensioners) in intimate attendance on the Sovereign but arranged and staffed ceremonies and entertainments for the court. He also had (secular) authority over the Chapel Royal. Under the terms of the Civil List and Secret Service Money Act 1782 (22 Geo. 3. c. 82), the Lord Chamberlain took on direct responsibility for items kept and maintained by the Great Wardrobe and the Jewel House (whereby these formerly semi-independent sub-departments were abolished).
As other responsibilities of government were devolved to ministers, the ordering of the Royal Household was largely left to the personal taste of the Sovereign. To ensure that the chamber reflected the royal tastes, the Lord Chamberlain received commands directly from the sovereign to be transmitted to the heads of subordinate departments.
In 1594, the Lord Chamberlain, Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon, founded the Lord Chamberlain's Men, for which William Shakespeare was a part (and later a shareholder in the company) and for whom he wrote most of his plays during his career. Carey served under Elizabeth I at the time and was in charge of all court entertainment, a duty traditionally given to the Master of the Revels, a deputy of the Lord Chamberlain. Later, in 1603, James I, elevated the Chamberlain's Men to royal patronage and changed the name to the King's Men.

### Theatre censorship
#### The Licensing Act 1737

In 1737, Sir Robert Walpole officially introduced statutory censorship with the Licensing Act 1737 by appointing the Lord Chamberlain to act as the theatrical censor. The Licensing Act 1737 gave the Lord Chamberlain the statutory authority to veto the performance of any new plays: he could prevent any new play, or any modification to an existing play, from being performed for any reason, and theatre owners could be prosecuted for staging a play (or part of a play) that had not received prior approval.
Historically though, the Lord Chamberlain had been exercising a commanding authority on London's theatre companies under the royal prerogative for many decades already. But by the 1730s the theatre was not controlled by royal patronage anymore. Instead it had become more of a commercial business. Therefore, the fact the Lord Chamberlain still retained censorship authority for the next 200 years gave him uniquely repressive authority during a period where Britain was experiencing "growing political enfranchisement and liberalization".
Even further confusion rested in the fact that Members of Parliament could not present changes to the censorship laws because although the Lord Chamberlain exercised his authority under statute law, he was still an official whose authority was derived from the royal prerogative.

#### Theatres Act 1843

By the 1830s, it started to become clear that the theatre licensing system in England needed an upgrade. Playwrights, instead of representatives of minor theatres, actually initiated the final push for reform as they felt that their livelihoods were being negatively affected by the monopoly the larger theatres had on the industry, backed by the laws in the Licensing Act 1737.
A select committee was formed in 1832 with the purpose of examining the laws that affected dramatic literature. Their main complaints were the lack of copyright protection for their work and more importantly that only two patent theatres in London could legitimately perform new plays. After more pressure from playwrights and theatre managers, the findings of the committee were finally presented to Parliament.
It was the proposals of this committee that Parliament implemented in the Theatres Act 1843. The act still confirmed the absolute powers of censorship enjoyed by the Lord Chamberlain but still slightly restricted his powers so that he could only prohibit the performance of plays where he was of the opinion that "it is fitting for the preservation of good manners, decorum or of the public peace so to do". The Act, however, did abolish the monopoly that the patent houses had in London, providing a minor win for playwrights and theatre managers wishing to produce new work.

#### Theatres Act 1968

In 1909, a Joint Select Committee on Stage Plays (Censorship) was established and recommended that the Lord Chamberlain should continue to act as censor but that it could be lawful to perform plays without a licence from the Lord Chamberlain. However, King Edward VII refused to accept these recommendations. The outbreak of both World Wars put an end to any parliamentary initiatives to change the laws regarding theatre censorship for many years. In 1948, the first British Theatre Conference recommended the termination of theatre censorship with the plan to pursue parliamentary action to ratify this.
In the 1960s the debate to abolish theatre censorship rose again as a new generation of young playwrights came on the scene. They gained popularity with their new plays in local establishments, but since many were refused a licence by the Lord Chamberlain, they could not transfer to the West End. In the case of John Osborne's play A Patriot for Me, the Lord Chamberlain at the time, Cameron Cobbold, 1st Baron Cobbold, was irritated that the play was so widely publicized even though he had banned it and therefore pursued legal action. In the end, the play was allowed to continue as it was. At this point, several widely regarded authors had all been censored by the Lord Chamberlain at one time or another, including playwrights Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw. Sometimes censorship was self-serving. A comedy written for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the early 1960s had, as its plot, a jocular scheme to steal the crown jewels. The Lord Chamberlain issued a one-line letter requiring the excision of that plot element. As Michael Palin, one of its authors and performers notes, that meant banning the entire production. Another joint select committee was founded to further debate on the issue and present a solution. This time the argument largely centered around this issue on the portrayal of living and recently dead individuals, particularly in reference to the monarchy as well as politicians.
After much debate, the Theatres Act 1968 was finally passed; it officially abolished the censorship of the stage and repealed the Lord Chamberlain's power to refuse a licence to a play of any kind. The first London performance of the musical Hair was actually delayed until the act was passed after a licence had been refused.

#### Aftermath

The battle regarding the abolition of censorship was largely a political one, fought on principle. Those who opposed the termination of this particular duty of the Lord Chamberlain were mostly concerned about how to protect the reputation of the royal family and the government instead of controlling obscenity and blasphemy on stage. However, this concern has largely been unfounded. Since the termination of censorship, British drama has flourished and produced several prominent playwrights and new works since. The abolition of censorship opened a floodgate of theatrical creativity.

#### The Lord Chamberlain's plays

The long standing role of the Lord Chamberlain as theatrical censor resulted in an extensive archive of both licensed and unlicensed play scripts being preserved. The collection held at the British Library also includes correspondence and administrative documents related to the censorship process.

## Duties of the office

The Lord Chamberlain is the most senior official of the Royal Household and oversees its business, including liaising with the other senior officers of the Household, chairing Heads of Department meetings, and advising in the appointment of senior Household officials. The Lord Chamberlain also undertakes ceremonial duties and serves as the channel of communication between the Sovereign and the House of Lords.
Under David Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie, the Lord Chamberlain’s ceremonial and non-executive role was altered to that of chief executive. Airlie initiated changes in the early 1990s under the auspices of "The Way Ahead Group". Under these plans the Queen agreed to pay tax, greater transparency for the public subsidy of the monarchy began and a greater emphasis on public relations started. In 1986, he produced a 1,393-page report recommending 188 changes for smoother operations of the Royal Household.
The Lord Chamberlain's Office is a department of the Royal Household and its day-to-day work is headed by the Comptroller. It is responsible for organizing ceremonial activities including state visits, investitures, garden parties, the State Opening of Parliament, weddings and funerals.
On State and ceremonial occasions, the Lord Chamberlain carries specific symbols that represent his office: a white staff and a key (which is worn at the hip pocket). These insignia are returned to the monarch when the Lord Chamberlain retires from office; but if the monarch dies, the white staff is symbolically broken by the Lord Chamberlain and placed on the coffin of the deceased Sovereign at the end of the State Funeral service. This was last done by Andrew Parker, Baron Parker of Minsmere, who broke his staff over the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
The Lord Chamberlain is ex-officio the Chancellor of the Royal Victorian Order, having possession of a Badge corresponding to that office. As such, they are often appointed to the said Order either upon appointment as Lord Chamberlain, or later in their career. The Lord Chamberlain also regulates the design and the wearing of court uniform and dress and how insignia are worn.

## List of Lords Chamberlain of the Household from 1399

| Name | Began | Ended | Notes |
| Sir Thomas Erpingham | 1399 | 1404 | |
| Richard Grey, 4th Baron Grey of Codnor | 1404 | 1413 | |
| Henry FitzHugh, 3rd Baron FitzHugh | 1413 | 1425 | |
| Ralph de Cromwell, 3rd Baron Cromwell | c. 1425 | 1432 | First period in office |
| William Phelip, 6th Baron Bardolf | 1432 | 1441 | |
| Sir Ralph Boteler, from 1441 The Lord Sudeley | 1441 | 1447 | |
| James Fiennes, 1st Baron Saye and Sele | 1447 | 1450 | |
| Ralph de Cromwell, 3rd Baron Cromwell | 1450 | 1455 | Second period in office |
| Thomas Stanley, from 1456 The Lord Stanley | 1455 | 1459 | |
| [[Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury] | 1460 | 1460 | |
| William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings | 1461 | 1470 | First period in office |
| Unknown | 1470 | 1471 | Second reign of Henry VI |
| William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings | 1471 | 1483 | Second period in office |
| Francis Lovell, 1st Viscount Lovell | 1483 | 1485 | |
| Sir William Stanley | 1485 | 1494 | |
| Giles Daubeney, 1st Baron Daubeney | 1494 | 1508 | |
| Charles Somerset, 1st Baron Herbert, from 1514 Earl of Worcester | 1509 | 1526 | |
| William Fitzalan, 11th Earl of Arundel | 1526 | 1530 | |
| William Sandys, 1st Baron Sandys | 1530 | 1540 | |
| Vacant | 1540 | 1543 | |
| William Paulet, 1st Baron St John | 1543 | 1545 | Created Earl of Wiltshire in 1550 and Marquess of Winchester in 1551 |
| Unknown | 1545 | 1546 | |
| Henry Fitzalan, 12th Earl of Arundel | 1546 | 1550 | |
| Thomas Wentworth, 1st Baron Wentworth | 1550 | 1551 | |
| Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy of Chiche | 1551 | 1553 | |
| Sir John Gage | 1553 | 1556 | |
| Unknown | 1556 | 1557 | |
| Sir Edward Hastings from 1558 Lord Hastings of Loughborough | 1557 | 1558 | |
| William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham | 1558 | 1572 | |
| Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex | 1572 | 1585 | |
| Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon | 1585 | 1596 | Founded the famous Lord Chamberlain's Men for whom Shakespeare wrote for most of his career. |
| William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham | 1596 | 1597 | |
| George Carey, 2nd Baron Hunsdon | 1597 | 1603 | |
| Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk, from 1603 The Earl of Suffolk | 1603 | 1614 | |
| Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset | 1614 | 1615 | |
| William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke | 1615 | 1626 | |
| Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke, from 1630 Earl of Pembroke | 1626 | 1641 | |
| Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex | 1641 | 1642 | |
| Unknown | 1642 | 1644 | |
| Edward Sackville, 4th Earl of Dorset | 1644 | 1649 | |
| Vacant | 1649 | 1655 | Position became vacant at the start of the Interregnum and the Commonwealth |
| Sir Gilbert Pickering, 1st Baronet | 1655 | 1659 | Lord Chamberlain during The Protectorate |
| Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester | 1660 | 1671 | |
| Henry Jermyn, 1st Earl of St Albans | 1672 | 1674 | |
| Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington | 1674 | 1685 | |
| Robert Bruce, 1st Earl of Ailesbury, 2nd Earl of Elgin | 1685 | 1685 | |
| John Sheffield, 3rd Earl of Mulgrave | 1685 | 1688 | Created Marquess of Normanby in 1694 and Duke of Buckingham and Normanby in 1703 |
| Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset | 1689 | 1697 | |
| Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland | 1697 | 1697 | |
| Vacant | 1697 | 1699 | William III did not accept the resignation of the Earl of Sunderland |
| Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury | 1699 | 1700 | |
| Edward Villiers, 1st Earl of Jersey | 1700 | 1704 | |
| Henry Grey, 12th Earl of Kent from 1706 The Marquess of Kent | 1704 | 1710 | Created Duke of Kent in 1710 and Marquess Grey in 1740 |
| Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury | 1710 | 1715 | |
| Charles Paulet, 2nd Duke of Bolton | 1715 | 1717 | |
| Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle | 1717 | 1724 | |
| Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton | 1724 | 1757 | |
| William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire | 1757 | 1762 | |
| George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough | 1762 | 1763 | |
| Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Gower | 1763 | 1765 | Created Marquess of Stafford in 1786 |
| William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland | 1765 | 1766 | |
| Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Earl of Hertford | 1766 | 1782 | First period in office; created Marquess of Hertford in 1793 |
| George Montagu, 4th Duke of Manchester | 1782 | 1783 | |
| [rancis Seymour-Conway, 1st Earl of Hertford | 1783 | 1783 | Second period in office |
| James Cecil, 7th Earl of Salisbury, from 1789 Marquess of Salisbury | 1783 | 1804 | |
| George Legge, 3rd Earl of Dartmouth | 1804 | 1810 | |
| Vacant | 1810 | 1812 | |
| Francis Ingram-Seymour-Conway, 2nd Marquess of Hertford | 1812 | 1821 | |
| James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose | 1821 | 1827 | First period in office |
| William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire | 1827 | 1828 | First period in office |
| James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose | 1828 | 1830 | Second period in office |
| [[George Child Villiers, 5th Earl of Jersey] | 1830 | 1830 | First period in office |
| William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire | 1830 | 1834 | Second period in office |
| George Child Villiers, 5th Earl of Jersey | 1834 | 1835 | Second period in office |
| Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley | 1835 | 1835 | |
| Francis Conyngham, 2nd Marquess Conyngham | 1835 | 1839 | |
| Henry Paget, Earl of Uxbridge | 1839 | 1841 | Succeeded as Marquess of Anglesey in 1854 |
| George Sackville-West, 5th Earl De La Warr | 1841 | 1846 | First period in office |
| Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer | 1846 | 1848 | |
| John Campbell, 2nd Marquess of Breadalbane | 1848 | 1852 | First period in office |
| Brownlow Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Exeter | 1852 | 1852 | |
| John Campbell, 2nd Marquess of Breadalbane | 1853 | 1858 | Second period in office |
| George Sackville-West, 5th Earl De La Warr | 1858 | 1859 | Second period in office |
| John Townshend, 3rd Viscount Sydney | 1859 | 1866 | First period in office |
| Orlando Bridgeman, 3rd Earl of Bradford | 1866 | 1868 | |
| John Townshend, 3rd Viscount Sydney | 1868 | 1874 | Second period in office; created Earl Sydney in 1874 |
| Francis Seymour, 5th Marquess of Hertford | 1874 | 1879 | |
| William Edgcumbe, 4th Earl of Mount Edgcumbe | 1879 | 1880 | |
| Valentine Browne, 4th Earl of Kenmare | 1880 | 1885 | First period in office |
| Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, 1st Earl of Lathom | 1885 | 1886 | First period in office |
| Valentine Browne, 4th Earl of Kenmare | 1886 | 1886 | Second period in office |
| Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, 1st Earl of Lathom | 1886 | 1892 | Second period in office |
| Charles Wynn-Carington, 1st Earl Carrington | 1892 | 1895 | Created Earl Carrington in 1895 and Marquess of Lincolnshire in 1912 |
| Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, 1st Earl of Lathom | 1895 | 1898 | Third period in office |
| John Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun | 1898 | 1900 | Created Marquess of Linlithgow in 1902 |
| Edward Villiers, 5th Earl of Clarendon | 1900 | 1905 | |
| Charles Spencer, Viscount Althorp from 1910 Earl Spencer | 1905 | 1912 | |
| William Mansfield, 1st Viscount Sandhurst from 1917 Viscount Sandhurst | 1912 | 1921 | |
| John Stewart-Murray, 8th Duke of Atholl | 1921 | 1922 | |
| Rowland Baring, 2nd Earl of Cromer | 1922 | 1938 | |
| George Villiers, 6th Earl of Clarendon | 1938 | 1952 | |
| Roger Lumley, 11th Earl of Scarbrough | 1952 | 1963 | |
| Cameron Cobbold, 1st Baron Cobbold | 29 January 1963 | 30 November 1971 | |
| Charles Maclean, Baron Maclean | 1 December 1971 | 30 November 1984 | |
| David Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie | 1 December 1984 | 31 December 1997 | |
| Thomas Stonor, 7th Baron Camoys | 1 January 1998 | 31 May 2000 | |
| Richard Luce, Baron Luce | 1 October 2000 | 15 October 2006 | |
| William Peel, 3rd Earl Peel | 16 October 2006 | 31 March 2021 | |
| Andrew Parker, Baron Parker of Minsmere | 1 April 2021 | 4 November 2024 | |
| Richard Benyon, Baron Benyon | 4 November 2024 | present | |