Lord Chamberlain facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lord Chamberlain of the Household
Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom
Incumbent The Lord Parker of Minsmere since 1 April 2021
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: https://www.royal.uk/

The Lord Chamberlain of the Household is a very important person in the Royal Household. This person helps the King or Queen with many tasks. They oversee departments that support the King or Queen. They also help the King or Queen communicate with the House of Lords.

The Lord Chamberlain organizes many royal events. These include garden parties, visits from leaders of other countries (called state visits), royal weddings, and the State Opening of Parliament. They also look after the Royal Mews (where royal horses and cars are kept). They also manage how royal honours and awards are given out.

For a long time, from 1737 to 1968, the Lord Chamberlain had a special power. They could decide which plays could be performed in theatres. This meant they could stop plays from being shown if they didn't like them.

The Lord Chamberlain is always part of the Privy Council. This is a group of important advisors to the King or Queen. Usually, the Lord Chamberlain is also a peer, which means they have a special title like "Lord" or "Earl". The job used to be a political one until 1924. The role started in the Middle Ages. Back then, the King's Chamberlain often spoke for the King in important meetings.

The current Lord Chamberlain is The Lord Parker of Minsmere. He has held this position since April 1, 2021.

A Look Back: The Lord Chamberlain's Past Role

During the early modern period, the Lord Chamberlain was one of the three most important officers in the Royal Household. The other two were the Lord Steward and the Master of the Horse. The Lord Chamberlain was in charge of the "chamber." This meant the rooms used by the King or Queen to meet visitors.

His department managed the staff who worked closely with the King or Queen. This included doctors, bodyguards like the Yeomen of the Guard, and Gentlemen Pensioners. They also planned and staffed all the ceremonies and entertainment for the royal court. The Lord Chamberlain also had authority over the Chapel Royal. This is the royal church.

Over time, many of the government duties were given to other ministers. The way the Royal Household was run became more about the King or Queen's personal choices. The Lord Chamberlain made sure the "chamber" reflected the royal tastes. He received direct orders from the King or Queen. Then he passed these orders to the heads of the departments under him.

In 1594, a Lord Chamberlain named Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon, started a famous theatre group. It was called the Lord Chamberlain's Men. William Shakespeare was part of this group and wrote most of his plays for them. Carey was in charge of all court entertainment for Elizabeth I of England. Later, in 1603, King James I gave the group royal support. He changed their name to the King's Men.

Controlling Theatre: The Lord Chamberlain's Censorship Power

Sir Robert Walpole, the Prime Minister who gave the Lord Chamberlain official censorship duties. Painting by Arthur Pond.

The Licensing Act of 1737: Official Censorship Begins

In 1737, Sir Robert Walpole, who was like the Prime Minister, made the Lord Chamberlain the official theatre censor. This happened with a law called the Licensing Act of 1737. This law gave the Lord Chamberlain the power to stop any new play from being performed. He could also stop changes to old plays.

He could do this for any reason he chose. Theatre owners could be punished if they put on a play that had not been approved. Even before this law, the Lord Chamberlain had some control over London theatres. But by the 1730s, theatre was more of a business, not just for royalty. So, this new law gave him a lot of power. This was unusual because Britain was becoming more free.

It was also confusing because Members of Parliament could not easily change these censorship laws. This was because the Lord Chamberlain's power came from both a law and the King's special powers.

The Theatres Act of 1843: Some Changes

By the 1830s, people realized the theatre rules needed updating. Playwrights (people who write plays) wanted changes. They felt that only big theatres had the right to put on new plays. This hurt their ability to make a living.

In 1832, a special committee was formed. They looked at the laws affecting plays. Playwrights complained that they didn't have enough protection for their work. They also complained that only two "patent theatres" in London could legally perform new plays. After more pressure, the committee's ideas were given to Parliament.

Parliament used these ideas to create the Theatres Act of 1843. This Act still gave the Lord Chamberlain strong censorship powers. But it did limit his power slightly. He could only stop plays if he thought it was "fitting for the preservation of good manners, decorum or of the public peace." However, the Act did end the monopoly of the big patent theatres. This was a small victory for playwrights and theatre managers.

The Theatres Act of 1968: Censorship Ends

In 1909, another committee suggested that the Lord Chamberlain should remain censor. But they also said it should be legal to perform plays without his permission. However, King Edward VII did not agree. Then, two World Wars stopped any more changes for many years. In 1948, a theatre conference recommended ending theatre censorship completely.

In the 1960s, the debate about censorship started again. New young playwrights were creating popular plays. But many of these plays were banned by the Lord Chamberlain. This meant they couldn't be shown in the famous West End in London. For example, John Osborne's play A Patriot for Me was banned. But it became very famous anyway. The Lord Chamberlain tried to take legal action, but the play was eventually allowed.

Many famous writers, like Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw, had been censored. Sometimes, the censorship seemed a bit silly. A comedy about stealing the Crown Jewels was banned because the Lord Chamberlain simply said that part had to be removed. This meant the whole play couldn't be performed. Another committee was formed to discuss the issue. This time, a big part of the debate was about showing living or recently dead people, especially the royal family or politicians, in plays.

After much discussion, the Theatres Act 1968 was finally passed. This law officially ended stage censorship. It took away the Lord Chamberlain's power to refuse a licence for any play. The musical Hair was actually delayed in London until this Act was passed because it had been refused a licence.

What Happened After Censorship Ended

Ending censorship was a big political fight about freedom. Those who wanted to keep censorship were mostly worried about protecting the royal family's and government's reputation. They were less worried about rude or disrespectful content on stage. However, these worries largely turned out to be unnecessary. Since censorship ended, British theatre has grown a lot. Many new playwrights and plays have become famous. Ending censorship truly opened up a floodgate of creativity in theatre.

The Lord Chamberlain’s Play Collection

Because the Lord Chamberlain was the theatre censor for so long, a huge collection of play scripts was saved. This collection includes plays that were approved and plays that were banned. The British Library now holds this collection. It also has letters and other documents about the censorship process.

What the Lord Chamberlain Does Today

The Lord Chamberlain is the most senior official in the Royal Household. He oversees all its work. This includes talking with other senior officials and leading meetings of department heads. He also advises on who should be appointed to important positions in the Household. The Lord Chamberlain also performs ceremonial duties. He is the main way the King or Queen communicates with the House of Lords.

Under a past Lord Chamberlain, Lord Airlie, the role changed. It became more like a chief executive. In the early 1990s, Lord Airlie started changes to make the Royal Household run more smoothly. For example, the Queen agreed to pay tax. There was also more openness about how public money was used for the monarchy. More focus was put on public relations.

The Lord Chamberlain's Office is a department of the Royal Household. Its daily work is led by the Comptroller. This office is in charge of organizing all ceremonial events. These include state visits, investitures (where honours are given), garden parties, the State Opening of Parliament, royal weddings, and funerals.

During State and ceremonial events, the Lord Chamberlain carries special items. These show his office. He carries a white staff and a key. The key is worn at his hip. When the Lord Chamberlain retires, he returns these items to the King or Queen. But if the King or Queen dies, the white staff is broken by the Lord Chamberlain. It is then placed on the coffin of the deceased King or Queen at the end of the State Funeral service. This happened most recently in 2022. Lord Parker of Minsmere broke his staff over the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Lord Chamberlain is also the Chancellor of the Royal Victorian Order. This is a special honour given by the King or Queen. Because of this, they often receive this honour themselves. The Lord Chamberlain also sets the rules for how court uniforms and dresses should look. He also decides how official badges and honours should be worn.

Some Lords Chamberlain of the Household (since 1399)

Images for kids

• 

  Sir Robert Walpole, the Prime Minister who gave the Lord Chamberlain official censorship duties. Painting by Arthur Pond.

See also

• List of Lords Chamberlain to British royal consorts
• Lord Chamberlain's Office
• Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood