Lord Lieutenant facts for kids
The Lord Lieutenant is a special person chosen by the British monarch (the King or Queen) to represent them in different parts of the United Kingdom. They usually look after a specific area, like a county. This job is given as an honour, often to someone who has retired, like a well-known local person, a senior military officer, a Lord or Lady, or a business leader. Both men and women can be Lord Lieutenants.
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History of the Lord Lieutenant Role
Early Days in England and Wales
The job of Lord Lieutenant started a long time ago, during the time of the Tudor kings and queens in England, Wales, and Ireland.
King Henry VIII first appointed Lieutenants to several English counties in the 1540s. Their main job was to take over the military duties that the local sheriff used to do. This meant they were in charge of getting the local army, called the militia, ready. Later, they also looked after the yeomanry (volunteer cavalry) and other volunteer groups. They were the commanders of these forces and chose their officers.
The role became more organised during the reign of King Edward VI. The English parliament officially approved their establishment in 1550. However, it wasn't until 1585, when Spain threatened to invade, that Lieutenants were appointed to all counties. After the Spanish Armada was defeated, the need for so many Lieutenants decreased, and some areas didn't have one for a while.
In Yorkshire, which had three main parts called "ridings," each riding got its own Lieutenant.
At this time, the official name for the job was "His or Her Majesty's lieutenant for the county." But because most people holding the job were Lords or Ladies, they were usually called "Lord-Lieutenant."
The Twentieth Century Changes
In 1907, a new law called the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 made the Lord Lieutenant the head of new County Territorial Force Associations. This brought back the idea of counties and county towns having their own Lieutenants.
Local government changes in England in 1965 meant new Lord Lieutenants were appointed for Greater London and Huntingdon and Peterborough. The old roles for the County of London, Middlesex, and Huntingdonshire were removed.
A bigger change happened in 1974 with a new system for local government across England and Wales. A law from 1972 officially stated that "Her Majesty shall appoint a lord-lieutenant for each county in England and Wales and for Greater London." This was one of the first times the term "lord-lieutenant" was used officially in a law for these county roles.
In 1975, counties in Scotland stopped being used for local government. New areas called "regions" were created. Each region then had one or more Lord Lieutenants appointed, usually covering areas similar to the old counties.
Present-day Role
In 1996, Scottish regions were changed again. Now, Lord Lieutenants in Scotland are appointed to specific "lieutenancy areas."
Since 1995, there have been some changes to local government in England. Now, Lord Lieutenants are appointed to special areas called "ceremonial counties." The Lieutenancies Act 1997 lists these areas. A ceremonial county can be made up of several local council areas put together.
In Wales, after local government changes in 1996, Lord Lieutenants are now appointed to "preserved counties."
The City of London is a bit different. It has a group of people called a Commission of Lieutenancy instead of just one Lord Lieutenant. The head of this group is the Lord Mayor of London.
What Lord Lieutenants Do Today
The modern jobs of Lord Lieutenants include:
- Organising visits for members of the Royal family and helping to escort them.
- Giving out medals and awards on behalf of the King or Queen. They also give advice on who should receive Honours.
- Taking part in local community events, volunteer work, and social activities.
- Working with local units of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army, Royal Air Force, and their cadet forces.
- Leading the local magistrates (people who hear cases in lower courts) as the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace.
- Chairing the local Advisory Committee for the Appointment of General Commissioners of Income Tax. This group hears appeals about tax decisions made by HM Revenue and Customs.
As the King or Queen's representative in their area, the Lord Lieutenant stays out of politics and does not hold any political party job. They usually retire at age 75. They are appointed for life, but the King or Queen can remove them if needed.
The Lord Lieutenant gets help from a Vice Lord-Lieutenant and several Deputy Lieutenants, whom they choose. They are not paid for their work but receive small allowances for things like secretarial help, travel costs, and a driver. Male Lord Lieutenants also get an allowance for their special ceremonial uniform. This uniform is worn when meeting members of the Royal family and on other formal occasions.
There is no uniform for a female Lord Lieutenant, but they have a special badge they can wear. Male Lord Lieutenants wear a dark blue uniform, similar to an Army uniform, with a cap and a sword. The uniform for a male Vice Lord-Lieutenant and Deputy Lieutenants is similar but has small differences to show their rank.
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the head of the British government in Ireland. This role existed until the country became the Irish Free State in 1922.
How to Address a Lord-Lieutenant
- Written: '(Title and name), Lord-Lieutenant'
- Salutation: 'Dear Lord-Lieutenant'
- In a Speech: 'My Lord-Lieutenant'
- In conversation: '(Title and name)' or 'Lord-Lieutenant'.
Other pages
Images for kids
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Flag of a Lord Lieutenant
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Reflecting the military origins of the Lieutenancy, Lord-Lieutenants wear uniform on formal occasions. The uniform of an English Lord-Lieutenant includes a rose-and-crown badge on the cap and braided shoulder boards
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The lieutenancy areas of the United Kingdom as of 2012
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The Duchess of Northumberland, wearing their badge as Lord-Lieutenant of Northumberland, at a Battle of Britain commemoration in 2018.
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Lord-lieutenant, full dress uniform (early 20th century)
