Lord Lieutenant of Kent facts for kids

Have you ever wondered who represents the King or Queen in a county? In England, there's a special role called the Lord-Lieutenant. This person is the King's or Queen's personal representative in a county, like Kent. They help with important events and keep traditions alive. Since 1746, the Lord-Lieutenant of Kent has also had another important job: being the Custos Rotulorum of Kent. This fancy Latin name means they were in charge of keeping the county's records and documents safe, especially those related to justice.

Who are the Lord-Lieutenants of Kent?

Here is a list of the people who have held the important role of Lord-Lieutenant in the county of Kent:

• Sir Thomas Cheney 1551–?
• William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham 3 July 1585 – 6 March 1597
• Henry Brooke, 11th Baron Cobham 29 October 1597 – 24 March 1603
• Edward Wotton, 1st Baron Wotton 28 January 1604 – 31 May 1620
• George Villiers, 1st Marquess of Buckingham 31 May 1620 – 8 June 1620
• Ludovic Stuart, 2nd Duke of Lennox 8 June 1620 – 16 February 1624
• Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke 20 March 1624 – 1642
• Interregnum (This was a period when England did not have a king or queen, usually after the English Civil War.)
• Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Winchilsea 10 July 1660 – 16 January 1688 (jointly with another person)
• Thomas Wriothesley, 4th Earl of Southampton 16 July 1662 – 16 May 1667 (and also with another person)
• Charles Stewart, 3rd Duke of Richmond 13 May 1668 – 12 December 1672
• Christopher Roper, 5th Baron Teynham 16 January 1688 – 25 October 1688
• Louis de Duras, 2nd Earl of Feversham 25 October 1688 – 17 May 1689
• Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Winchilsea 17 May 1689 – 3 October 1689
• Henry Sydney, 1st Earl of Romney 3 October 1689 – 8 April 1704 (jointly with another person)
• Vere Fane, 4th Earl of Westmorland 18 April 1692 – 29 December 1693
• Charles Finch, 4th Earl of Winchilsea 2 May 1704 – 6 April 1705
• Lewis Watson, 1st Earl of Rockingham 6 April 1705 – 19 March 1724
• John Sidney, 6th Earl of Leicester 3 June 1724 – 27 September 1737
• Lewis Watson, 2nd Earl of Rockingham 17 November 1737 – 4 November 1745
• Thomas Watson, 3rd Earl of Rockingham January 1746 – 26 February 1746
• Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset 8 July 1746 – 10 October 1765
• Charles Sackville, 2nd Duke of Dorset 17 December 1765 – 5 January 1769
• John Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset 27 January 1769 – 30 June 1797
• Charles Marsham, 1st Earl of Romney 30 June 1797 – 9 June 1808
• John Pratt, 1st Marquess Camden 9 June 1808 – 8 October 1840
• Henry Tufton, 11th Earl of Thanet 16 November 1840 – 19 October 1846
• George Cowper, 6th Earl Cowper 19 October 1846 – 15 April 1856
• John Townshend, 1st Earl Sydney 10 June 1856 – 14 February 1890
• Arthur Stanhope, 6th Earl Stanhope 18 March 1890 – 19 April 1905
• John Pratt, 4th Marquess Camden 5 June 1905 – 14 December 1943
• Wykeham Stanley Cornwallis, 2nd Baron Cornwallis 1 September 1944 – 1972
• Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever 2 August 1972 – 2 August 1982
• Robert Leigh-Pemberton, Esquire 2 August 1982 – 23 January 2002
• Allan Willett 23 January 2002 – 24 August 2011
• Philip Sidney, 2nd Viscount De L’Isle 1 September 2011 - 21 April 2020
• Annabel Rose Campbell, Baroness Colgrain 22 April 2020 -

What are Deputy Lieutenants?

Deputy Lieutenants are people who help the Lord-Lieutenant with their duties. They are also important representatives in the county.

• Sir Thomas Peyton, 2nd Baronet; July 1660 to February 1684
• Ivo Francis Walter Bligh, 8th Earl of Darnley March 1901
• Sir John Furley March 1901
• Bill Cockcroft
• Kelvin Holford
• Jools Holland
• Sir Keith Speed
• John Astor, 3rd Baron Astor of Hever
• Patrick Tootal
• Colonel Michael Howard Seys-Phillips, April 1971
• Colonel Frederick Kenneth Theobald, April 1971
• Brigadier John Charles Holman, April 1996
• Brigadier David John Ralls