Vice-Chamberlain of the Household facts for kids
The Vice-Chamberlain of the Household is a member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The officeholder is usually a senior government whip in the British House of Commons ranking third or fourth after the Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief Whip. The Vice-Chamberlain is the Deputy to the Lord Chamberlain of the Household and, like the Lord Chamberlain, carries a white staff of office when on duty on state occasions.
The Vice-Chamberlain's main roles are to compile a daily private report to the Sovereign on proceedings in the House of Commons and to relay addresses from the Commons to the Sovereign and back. As a member of the Royal Household, the Vice-Chamberlain accompanies the Sovereign and Royal Household at certain diplomatic and social events, particularly the annual garden party at Buckingham Palace. When the Sovereign goes in procession to Westminster for the State Opening of Parliament, the Vice-Chamberlain stays and is "held captive" at Buckingham Palace. This custom began with the Stuart Restoration (1660), because of the previous parliament's role in the beheading of Charles I. During their captivity the Vice-Chamberlain is offered a choice of champagne or sherry to drink by the Lord Chamberlain as they watch the State Opening of Parliament on television.
During the latter part of her reign, the Vice-Chamberlain sent a daily email to Elizabeth II. The Queen was regarded as well informed about British political affairs as she typically read daily newspapers and was a listener of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. The late queen's private secretary told Andrew MacKay, who held the post in 1996, to include more "gossip and the inside track" as his initial efforts had been "rather stilted". MacKay turned his efforts into a "who's up, who's down" for the queen. Anne Milton, who held the post in 2014 and 2015, looked for things that "might amuse" the queen and to "give a bit of colour" to the proceedings in the House of Commons. The Queen reportedly told Jim Fitzpatrick, who held the post of Vice-Chamberlain between 2003 and 2005 to send her news which "doesn't make the press" and that he felt encouraged to be "frank and transparent" with her due to the privacy of their communications. Emails began to be sent to the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2014; the dispatches had previously been collected by a messenger.
Notable holders of the office include Sir George Carteret, Lord Hervey, the Earl of Harrington, the Earl Spencer, Michael Stewart and Bernard Weatherill.
List of Vice-Chamberlains of the Household
| Name | Entered office | Left office | Notes | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Charles Somerset | 1501 | Unknown | Lord Chamberlain from 1509; created Baron Herbert in 1504 and Earl of Worcester in 1514 | |
| Sir Robert Wingfield | 1521 | Unknown | ||
| William Sandys, 1st Baron Sandys of the Vyne | Unknown | 1526 | Became Lord Chamberlain | |
| Sir John Gage | 1526 | 1533 | Lord Chamberlain from 1553 | |
| Sir William Kingston | 1536 | 1539 | ||
| Sir Anthony Wingfield | 1539 | 1550 | ||
| Sir Thomas D'Arcy | 1550 | 1551 | Became Lord Chamberlain; created Baron Darcy of Chiche in 1551 | |
| Sir John Gates | 1551 | Unknown | ||
| Sir Henry Jerningham | 1553 | 1557 | ||
| Sir Henry Bedingfeld | 1557 | 1558 | ||
| Sir Edward Rogers | 1558 | 1559 | ||
| Sir Francis Knollys | 1559 | Unknown | ||
| Sir Christopher Hatton | 1577 | 1587 | ||
| Sir Thomas Heneage | 1587 | 1595 | ||
| Sir John Stanhope, from 1605 Baron Stanhope | 1601 | 1616 | ||
| Sir John Digby, from 1618 Baron Digby and from 1622 Earl of Bristol | 1616 | 1625 | ||
| Sir Dudley Carleton | 1625 | 1626 | Created Baron Carleton in 1626 and Viscount Dorchester in 1628 | |
| Sir Humphrey May | 1626 | 1630 | ||
| Sir Thomas Jermyn | 1630 | 1639 | ||
| George Goring, 1st Baron Goring | 1639 | 1644 | Created Earl of Norwich in 1644 | |
| Vacant | ||||
| Sir George Carteret, 1st Baronet | 1660 | 1680 | Notionally held the office from 1647 | |
| Henry Savile | 1680 | 1687 | ||
| James Porter | 1687 | 1689 | ||
| Sir John Lowther, Bt | 1689 | 1694 | Created Viscount Lonsdale in 1679 | |
| Peregrine Bertie | 1694 | 1706 | ||
| Thomas Coke | 1706 | 1727 | ||
| William Stanhope | 1727 | 1730 | Created Baron Harrington in 1730 and Earl of Harrington in 1742 | |
| John Hervey, 2nd Baron Hervey | 1730 | 1740 | Became Lord Privy Seal | |
| Lord Sidney Beauclerk | 1740 | 1742 | ||
| William Finch | 1742 | 1765 | ||
| George Villiers, Viscount Villiers | 1765 | 1770 | Succeeded as Earl of Jersey in 1769 | |
| Thomas Robinson, from 1770 Lord Grantham | 1770 | 1771 | ||
| John Montagu, Viscount Hinchingbrooke | 1771 | 1782 | Succeeded as Earl of Sandwich in 1792 | |
| George Waldegrave, Viscount Chewton | 1782 | 1784 | Succeeded as Earl Waldegrave in 1784 | |
| George Herbert, Lord Herbert | 1784 | 1794 | Succeeded as Earl of Pembroke in 1794 | |
| Charles Francis Greville | 1794 | 1804 or 1809 | ||
| Lord John Thynne | 1804 or 1809 | 1812 | Succeeded as Baron Carteret in 1838 | |
| Francis Seymour-Conway, Earl of Yarmouth | 1812 | 1812 | Succeeded as Marquess of Hertford in 1822 | |
| Robert Jocelyn, Viscount Jocelyn, from 1820 Earl of Roden | 1812 | 1821 | ||
| James Graham, Marquess of Graham | 1821 | 1827 | Succeeded as Duke of Montrose in 1836 | |
| Sir Samuel Hulse | 1827 | 1830 | ||
| George Chichester, Earl of Belfast | 1830 | 1834 | First period in office; succeeded as Marquess of Donegall in 1844 | |
| Frederick Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | 1834 | 1835 | Succeeded as Marquess of Londonderry in 1854 | |
| Lord Charles FitzRoy | 1835 | 1838 | ||
| George Chichester, Earl of Belfast | 1838 | 1841 | Second period in office; succeeded as Marquess of Donegall in 1844 | |
| Lord Ernest Brudenell-Bruce | 1841 | 1846 | First period in office; succeeded as Marquess of Ailesbury in 1878 | |
| Lord Edward Howard | 1846 | 1852 | Created Baron Howard of Glossop in 1869 | |
| Orlando Bridgeman, Viscount Newport | 1852 | 1852 | First period in office; Lord Chamberlain from 1866; succeeded as Earl of Bradford in 1865 | |
| Lord Ernest Brudenell-Bruce | 1852 | 1858 | Second period in office; succeeded as Marquess of Ailesbury in 1878 | |
| Orlando Bridgeman, Viscount Newport | 1858 | 1859 | Second period in office; Lord Chamberlain from 1866; succeeded as Earl of Bradford in 1865 | |
| Valentine Browne, Viscount Castlerosse | 1859 | 1866 | First period in office; succeeded as Earl of Kenmare in 1871 | |
| Lord Claud Hamilton | 1866 | 1868 | ||
| Valentine Browne, Viscount Castlerosse, from 1871 Earl of Kenmare | 1868 | 1872 | Second period in office; Lord Chamberlain from 1880 | |
| Lord Richard Grosvenor | 1872 | 1874 | Created Baron Stalbridge in 1886 | |
| George Barrington, 7th Viscount Barrington | 1874 | 1880 | ||
| Lord Charles Bruce | 1880 | 1885 | ||
| William Legge, Viscount Lewisham | 1885 | 1886 | First period in office; succeeded as Earl of Dartmouth in 1881 | |
| Frederick Lambart, Viscount Kilcoursie | 1886 | 1886 | Succeeded as Earl of Cavan in 1887 | |
| William Legge, Viscount Lewisham, from 1891 Earl of Dartmouth | 1886 | 1891 | Second period in office | |
| Lord Burghley | 1891 | 1892 | Succeeded as Marquess of Exeter in 1895 | |
| Charles Spencer | 1892 | 1895 | ||
| Ailwyn Fellowes | 1895 | 1900 | Created Baron Ailwyn in 1921 | |
| Sir Alexander Acland-Hood, Bt | 1900 | 1902 | Created Lord St Audries in 1911 | |
| Frederick Glyn, 4th Baron Wolverton | 1902 | 1905 | ||
| Wentworth Beaumont, from 1907 Lord Allendale | 1905 | 1907 | Created Viscount Allendale in 1911 | |
| John Fuller, from 1910 Sir John, 1st Baronet | 1907 | 1911 | ||
| Geoffrey Howard | 1911 | 1915 | ||
| Cecil Beck | 1915 | 1917 | ||
| William Dudley Ward | 1917 | 1922 | ||
| Douglas Hacking | 1922 | 1924 | First period in office; created Baron Hacking in 1945 | |
| John Davison | 1924 | 1924 | ||
| Douglas Hacking | 1924 | 1925 | Second period in office; created Baron Hacking in 1945 | |
| George Hennessy, from 1927 Sir George, 1st Baronet | 1925 | 1928 | Became Treasurer of the Household; created Baron Windlesham in 1937 | |
| Frederick Thomson, from 1929 Sir Frederick, 1st Baronet | 1928 | 1929 | First period in office | |
| Jack Hayes | 1929 | 1931 | ||
| Sir Frederick Thomson, 1st Baronet | 1931 | 1931 | Second period in office | |
| Sir George Penny | 1931 | 1932 | Became Comptroller of the Household; created Viscount Marchwood in 1945 | |
| Sir Victor Warrender, Bt | 1932 | 1935 | Became Comptroller of the Household; created Baron Bruntisfield in 1942 | |
| Sir Lambert Ward, 1st Baronet | 1935 | 1935 | Became Comptroller of the Household | |
| George Davies, from 1936 Sir George | 1935 | 1936 | Became Comptroller of the Household | |
| Arthur Hope | 1937 | 1937 | Became Treasurer of the Household; succeeded as Baron Rankeillour in 1949 | |
| Ronald Cross | 1937 | 1938 | ||
| Robert Grimston | 1938 | 1939 | Became Treasurer of the Household; created Baron Grimston of Westbury in 1952 | |
| James Edmondson | 1939 | 1942 | Became Treasurer of the Household | |
| William Boulton, from 1944 Sir William, 1st Baronet | 1942 | 1944 | ||
| Arthur Young | 1944 | 1945 | ||
| Julian Snow | 1945 | 1946 | Created Lord Burntwood in 1970 | |
| Michael Stewart | 1946 | 1947 | Created Lord Stewart of Fulham in 1979 | |
| Ernest Popplewell | 1947 | 1951 | Created Lord Popplewell in 1966 | |
| Henry Studholme | 1951 | 1956 | ||
| Richard Thompson | 1956 | 1957 | ||
| Peter Legh | 1957 | 1959 | Became Treasurer of the Household; succeeded as Lord Newton in 1960 | |
| Edward Wakefield | 1959 | 1960 | Became Treasurer of the Household | |
| Richard Brooman-White | 1960 | 1960 | ||
| Graeme Finlay | 1960 | 1964 | ||
| William Whitlock | 1964 | 1966 | ||
| Jack McCann | 1966 | 1967 | ||
| Charles Morris | 1967 | 1969 | Became Treasurer of the Household | |
| Alan Fitch | 1969 | 1970 | ||
| Jasper More | 1970 | 1971 | ||
| Bernard Weatherill | 1971 | 1972 | Became Comptroller of the Household; created Lord Weatherill in 1992 | |
| Walter Clegg | 1972 | 1973 | Became Comptroller of the Household | |
| Paul Hawkins | 1973 | 1974 | ||
| Don Concannon | 1974 | 1974 | ||
| James Hamilton | 1974 | 1978 | Became Comptroller of the Household | |
| Donald Coleman | 1978 | 1979 | ||
| Hon. Anthony Berry | 1979 | 1981 | Became Comptroller of the Household | |
| Carol Mather | 1981 | 1983 | Became Comptroller of the Household | |
| Robert Boscawen | 1983 | 1986 | Became Comptroller of the Household | |
| Tristan Garel-Jones | 1986 | 1988 | Became Comptroller of the Household; created Lord Garel-Jones in 1997 | |
| Michael Neubert | 1988 | 1988 | ||
| Tony Durant | 1988 | 1990 | ||
| David Lightbown | 1990 | 1990 | Became Comptroller of the Household | |
| John Mark Taylor | 1990 | 1992 | ||
| Sydney Chapman | 1992 | 1995 | ||
| Timothy Kirkhope | 1995 | 1996 | ||
| Andrew MacKay | 1996 | 1996 | ||
| Derek Conway | 1996 | 1997 | ||
| Janet Anderson | 1997 | 1998 | ||
| Graham Allen | 1998 | 2001 | ||
| Gerry Sutcliffe | 2001 | 2003 | ||
| Jim Fitzpatrick | 2003 | 2005 | ||
| John Heppell | 2005 | 2007 | ||
| Liz Blackman | 2007 | 2008 | ||
| Claire Ward | 2008 | 2009 | ||
| Helen Jones | 2009 | 2010 | ||
| Mark Francois | 2010 | 2012 | ||
| Greg Knight | 2012 | 2013 | Previously Treasurer of the Household 1993-96 | |
| Desmond Swayne | 2013 | 2014 | ||
| Anne Milton | 2014 | 2015 | ||
| Kris Hopkins | 2015 | 2016 | ||
| Julian Smith | 2016 | 2017 | Became Treasurer of the Household | |
| Chris Heaton-Harris | 2017 | 2018 | Became Comptroller of the Household | |
| Mark Spencer | 2018 | 2018 | Became Comptroller of the Household | |
| Andrew Stephenson | 2018 | 2019 | ||
| Craig Whittaker | 2019 | 2019 | ||
| Stuart Andrew | 2019 | 2020 | Became Treasurer of the Household | |
| Marcus Jones | 2020 | 2021 | Became Comptroller of the Household | |
| James Morris | 2021 | 2022 | ||
| Michael Tomlinson | 2022 | 2022 | ||
| Jo Churchill | 2022 | 2023 | ||
| Stuart Anderson | 2023 | Incumbent |
List of Shadow Vice-Chamberlains of the Household
- Jessica Morden was appointed the first shadow in 2020.
