First Lady of the Bedchamber

In British Royal Households, First Lady of the Bedchamber is the title of the highest of the ladies of the Bedchamber, those holding the official position of personal attendants on a queen or princess. The title had its equivalent in several European royal courts. The position is traditionally held by a female member of a noble family.

Portrait of "Kat" Ashley by an unknown artist. Collection of Lord Hastings

History

In the Middle Ages, Margaret of France, Queen of England, is noted to have had seven ladies-in-waiting: the three married ones were called Domina and the four unmarried maid of honour, but no principal lady-in-waiting is mentioned.[1]

During the Tudor dynasty (1485-1603), the First Lady of the Bedchamber was called Chief Gentlewoman of the Privy Chamber. She had the highest rank among the Ladies of the Bedchamber, and their role was to act as the attendants and companions of the royal woman. The First Lady of the Bedchamber of a queen consort was the equivalent of the post of First Lord of the Bedchamber to a king.[1] The First Lord of the Bedchamber combined his post with the office of Groom of the Stool, who was in charge of the staff of the bedchamber and served as the keeper of the sovereigns stole or official robe.[1]

When the sovereign was female, the post of Groom of the Stoles was given to the First Lady of the Bedchamber.[1] This created some confusion between the office of First Lady of the Bedchamber and the office of Mistress of the Robes, who was originally in charge of the queen's robes or "stoles". The result was a blur between the offices of First Lady of the Bedchamber and Mistress of the Robes, who were often combined during the 17th-century and 18th-century, until a strict organisation was finally set between them in the 1760s.

England

First ladies of the Bedchamber under Elizabeth of York

• 1485-1487: Cecily of York[2]
• 1487-1494: Anne of York (daughter of Edward IV)[3]

First ladies of the Bedchamber and Chief Gentlewomen of the Privy Chamber under Elizabeth I

Under Elizabeth the role was also known as "Chief Gentlewoman of the Privy Chamber", for example during Parry's tenure of it.

• 1558 - 1565 - Kat Ashley
• 1565 - c.1572 - Blanche Parry (as Chief Gentlewoman of the Privy Chamber)
• by 1572 - Catherine Howard, Countess of Nottingham

First ladies of the Bedchamber under Henrietta Maria of France

• 1626-1652: Susan Feilding, Countess of Denbigh[4] (also called mistress of the Robes)[5]

First ladies of the Bedchamber under Catherine of Braganza

• 1660-1681: Barbara Howard, Countess of Suffolk
• 1681-1685: Isabella de Nassau, Countess of Arlington

First ladies of the Bedchamber under Mary of Modena

• Lady Penelope O'Brien, Countess of Peterborough (also with title Groom of the Stool)
• Elizabeth Herbert, Marchioness of Powis

United Kingdom

During the 17th and 18th centuries role often overlapped with or were retitled as Mistress of the Robes, until the latter role replaced it in the 1760s.

First ladies of the Bedchamber to Anne, Queen of Great Britain

• dates unknown - Flower Backhouse

First ladies of the Bedchamber to Caroline of Ansbach

• 1714-1717 - Diana Beauclerk, Duchess of St Albans

First ladies of the Bedchamber to Augusta of Saxe-Gotha

• dates unknown - Lady Jane Hamilton

See also

• Première dame d'honneur, French equivalent
• Camarera mayor de Palacio, Spanish equivalent

References

1. William J. Thoms: The Book of the Court: Exhibiting the History, Duties, and Privileges of the English Nobility and Gentry. Particularly of the Great Officers of State and Members of the Royal Household, 1844
2. Alison Weir: Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World
3. Alison Weir: Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World
4. Sandy Riley, Charlotte de La Trémoïlle, the Notorious Countess of Derby
5. Carole Levin, Anna Riehl Bertolet: [A Biographical Encyclopedia of Early Modern Englishwomen: Exemplary Lives and Memorable Acts, 1500-1650], New York, 2017