Lord-in-waiting

Lords-in-Waiting (female: Baronesses-in-Waiting) are peers who hold office in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom.[1] In the official Court Circular they are styled 'Lord in Waiting' or 'Baroness in Waiting' (i.e. without hyphenation).

For female personal assistants at a court, royal or feudal, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman, see lady-in-waiting.

There are two kinds of Lord in Waiting: political appointees by the government of the day who serve as junior government whips in the House of Lords (the senior whips have the positions of Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard); and non-political appointments by the monarch (who, if they have a seat in the House of Lords, sit as crossbenchers). Baronesses and Lords in Waiting (whether political or non-political) may be called upon periodically to represent the Sovereign; for example, one of their number is regularly called upon to greet visiting Heads of State on arrival at an airport at the start of a State or official visit, and they may then play a role in accompanying them for the duration of their stay. (For instance, on 3 June 2019 the Lord in Waiting Viscount Brookeborough was in attendance at Stansted Airport to welcome the President of the United States and Mrs Trump on behalf of the Queen; he and Viscountess Brookeborough then remained 'specially attached' to the President and Mrs Trump for the duration of their visit.[2]) They are also occasionally in attendance on other State or royal occasions. 'Extra' Lords in Waiting may also be appointed, supernumerary to the regular appointees, who fulfil a similar role; for example, the Baroness Rawlings, whose appointment as a government whip (and Baroness in Waiting) ceased in 2012, has since then served as an Extra Baroness in Waiting,[3] and has continued to represent The Queen on certain occasions (for example on 27 February 2019 she was present at RAF Northolt to welcome the King and Queen of Jordan, while at the same time another Baroness in Waiting, Baroness Manzoor, was present at Heathrow Airport to welcome the President of the Republic of Slovenia).[4]

In addition, the honour of serving as a Permanent Lord in Waiting is occasionally bestowed on very senior courtiers following their retirement. A Permanent Lord in Waiting may also represent the Sovereign, as often happens at funerals or memorial services for former courtiers.

Political appointments

Most Baronesses and Lords in Waiting serve as government whips in the House of Lords. Being members of the government, they are appointed by the Sovereign on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and invariably relinquish their position when there is a change of government.

Currently, there are six Lords and Baronesses in Waiting who serve as junior whips in the House of Lords:[5]

PortfolioNameSince
Lords in waiting The Viscount Younger of Leckie 14 May 2015
The Lord Bethell 29 July 2019
The Lord Parkinson of Whitley 13 February 2020
Baroness in waiting The Baroness Berridge of The Vale of Catmose 19 March 2020
The Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist 29 July 2019
The Baroness Scott of Bybrook 13 February 2020

Non-political appointments

Alongside the political appointees two non-political Lords in Waiting are always appointed,[1] at the personal discretion of the sovereign (distinguished from their political counterparts by the designation 'Personal Lord in Waiting').[6]

Those currently serving in this capacity are:[7]

PortfolioNameSince
Personal Lord in Waiting The Viscount Brookeborough[8] 1 May 1997
The Viscount Hood 30 July 2008

Additional appointments

Any additional appointees are termed Extra Lords (or Baronesses) in Waiting.

Those currently serving in this capacity are:[9]

PortfolioNameSince
Extra Baroness in Waiting Baroness Rawlings 2012
Extra Lord in Waiting Lord St John of Bletso 19 March 1998
Lord Denham[10] 19 March 1998

Permanent Lords-in-Waiting

Permanent Lords in Waiting are retired senior officials of the Royal Household. Those serving in this capacity include:[11]

PortfolioNameSinceFormerly
Permanent Lord in Waiting The Lord Vesty 1 August 2019 Former Master of the Horse
Lord Geidt 4 March 2019 Former Private Secretary to The Queen
Lord Janvrin 13 November 2007 Former Private Secretary to The Queen
Lord Luce 16 July 2007 Former Lord Chamberlain
Lord Camoys c. 2001 Former Lord Chamberlain
The Earl of Airlie 17 December 1997 Former Lord Chamberlain
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References
  1. Tomlinson, Richard (20 Dec 1992). "They also serve, who only ush". Independent.
  2. Court Circular, Buckingham Palace, 3 June 2019.
  3. UK Parliament website biographical page
  4. Court Circular, Buckingham Palace, 27 February 2019.
  6. E.g. Court Circular, Buckingham Palace, 30 July 2008
  7. Court Circular, Buckingham Palace
  8. Biography on UK Parliament website
  9. Court Circular, Buckingham Palace
  10. Dilworth, Jennifer; Stuart-Jones, Megan. International Year Book and Statesmen's Who's Who. doi:10.1163/1570-6664_iyb_SIM_person_19748.
  11. Court Circular, Buckingham Palace
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