Great Officers Of State

In the United Kingdom the Great Officers of State are traditional ministers of The Crown who either inherit their positions or are appointed to exercise certain largely ceremonial functions or to operate as members of the government. Separate Great Officers of State exist for England and for Scotland, and formerly for Ireland. Many of the Great Officers became largely ceremonial because historically they were so influential that their powers had to be resumed by the Crown or dissipated.

History

Government in all the medieval monarchies generally comprised the king's companions, later becoming the Royal Household, from which the officers of state arose, initially having household and government duties. Later some of these officers split into two, in the Great Officer of the State and in the Royal Household, or were superseded by new officers or absorbed by existing officers. Many of the officers became hereditary and thus removed from practical operation of either the state or the household.

Great Officers of State of England

These ten great offices had their origin amongst the domestic positions in the household of the Norman kings. As the government of England developed and Parliament took on more of the functions of the Crown, some of these domestic positions became Offices of the State, while others, such as the Master of the Horse, remained as positions within the Royal Household.

The Great Officers of State of England, in order of seniority, are:

  1. Lord High Steward (now only a temporary appointed for special occasions, such as the Coronation)
  2. Lord High Chancellor (who until 2005 presided over the House of Lords and is the Keeper of the Great Seal - now always held by a senior member of the Cabinet)
  3. Lord High Treasurer (since 1714 the post has been administered by a board of Lords Commissioner - the Prime Minister is First Lord of the Treasury)
  4. Lord President of the Council (presides over meetings of the Privy Council - always held by a senior Cabinet minister)
  5. Lord Keeper of the Great Seal (no appointments since 1772)
  6. Lord Privy Seal (held by a senior Cabinet minister - he has responsibility for the Privy Seal, which must be affixed to charters, pardons, etc. before they are passed for the Great Seal)
  7. Lord Great Chamberlain (hereditary office - since 1901 held in alternate reigns by the Marquesses of Cholmondeley and the Barons Carrington
  8. Lord High Constable (since 1521 only a temporary appointment or special occasions, such as the Coronation)
  9. Earl Marshal (hereditary office - held continuously by the Dukes of Norfolk since 1672)
  10. Lord High Admiral (until recently the post was held in commission and was administered by the Lords of the Admiralty, with the First Lord being the political head of the Navy and the First Sea Lord the professional head)

Members of:

Sources

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