[1] A complete list, showing all individual contributors, appears in
the final volume.
LORD CHAMBERLAIN, in England, an important officer of the king's
household, to be distinguished from the lord great chamberlain (q.v.).
He is the second dignitary of the court, and is always a member of the
government of the day (before 1782 the office carried cabinet rank), a
peer and a privy councillor. He carries a white staff, and wears a
golden or jewelled key, typical of the key of the palace, which is
supposed to be in his charge, as the ensigns of his office. He is
responsible for the necessary arrangements connected with state
ceremonies, such as coronations and royal marriages, christenings and
funerals; he examines the claims of those who desire to be presented at
court; all invitations are sent out in his name by command of the
sovereign, and at drawing-rooms arid levees he stands next to the
sovereign and announces the persons who are approaching the throne. It
is also part of his duty to conduct the sovereign to and from his
carriage.[1] The bedchamber, privy chamber and presence chamber, the
wardrobe, the housekeeper's room, the guardroom and the chapels royal
are in the lord chamberlain's department. He is regarded as chief
officer of the royal household, and he has charge of a large number of
appointments, such as those of the royal physicians, tradesmen and
private attendants of the sovereign. All theatres in the cities of
London and Westminster (except patent theatres), in certain of the
London boroughs and in the towns of Windsor and Brighton, are licensed
by him and he is also licenser of plays (see THEATRE: _Law_; and REVELS,
MASTER OF THE). His salary is £2000 a year.
The vice-chamberlain of the household is the lord chamberlain's
assistant and deputy. He also is one of the ministry, a white-staff
officer and the bearer of a key; and he is generally a peer or the son
of a peer as well as a privy councillor. He receives £700 a year. Next
to the vice-chamberlain comes the groom of the stole, an office only
in use during the reign of a king. He has the charge of the vestment
called the stole worn by the sovereign on state occasions. In the lord
chamberlain's department also are the master, assistant master,
marshal of the ceremonies and deputy-marshal of the ceremonies,
officers whose special function it is to enforce the observance of the
_etiquette_ of the court. The reception of foreign potentates and
ambassadors is under their particular care, and they assist in the
ordering of all entertainments and festivities at the palace.[2] The
gentleman usher of the black rod--the black rod which he carries being
the ensign of his office--is the principal usher of the court and
kingdom. He is one of the original functionaries of the order of the
Garter, and is in constant attendance on the House of Lords, from
whom, either personally or by his deputy, the yeoman usher of the
black rod, it is part of his duty to carry messages and summonses to
the House of Commons. There are six lords and six grooms "in waiting"
who attend on the sovereign throughout the year and whose terms of
attendance are of a fortnight's or three weeks' duration at a time.
Usually "extra" lords and grooms in waiting are nominated by the
sovereign, who, however, are unpaid and have no regular duties. Among
the serjeants-at-arms there are two to whom special duties are
assigned: the one attending the speaker in the House of Commons, and
the other attending the lord chancellor in the House of Lords,
carrying their maces and executing their orders.[3] The comptroller
and examiner of accounts, the paymaster of the household, the licenser
of plays, the dean and subdean of the chapels royal, the clerk and
deputy clerks of the closet, the groom of the robes, the pages of the
backstairs, of the chamber and of the presence, the poet laureate, the
royal physicians and surgeons, chaplains, painters and sculptors,
librarians and musicians, &c., are all under the superintendence of
the lord chamberlain of the household.[4]
The queen consort's household is also in the department of the lord
chamberlain of the household. It comprises a lord chamberlain, a
vice-chamberlain and treasurer, equerry and the various ladies of the
royal household, a groom and a clerk of the robes. The ladies of the
household are the mistress of the robes, the ladies of the bedchamber,
the bedchamber women and the maids of honour. The mistress of the
robes in some measure occupies the position of the groom of the
stole.[5] She is the only lady of the court who comes into office and
goes out with the administration. She is always a duchess, and attends
the queen consort at all state ceremonies and entertainments, but is
never in permanent residence at the palace.[6] The ladies of the
bedchamber share the personal attendance on the queen consort
throughout the year. Of these there are eight, always peeresses, and
each is in waiting for a fortnight or three weeks at a time. But the
women of the bedchamber, of whom there are also eight, appear only at
court ceremonies and entertainments according to a roster annually
issued under the authority of the lord chamberlain of the queen
consort. They are usually the daughters of peers or the wives of the
sons of peers, and formerly, like the mistress of the robes and the
ladies of the bedchamber, habitually assisted the queen at her daily
toilette. But this has long ceased to be done by any of them. The
eight maids of honour have the same terms of waiting as the ladies of
the bedchamber. They are commonly if not always the daughters or
granddaughters of peers, and when they have no superior title and
precedence by birth are called "honourable" and placed next after the
daughters of barons.