Lord of the Bedchamber
A Lord of the Bedchamber, previously known as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber, was a courtier in the Royal Household; the term was first used in 1718.[1]
Their duties originally consisted of assisting the monarch with dressing, waiting on him when he ate, guarding access to his bedchamber and closet and providing companionship. Such functions became less important over time but provided proximity to the monarch and the holders were thus trusted confidants and often extremely powerful. The offices were in the gift of The Crown and were originally sworn by Royal Warrant directed to the Lord Chamberlain.
This is an incomplete list of noblemen who have served as Lord of the Bedchamber:
Lords of the Bedchamber to George I (1714–1727)
- 1721–1723: 2nd Earl of Bute[2]
Lords of the Bedchamber to King George II (1727–1760)
- 1722–1751: 2nd Earl of Albemarle; appointed when Prince of Wales.[3]
- 1727–1730: Lord Philip Stanhope [4]
- 1727–1736: Thomas Paget, Lord Paget [5]
- 1727–1738: Lord William Manners [6]
- 1752–1760: George Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventry [7]
- 1757–1760: John Hobart, 2nd Earl of Buckinghamshire [8]
Lords of the Bedchamber to King George III (1760–1820)
- 1747–1750: Arthur St Leger, 3rd Viscount Doneraile [9] (to Prince George)
- 1749–1751: Lord Robert Manners-Sutton [10] (to Prince George)
- 1751–1782: Lord Robert Bertie [11] (1751–1760 to Prince George)
- 1760–1762: George Lee, 3rd Earl of Lichfield [12]
- 1760–1767: John Hobart, 2nd Earl of Buckinghamshire [13]
- 1760–1770: George Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventry
- 1760–1790: Edward Harley [14]
- 1767–1770: Norborne Berkeley, 4th Baron Botetourt [15]
- 1777–1783: Heneage Finch, 4th Earl of Aylesford [16]
- 1782–1803: George Pitt, 1st Baron Rivers [17]
- 1800–1810: John Townshend, 2nd Viscount Sydney [18]
- 1804–1819: George Pitt, 2nd Baron Rivers [19]
Lords of the Bedchamber to George, Prince Regent (1811–1820), later King George IV (1820–1830)
- 1812–1828: Peniston Lamb, 1st Viscount Melbourne [20]
Lords of the Bedchamber to King William IV (1830–1837)[21]
- 1830–18: Lord St. Helen's
- 1830–1832: Lord Glenlyon
- 1830–18: Lord Lovaine
- 1830: Lord Strathaven
- 1830–18: Earl of Fife
- 1830–1832: Lord Clinton
- 1830–18: Earl of Warwick
- 1830–1831: Earl of Roden
- 1830–18: Earl of Chesterfield
- 1830–18: Earl Amherst
- 1830–18: Lord James O'Bryen
- 1830–1831: Marquess of Hastings
- 1830–18: Earl of Denbigh[22]
- 1831–1834: Earl of Gosford[23]
- 1831–18: Marquess of Queensbury[24]
- 1830–1831: Earl of Waldegrave
- 1831–-1837: Lord Lilford[25]
- 1832–1837: Viscount Ashbrook[26]
- 1832–1836: Lord Elphinstone[27]
Lords of the Bedchamber to Prince Albert (1840–1861)
- 1840–1861: Lord John Lennox
- 1859–1861: Henry Cavendish, 3rd Baron Waterpark [28]
Lords of the Bedchamber to Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII (1866–1901)
- 1866–1883: James Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Abercorn
- 1872–1901: Charles Harbord, 5th Baron Suffield
Following Edward's accession to the throne, Baron Suffield was gazetted as a "Lord in Waiting" to the King.
Lords of the Bedchamber to George, Prince of Wales (1901–1910), later King George V (1901–1910)
- 1901–?:[29] Beilby Lawley, 3rd Baron Wenlock
- 1901–1907:[30] Charles Cavendish, 3rd Baron Chesham
- 1908–1910:[31] Luke White, 3rd Baron Annaly
Following George's accession to the throne, Baron Annaly was initially gazetted as "Lord of the Bedchamber in Waiting" to the king;[32] but was subsequently referred to as "Lord in Waiting".
See also
- Gentleman of the Bedchamber (title in earlier centuries)
- Lady of the Bedchamber (equivalent position in the time of a Queen regnant)
Sources
References
- "Lords of the Bedchamber". Glued Ideas. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- Gillan, Caroline (2018). Lord Bute and Eighteenth-Century Science and Patronage (PDF). PhD degree, Department of History, National University of Ireland. p. 1.
- Spain, Jonathan (2004). Keppel, William Anne, second earl of Albemarle (Online ed.). Oxford DNB. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/15443.
- "STANHOPE, Philip Dormer, Lord Stanhope (1694-1773)". History of parliament Trust. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- "PAGET, Thomas Catesby, Lord Paget (1689-1742)". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- "MANNERS, Lord William (1697-1772), of Croxton Park, Lincs". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- "COVENTRY, George William, Visct. Deerhurst (1722-1809), of Croome Court, Worcs". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- "HOBART, John, Lord Hobart (1723-93), of Blickling, Norf". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- "ST. LEGER, Arthur Mohun, 3rd Visct. Doneraile [I] (1718-50)". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- "MANNERS SUTTON, Lord Robert (1722-62), of Kelham, Notts". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- "BERTIE, Lord Robert (1721-82), of Chislehurst, Kent". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- "LEE, George Henry, Visct. Quarendon (1718-72), of Quarrendon, Bucks., Ditchley Park and Spelsbury, Oxon". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
- "HOBART, John, Lord Hobart (1723-93), of Blickling, Norf". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
- "HARLEY, Edward, Lord Harley (1726-90)". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- "BERKELEY, Norborne (?1717-70), of Stoke Gifford, near Bristol, Glos". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- "FINCH, Heneage, Lord Guernsey (1751-1812)". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- "PITT, George (1721-1803), of Strathfieldsaye, Hants". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- "TOWNSHEND, Hon. John Thomas (1764-1831)". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- "PITT, George (1751-1828), of Strathfieldsaye, Hants". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- "LAMB, Peniston (1745-1828), of Brocket Hall, Herts. and Melbourne Hall, Derbys". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- The Edinburgh Gazette, 3 August 1830.
- The London Gazette, 10 August 1830.
- The Edinburgh Gazette, 18 March 1831.
- The London Gazette, 26 August 1831.
- The London Gazette, 7 October 1831.
- The London Gazette, 25 May 1832.
- The London Gazette, 27 November 1832.
- "CAVENDISH, see Henry Manners, Henry Manners, 3rd Bar. Waterpark [I] (1793-1863), of Doveridge Hall, Derbys". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- Edinburgh Gazette
- Edinburgh GazetteEdinburgh Gazette
- Edinburgh Gazette
- Edinburgh Gazette