A royal family order or royal family decoration is a decoration conferred by the head of a royal family to their female relations. Such a decoration is considered more of a personal memento than a state decoration , although it may be worn during official state occasions.
81-463: The tradition is practiced in the royal families of the United Kingdom , Norway , Sweden , Denmark , Thailand and Tonga . The badge of a royal family order consists of a portrait of the sovereign set in diamonds , which is suspended from a ribbon . In the United Kingdom, the colour of the ribbon changes with each reign, the only kingdom that has this trait. On the back of the portrait frame
162-579: A 2021 interview , the Duchess of Sussex, who is of biracial heritage, relayed second-hand that there had been "concerns and conversations" within the royal family about the skin colour of their son, Archie , while the Duke of Sussex stated it was a single instance. The interview received a mixed reaction from the British public and media, and several of their claims were called into question. The Duke of Cambridge said
243-647: A brilliant bow at the portrait above page. The portrait is attached to a bow in Seraphim light blue ribbon and is held to the person's attire with a pin that is not seen. Different designs of the frame exist: some are more decorated than others. After the banishment of the adulterous Queen Caroline Mathilde on 17 January 1772, the Royal Danish Court needed a new decoration to replace the Order of Matilde . King Christian VII of Denmark founded this order on 21 October 1774 as
324-416: A comparatively late period, their original duties were transferred to the master of the horse . In these circumstances, the holders of the original great offices of state and the household ceased to attend court except on occasions of extraordinary ceremony, and their representatives either by inheritance or by special appointment continued to appear at coronations and some other public solemnities, such as
405-478: A large staff of domestic servants, military personnel, priests, and clerks. Household members included noble thegns for whom such service could lead to promotion to higher office. The highest ranking officers were: Cnut the Great ( r. 1016–1035 ) introduced officers known as stallers , who were close to the king and very wealthy. There could be as many as eight stallers at once, and they probably supervised
486-461: A model of family life". The scandals contributed to the public's unwillingness to pay for the repairs to Windsor Castle after the 1992 fire . A further " PR disaster" was the royal family's initial response to the death of Diana, Princess of Wales , in 1997. In the 1990s, the royal family formed the Way Ahead Group, made up of senior family members and advisers and headed by Elizabeth II, in
567-490: A new decoration that was solely meant for the Danish Royal Family. It was awarded to both gentlemen and ladies. The men wore the insignia detached from a ribbon on the left side of the breast. The ladies wore the same insignia on a bow of the same ribbon on their left shoulder. After the death of Queen-Dowager Juliana Maria in 1796, the order fell into disuse. King Christian IX revived the custom, which continues to
648-707: A number of honorary military appointments: the aides-de-camp to the King (who are usually very high-ranking officers of the three armed services), the two Gold Sticks and the Vice Admiral and Rear Admiral of the United Kingdom . In addition, the two corps of royal bodyguards (the Gentlemen at Arms and the Yeomen of the Guard ) are part of the Household. Gentlemen ushers are unpaid members of
729-586: A private investigator working for a News of the World journalist. A 2021 BBC documentary suggested that briefings and counter-briefings from different royal households was the reason behind the negative coverage about members of the royal family. Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Kensington Palace, which represented the Queen, the then Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge respectively, described these suggestions as "overblown and unfounded claims". Senior members of
810-503: A quest to change in accordance with public opinion. The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in April 2011 led to a "tide of goodwill", and by Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee in 2012 the royal family's image had recovered. A 2019 YouGov poll showed that two-thirds of British people were in favour of maintaining the royal family. The role and public relations of the extended royal family again came under increased scrutiny due to
891-695: A trip to Canada in 1939 and in 1940 during The Blitz in London. Annual events attended by the royal family include the State Opening of Parliament , Trooping the Colour , and the National Service of Remembrance . According to historian Robert Lacey , Queen Elizabeth II once said that investitures of the honours recipients are the most important thing she does. Besides the King, Prince William and Princess Anne also perform investitures. Family members represent
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#1732854543563972-559: Is Buckingham Palace . Announcements of the births and deaths of members of the royal family are traditionally attached to its front railings. Both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle , the monarch's weekend home in Berkshire , are used to host state visits . The Palace of Holyroodhouse and Hillsborough Castle serve as official royal residences when the monarch is in Scotland or Northern Ireland, respectively. Clarence House served as
1053-785: Is Frogmore Cottage , near Windsor. The Duke of York lives at the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park , while the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh reside at Bagshot Park in Surrey . Royal Households of the United Kingdom The Royal Households of the United Kingdom are the collective departments that support members of the British royal family . Many members of the royal family who undertake public duties have separate households. They vary considerably in size, from
1134-405: Is Mountbatten-Windsor , reflecting the name taken by her Greek-born husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , upon his naturalisation . A surname is generally not needed by members of the royal family who are entitled to the titles of prince or princess and the style His or Her Royal Highness. Such individuals use surnames on official documents such as marriage registers , however. Members of
1215-627: Is Tim Knox . The Royal Almonry , Ecclesiastical Household , and Medical Household are functionally separate. For accounting purposes they are the responsibility of the Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the King. The Crown Equerry has day-to-day operation of the Royal Mews , and is part of the Lord Chamberlain's Office. The other equerries have a different role: attending and assisting
1296-539: Is an engraving with the sovereign's monogram . A hidden pin attaches it to the wearer's clothes. Kungens miniatyrporträtt (literally the "King's miniature portrait") is a royal decoration unofficially given to female members of the Swedish royal family . It is similar to the family orders of other European monarchies, although the Swedish royal court refers to it as "The King's portrait". The earliest known Swedish Decoration
1377-458: Is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is a part of the royal family. Members often support the monarch in undertaking public engagements, and pursue charitable work and interests. Members of the royal family are regarded as British and world cultural icons . The Lord Chamberlain 's "List of
1458-454: Is that of King Oscar II . At that time, Decorations did not have to be attached to the Seraphim blue ribbon that is the case today. As there are no earlier records of royal family decorations in Sweden, it might be assumed that the decorations were not introduced in Sweden until the reign of King Oscar II. Queen Sophia started "Sophiahemmet", a Red Cross nurse training program. At the graduation of
1539-471: The Court Circular , a list of daily appointments and events attended by the royal family. Public appearances are often accompanied by walkabouts, where royals greet and converse with members of the public outside events. The start of this tradition is sometimes attributed to a trip Queen Elizabeth II made in 1970 to Australia and New Zealand. Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother also interacted with crowds on
1620-509: The Regalia : Officers of the Order of the Thistle : The Household Division, Sovereign's Body Guard, King's Guard, and ceremonial military posts and bodies: Other hereditary and non-hereditary offices and Court appointments : A part-time Private Secretary to Prince William and Prince Harry ( James Lowther-Pinkerton MVO MBE Irish Guards (Rtd.) ) was appointed in the Household of
1701-493: The Royal Family . An ornate frame of diamond oak leaves and acorns surrounded his portrait, suspended from a white silk bow which varied for men and women. As a girl, Princess Alexandrina Victoria of Kent (later Queen Victoria ) received this badge from her uncle. British royal family This is an accepted version of this page The British royal family comprises King Charles III and his close relations. There
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#17328545435631782-662: The State Opening of Parliament or trials by the House of Lords . In its main outlines the existing organisation of the royal household is essentially the same as it was under the Tudors or the Plantagenets . It is divided into three principal departments, at the head of which are the lord steward, the lord chamberlain and the master of the horse, and the respective provinces of which may be generally described as "below stairs", "above stairs" and "out of doors". The duties of these officials, and
1863-824: The Union of the Crown with England ; or due to lack of a clear office holder. The Great Officers of the Royal Household (not to be confused with the Great Officers of State of Scotland which are political and judicial appointments, or the Great Officers of the Crown of Scotland though some officers are shared) are: Ecclesiastical officers of the Ecclesiastical Household of Scotland : Officers of Administration and Legal Officers: Governors, Captains and Keepers of Palaces and Castles: Heraldic Officers and Keepers of
1944-406: The advent of television , however, the media started paying less respect to the royal family's privacy. Princes William and Harry have had informal arrangements with the press whereby they would be left alone by the paparazzi during their education in return for invitations to staged photograph opportunities. William has continued the practice with his family posts on Instagram . Relations between
2025-537: The green cloth and other inferior officers both of the household and chamber , it is thought that he will employ his own and dismiss his father's, because he hath caused the latter all to be removed to Denmark House to attend the body, and lodged the former about himself at Whitehall '. As consort of the British sovereign, Queen Camilla will receive a household of her own. Traditionally, queens consort have appointed their own Lord Chamberlain and various ladies-in-waiting as part of their household. This tradition
2106-418: The housecarls (royal bodyguards). Other officers included the stewards ( stigweardas ) and the marshals ( horsethegns ) in charge of the royal stables and household travel. The household also included priests, who also probably had noble backgrounds. Priests in the royal chapel performed religious duties and acted as royal secretaries—writing letters, charters , and other official documents. By
2187-622: The Caribbean tour of the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations , the family encountered criticism from a number of political figures and the press, given their past connections to colonialism and the Atlantic slave trade via the Royal African Company . Reparations for slavery emerged as a major demand of protesters during the couple's visit. Both
2268-632: The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester have their official London residences and offices at apartments in Kensington Palace , London. The former and their children officially moved into Adelaide Cottage in Windsor Home Park in September 2022. The Duke and Duchess of Kent reside in Wren House in the grounds of Kensington Palace. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's official residence in the United Kingdom
2349-460: The Duke of York's friendship with convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell , and allegations of sexual abuse , along with his unapologetic conduct in the 2019 interview about these subjects and subsequent 2021 lawsuit . In June 2019, the royal family, several members of which advocate for environmental causes, faced criticism after it was revealed that they "had doubled [their] carbon footprint from business travel". In
2430-558: The Duke of York, the Duke of Sussex and the Duchess of Sussex do not currently carry out royal duties. Other members of the royal family holding royal rank who do not carry out official duties are: Prince George , Princess Charlotte , and Prince Louis of Wales ; Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet of Sussex ; Princess Beatrice ; Princess Eugenie ; the Duchess of Kent ; and Prince Michael of Kent and his wife . Notes The monarch's children and grandchildren (if they are children of
2511-735: The House of Commons. In the House of Lords, the Government Chief Whip is usually appointed Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms and the Deputy Chief Whip as Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard , with junior whips appointed as lords-in-waiting and baronesses-in-waiting. Occasionally these officers are called upon to undertake Household duties, especially the Vice-Chamberlain, who is responsible for writing regular parliamentary reports for
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2592-415: The Household , since 2013, has been Vice Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt KCVO CB OBE and has overall responsibility for the domestic workings of the Household. The Lord Chamberlain's Office , led by its Comptroller current Lt-Colonel Michael Vernon, is responsible for official royal occasions. The Royal Collection Department is overseen by its Director who since February 2018
2673-571: The King in his official duties from day to day. (Historically, they too were part of the mews, but today they are entirely separate.) The Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood is also under the Lord Chamberlain's Office, as is the office of the Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps . The College of Arms has been a branch of the Royal Household since its incorporation in 1484 by King Richard III it
2754-717: The King's Music , Piper to the Sovereign , Poet Laureate , and Astronomer Royal . The King's Bargemaster , the Keeper of the Jewel House , the Serjeants-at-Arms , and the Warden and Marker of the Swans , perform less celebrated functions. The offices of Treasurer of the Household , Comptroller of the Household , and Vice-Chamberlain of the Household are held by senior government whips in
2835-524: The King. If the monarch is female she has ladies-in-waiting (formally styled either ladies of the bedchamber or women of the bedchamber ), some of whom are in personal attendance on a daily basis. They are overseen by the Mistress of the Robes , who traditionally was head of the female household. If the monarch is male these roles are instead attached to the Household of the Queen consort. The Household includes
2916-720: The Prince of Wales and the Princess of Wales in May 2005. In January 2009, a separate Household of Prince William and Prince Harry was established (formally "The Household of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales"), headed by Lowther-Pinkerton. Following their marriages, the Household also additionally served their wives. The Household's offices are currently based in Kensington Palace , having formerly been based in St James's Palace . The Household, as of 2011, had
2997-409: The Princess's bulimia and self-harming was published; her private telephone conversations surfaced, as did the Prince's intimate telephone conversations with his lover, Camilla Parker Bowles; the Duke and Duchess of York separated; and photographs of the topless Duchess having her toes sucked by another man appeared in tabloids. Historian Robert Lacey said that this "put paid to any claim to being
3078-648: The Queen's equerry. Queen Elizabeth II's ladies-in-waiting will be given new roles as "ladies of the household". The Household is for the time being configured as follows (according to the arrangements inherited from Elizabeth II): The Great Officers of the Household are, in order of seniority, the Lord Steward , the Lord Chamberlain and the Master of the Horse . Only the Lord Chamberlain fulfils an executive function; while
3159-550: The Royal Family" comprising King Charles III and Queen Camilla ; William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales ; Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex ; Prince Andrew, Duke of York ; Anne, Princess Royal ; Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh ; Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester and Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester ; Prince Edward, Duke of Kent ; and Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy . Among them,
3240-455: The Royal Family" published in August 2020 mentions all of King George VI 's descendants and their spouses (including Sarah, Duchess of York , who is divorced), along with Queen Elizabeth II 's cousins with royal rank and their spouses. The list applies for the purposes of regulating the use of royal symbols and images of the family. The website of the royal family provides a list of "Members of
3321-761: The Royal Household Property Section directly from the grant-in-aid provided by Parliament , whereas Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House are privately owned and maintained. The unoccupied royal residences (including the Tower of London) are run by the Historic Royal Palaces Agency, which is self-funding. The Royal Household in Scotland includes offices of personal, honorary and state appointments. Many appointments are vacant having fallen into abeyance ; been abolished or returned to The Crown ; merged with other positions both before and after
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3402-534: The Royal Household, often retired military officers, who provide occasional assistance as marshals at royal events. The Lady Usher of the Black Rod is an important official in the Houses of Parliament; but technically she too is a member of the Royal Household (and acts as the King's messenger at the State Opening ). The royal residences (see list of British royal residences ) in current use are cared for and maintained by
3483-412: The Royal Household. In this way, the Royal Household may be seen as having a symbolic, as well as a practical, function: exemplifying the monarchy's close relationship with other parts of the constitution and of national life. The royal household has roots in the comitatus that provided military support to early Anglo-Saxon kings . In addition to the royal family, the household would have included
3564-538: The Sovereign and serves as the principal channel of communication between the Sovereign and his or her governments. Besides these, he also manages the Sovereign's official programme and correspondence. The Keeper of the Privy Purse has responsibility for the Sovereign's personal finances and those to do with semi-private concerns, along with, as Treasurer to the King oversight of the civil list . The two positions are held together and, since 2018, they have both been held by Sir Michael Stevens KCVO . The Master of
3645-715: The UK that are disadvantaged. Princess Anne started The Princess Royal Trust for Carers , which helps unpaid carers, giving them emotional support and information about benefit claims and disability aids. The Earl and Countess of Wessex (as the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were then known) founded the Wessex Youth Trust, since renamed The Earl and Countess of Wessex Charitable Trust, in 1999. The Prince and Princess of Wales are founding patrons of The Royal Foundation , whose projects revolve around mental health , conservation, early childhood, and emergency responders . In 2019 following
3726-428: The chamber divided into two sub-departments: the great chamber and the privy chamber . The privy chamber was overseen by grooms of the chamber , led by the groom of the stool . The groom of the stool was one of the most powerful officials in the household until the office was abolished in 1837. He or she (when the monarch was female) acted as a royal gatekeeper , allowing or denying other household officials access to
3807-624: The equivalent of 7.8 full-time staff. It was announced in June 2011 that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge would temporarily move their official London residence to an apartment in Kensington Palace , a move that was completed in August of that year. The Duke and Duchess' primary residence continued to be the island of Anglesey in Wales, where the Duke served as an RAF search and rescue pilot. The couple previously shared an apartment at Clarence House with Prince Harry, which he retained. On 6 November 2011, it
3888-656: The family among a group of people who they most associated with British culture . Members are expected to promote British industry. Royals are typically members of the Church of England , headed by the monarch. When in Scotland they attend the Church of Scotland as members and some have served as Lord High Commissioner to the Church of Scotland . Members of the royal family are patrons for approximately 3,000 charities, and have also started their own nonprofit organisations. The King started The Prince's Trust , which helps young people in
3969-414: The family as " soft power assets". Given the royal family's public role and activities, it is sometimes referred to by courtiers as "The Firm", a term that originated with George VI. Members of the royal family are politically and commercially independent, avoiding conflict of interest with their public roles. The royal family are considered British cultural icons , with young adults from abroad naming
4050-620: The household of Edward IV ) written between 1467 and 1477, the household was divided into the Domus Providencie (the Hall) and the Domus Regie Magnificencie (the Chamber). The Domus Providencie was led by the lord steward . The Domus Regie Magnificencie was led by the lord chamberlain . (kitchens, bakehouse, buttery, laundry, woodyard, etc) Sometime in the 15th century,
4131-547: The income of the Duchy of Lancaster , and the Prince of Wales from the Duchy of Cornwall . The security expenses for the royal family are typically covered by the Metropolitan Police rather than the sovereign grant. The royal family, the Home Office , and the Metropolitan Police decide which members have a right to taxpayer-funded police security. Extended members do not retain automatic right to protection; in 2011, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie ceased receiving police security. The sovereign's official residence in London
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#17328545435634212-401: The king's administrative and judicial responsibilities expanded, public duties were delegated to household officers, making them state officers as well. Typically, each office had two or three holders who most likely served on a rotating basis. The Merovingian and Carolingian royal households had similar offices, and there is evidence that it influenced its English counterpart. However, there
4293-512: The ladies of the court from the Mistress of the Robes to the Maids of Honour are in her service. At the commencement of the reign of Queen Victoria, the two establishments were combined, and considerably reduced. On the accession of Edward VII , the civil list was again reconstituted; while the household of the king and his consort became larger than during the previous reign, redundant or unnecessary offices were merged or abolished. The household of Elizabeth II included 1,200 employees. This
4374-467: The large household that supports the sovereign to the household of the Prince and Princess of Wales , with fewer members. In addition to the royal officials and support staff, the sovereign's own household incorporates representatives of other estates of the realm, including the government, the military, and the church. Government whips , defence chiefs , several clerics , scientists , musicians , poets , and artists hold honorary positions within
4455-443: The list by special legislation. Each year the family "carries out over 2,000 official engagements throughout the UK and worldwide", entertaining 70,000 guests and answering 100,000 letters. Engagements include state funerals, national festivities, garden parties, receptions, and visits to the Armed Forces . Many members have served in the Armed Forces themselves, including the King's brothers and sons. Engagements are recorded in
4536-406: The media and British royals have been destabilized by the rise of the digital media , with the quantity of articles becoming paramount toward gaining advertising revenue , with neither side able to exercise control. In the 2000s, the phones of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, and Prince Harry and his then-girlfriend Chelsy Davy , were hacked multiple times by media outlets, most notably by
4617-402: The monarch on official visits and tours to other countries as ambassadors to foster diplomatic relations. They have also attended Commonwealth meetings on the monarch's behalf. The royal family also participates in state visits on the advice of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office , which includes the welcoming of dignitaries and a formal banquet. Journalist James Forsyth has referred to
4698-503: The monarch's sons), and the children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales, are automatically entitled to be known as prince or princess with the style His or Her Royal Highness (HRH). Peerages , often dukedoms , are bestowed upon most princes prior to marriage. Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall , children of the King's sister, Princess Anne, are, therefore, not prince and princess. Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and James Mountbatten-Windsor, Earl of Wessex , though entitled to
4779-449: The monarch. Over time, the offices of Lord High Steward and Lord Great Chamberlain lost both their political functions, which were taken over by the Chief Justiciar and Lord High Treasurer , and their domestic functions, which were taken over by the lord steward and lord chamberlain. The marshalship and the constableship became hereditary, and, although the Lord High Constable and Earl Marshal retained their military authority until
4860-449: The negative reactions to the " Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal " interview, the Duke of York was forced to resign from public roles; the retirement became permanent in 2020. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex permanently withdrew from royal duties in early 2020. Following these departures, there is a shortage of royal family members to cover the increasing number of patronages and engagements. Royal biographer Penny Junor says that
4941-417: The nurses, she presented a miniature portrait of the King on a white ribbon with a red cross. On the back was DSF inscribed in gold enamel on blue background. In the 1900s Gustav V and his wife Victoria made a special form of the order with both of them in the portrait, painted by Fanny Hjelm , as a gift to their friend Countess Anna Brahe (born Anna Nordenfalk) when she visited them. Currently recipients of
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#17328545435635022-580: The official residence of Charles III from 2003, when he was Prince of Wales, until he ascended to the throne on 8 September 2022. Another London residence of his when Prince of Wales was St James's Palace , which he shared with the Princess Royal and Princess Alexandra. Princess Alexandra also resides at Thatched House Lodge in Richmond . The King also privately owns Sandringham House in Norfolk and Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, which are his personal property. He inherited them from Elizabeth II upon her death. The Prince and Princess of Wales and
5103-413: The order wear it as part of their formal dress, often when their male counterparts wear medals. The decoration currently consists of an oval portrait of a young King Carl XVI Gustaf half length. There are different versions of the portrait of the King, where he is dressed in admiral's uniform or simply formal wear with either the Seraphim band or chain. The portrait is framed by brilliant-cut diamonds and
5184-466: The other two continue to have a ceremonial role, and are to be seen particularly on State occasions. The Royal Household is coordinated by the part-time Lord Chamberlain ( The Lord Benyon ). The Private Secretary to the Sovereign ( the Rt Hon. Sir Clive Alderton KCVO since 2022), manages the Private Secretary's Office, and controls the Press Office, the Royal Archives , and the Defence Services Secretary 's Office, serves as principal advisor to
5265-420: The present. Thailand has a Royal Family Order. Tonga is the only Commonwealth monarchy other than the U.K. to confer a Royal Family Order (status: dormant). The first Royal Family Order was issued during and after the regency of King George IV of the United Kingdom . Prior to 1820, he started the practice of presenting the badge of the order to ladies and gentlemen of the Court, particularly female members of
5346-502: The reign of Edward the Confessor ( r. 1042–1066 ), the chapel's writing office had custody of the great seal used to authenticate writs . Service in the royal chapel could be a stepping stone towards becoming a bishop . Even though it traveled constantly with the king as an itinerant court , the royal household was the center of the Anglo-Saxon government . Initially, household officers performed domestic tasks (such as overseeing food, clothing, royal stables, or travel). As
5427-412: The royal family has presented itself "as the model family" since the 1930s. Author Edward Owen wrote that during the Second World War , the monarchy sought an image of a "more informal and vulnerable family" that had a unifying effect on the nation during instability. In 1992 , the Princess Royal and her husband Mark Phillips divorced; the Prince and Princess of Wales separated; a biography detailing
5508-426: The royal family support the monarch in "state and national duties", while also carrying out charity work of their own. If the sovereign is indisposed, two counsellors of state are required to fulfil his/her role, with those eligible being restricted to the sovereign's spouse, and the first four people in the line of succession over the age of 21. In 2022 the then Earl of Wessex and the Princess Royal were added to
5589-665: The royal family were "very much not a racist family". In June 2021, documents revealed that "coloured immigrants or foreigners" were banned by Elizabeth II's chief financial manager at the time from working for the family as clerks in the 1960s, prompting black studies professor Kehinde Andrews to state that "the royal family has a terrible record on race". In response, the palace stated that it complied "in principle and in practice" with anti-discrimination legislation, and that second-hand claims of "conversations from over 50 years ago should not be used to draw or infer conclusions about modern-day events or operations." In March 2022 and during
5670-482: The royal family, who represent the monarch, draw their income from public funds known as the sovereign grant , which is an annual payment of the British government to the monarch. It comes from the revenues of the Crown Estate , which are commercial properties owned by the Crown . Members of the royal family who receive money from the sovereign grant must be accountable to the public for it and are not allowed to make money from their name. The monarch also receives
5751-438: The styles "Princess Louise of Edinburgh" and "Prince James of Edinburgh", respectively, are not called prince and princess, as their parents, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, wanted them to have more modest titles. The King reportedly wants to reduce the number of titled members of the royal family. By tradition, wives of male members of the royal family share their husbands' title and style. Princesses by marriage do not have
5832-495: The then Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge have condemned slavery in their speeches, and the Prince has described acknowledging the wrongs of the past as a necessity for the Commonwealth countries to realise their potential. Historically, the royal family and the media have benefited from each other; the family used the press to communicate with the public, while the media used the family to attract readers and viewers. With
5913-451: The title prefixed to their own name but to their husband's; for example, the wife of Prince Michael of Kent is Princess Michael of Kent. Sons of monarchs are customarily given dukedoms upon marriage, and these peerage titles pass to their eldest sons. Male-line descendants of King George V , including women until they marry, bear the surname Windsor. The surname of the male-line descendants of Queen Elizabeth II, except for women who marry,
5994-434: The various officers under their charge are dealt with in the articles under those headings. When the reigning sovereign is a queen, the royal household is in some other respects rather differently arranged from that of a king and a queen consort. Under a king and a queen consort, a separate establishment "above stairs" and "out of doors" works for the queen consort. She has a Lord Chamberlain 's department of her own, and all
6075-542: Was Prince of Wales were notified of potential redundancies. This reflects the uncertain situation of members of the Royal Households at the start of each new reign: in the days following the death of King James I in 1625, the Countess of Bedford remarked 'What the King's resolution is yet for his own and his father's servants, he hath not declared (farther than the white staves , which are to remain as they were); but for
6156-550: Was announced that the Duke, Duchess and Prince Harry, along with Elizabeth II and the Prince of Wales (later King Charles) had approved a plan that would have the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge permanently move to a larger apartment in Kensington Palace in 2013, after it is renovated. This apartment was previously occupied by the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon and her husband Antony Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon after their marriage in 1960. The apartment
6237-674: Was directly appointed by the Sovereign on the recommendation of Earl Marshal. The college is a corporation of thirteen royal heralds , overseen by the Earl Marshal , a hereditary office held by the Duke of Norfolk . The college is self-supporting and receives no funds from the Crown. The college holds jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to heraldry , genealogy , and pedigrees in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and in some Commonwealth realms . Certain independent and honorific posts include Master of
6318-452: Was followed by his Private Secretary, Principal Private Secretary, Master of the Household and two Equerries; however, since the King's new household had yet to be appointed they were gazetted, not as 'His Majesty's Household', but as the 'Household of the former Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall'. On 13 September, five days after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II , 100 staff who had been working for King Charles III while he
6399-599: Was no English equivalent to the powerful office of major domus (Latin for " mayor of the palace "), and English kings maintained ultimate authority over their households. By the time of Henry I ( r. 1100–1135 ), the royal household was divided into five departments as described in the Constitutio Domus Regis : According to the Liber Niger Domus Regis Angliae (the Black Book of
6480-411: Was roughly the same size as Charles II's household but larger than Victoria 's, whose staff numbered 921. Appointing a new monarch's household can take some time; in 1952 the full list of appointments to the new Queen's household was not published until almost six months after her accession to the throne. In 2022, walking in the state procession for the state funeral of Elizabeth II , the new King
6561-583: Was scrapped in accordance with the King's view of having a slimmed-down monarchy, and instead of ladies-in-waiting, Queen Camilla will be served by "Queen's companions", a group of six ladies that will occupy the new occasional and informal position and will not be involved in tasks such as replying to letters or developing schedules. The Queen's companions are the Marchioness of Lansdowne , Jane von Westenholz, Lady Brooke, Sarah Troughton , Lady Sarah Keswick and Baroness Chisholm . Major Ollie Plunket will serve as
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