The Comptroller of the Household is an ancient position in the British royal household, nominally the second-ranking member of the Lord Steward's department after the Treasurer of the Household. The Comptroller was an ex officio member of the Board of Green Cloth, until that body was abolished in the reform of local government licensing in 2004. In recent times, a senior government whip has invariably occupied the office. On state occasions the Comptroller (in common with certain other senior officers of the Household) carries a white staff of office, as often seen in portraits.[1]
"Comptroller" is an alternative spelling of "controller", recorded since around 1500 in a number of British titles, and later also in the United States. The variant in spelling results from the influence of French compte "account".
History
The office of Comptroller of the Household derives from the medieval Household office of Controller of the Wardrobe, who was deputy to the Keeper (or Treasurer) of the Wardrobe, as well as an important official in his own right as keeper of the Privy Seal. Later, both these offices became high-ranking political appointments.
Modern role
In modern times, the Comptroller has become a less prominent position in British politics. The holder is the third-most senior Government whips in the House of Commons and is responsible for the day-to-day activity in the House.[2] Their responsibilities for the Royal Household are now largely ceremonial, such as serving as an usher at royal garden parties.[2] The role has been occupied by Rebecca Harris since 2022.
Known incumbents
15th century
- 1399–1400: Sir Robert Litton[3]
- 1402–1413: John Spencer[4]
- after 1413: Sir Robert Babthorpe[5]
- 1432–c1450: Thomas Stanley, 1st Baron Stanley[6]
- 1460: Thomas Charlton[7]
- 1461–?1470: Sir John Scott
- 1471–1475: Sir William Parr[8][9][10]
- 1475–1481: Sir Robert Wingfield[9]
- 1481–1483: Sir William Parr[8][9][10]
- 1483–1485: Sir Robert Percy of Scotton[9]
- 1485–1489: Sir Richard Edgecumbe[11]
- 1489?–1492: Sir Roger Tocotes[11]
- 1492–1494: vacant
- 1494–1506: Sir Richard Guildford[11]
16th century
- 1507–1509: Sir John Hussey[11]
- 1509–1519: Sir Edward Poynings[11]
- Sir Thomas Parr[8]
- 1519–1521: Sir Thomas Boleyn[11]
- 1521–1532: Sir Henry Guildford[11]
- 1532–1537: Sir William Paulet[11]
- 1537–1539: Sir John Russell[11]
- 1539–1540: Sir William Kingston[11]
- 1540–1547: Sir John Gage[11]
- 1547–1550: Sir William Paget[11]
- 1550–1552: Sir Richard Wingfield[11]
- 1552–1553: Sir Richard Cotton[11]
- 1553–1557: Sir Robert Rochester[11]
- 1557–1558: Sir Thomas Cornwallis[11]
- 1558–1559: Sir Thomas Parry[11]
- 1559–1568: Sir Edward Rogers[11]
- 1568: Anthony Crane[12]
- 1568–1570: vacant
- 1570–1590: Sir James Croft[11]
- 1590–1596: vacant
- 1596–1602: William Knollys, 1st Earl of Banbury[11][12]
17th century
- 1602–1604: Sir Edward Wotton[12]
- c1604: William Pitt
- 1616–1618: Sir Thomas Edmonds[11][13]
- 1618–1622: Sir Henry Cary (so created 1620)[11]
- 1622–1627: Sir John Suckling[11]
- 1627–1629: Sir John Savile,[11] created a baron in 1628.
- 1629–1639: Henry Vane the Elder[11]
- 1639–1641: Sir Thomas Jermyn[11]
- 1641–1643: Sir Peter Wyche[11]
- 1643–1646: Christopher Hatton, 1st Baron Hatton[11]
- 1660–1662: Sir Charles Berkeley
- 1662–1666: Sir Hugh Pollard, 2nd Baronet
- 1666–1668: Sir Thomas Clifford
- 1668–1672: Francis Newport, 2nd Baron Newport
- 1672–1687: William Maynard, 2nd Baron Maynard
- 1687–1688: Henry Waldegrave, 1st Baron Waldegrave
- 1689–1702: Thomas Wharton, 5th Baron Wharton
18th century
- 1702–1704: Sir Edward Seymour, Bt
- 1704–1708: Sir Thomas Mansell, Bt
- 1708: The Earl of Cholmondeley
- 1708–1709: Sir Thomas Felton, Bt
- 1709–1711: Sir John Holland, Bt
- 1711–1712: The Lord Lansdowne
- 1713–1714: Sir John Stonhouse, Bt
- 1714–1720: Hugh Boscawen
- 1720–1725: Paul Methuen
- 1725–1730: Lord Finch
- 1730–1754: Sir Conyers Darcy
- 1754–1756: The Earl of Hillsborough
- 1756: Lord Hobart
- 1756–1761: The Lord Edgcumbe
- 1761: The Earl of Powis
- 1761–1762: Lord George Cavendish
- 1762–1763: Humphry Morice
- 1763–1765: Lord Charles Spencer
- 1765–1774: Thomas Pelham
- 1774–1777: Sir William Meredith, Bt
- 1777–1779: The Lord Onslow
- 1779–1782: Sir Richard Worsley, Bt
- 1782–1784: The Earl Ludlow
- 1784–1787: The Viscount Galway
- 1787–1790: Hon. John Villiers
- 1790–1791: Hon. Dudley Ryder
- 1791–1797: The Earl of Macclesfield
- 1797–1804: Lord Charles Somerset
19th century
- 1804–1812: Lord George Thynne
- 1812–1830: Lord George Beresford
- 1830–1834: Lord Robert Grosvenor
- 1834–1835: Hon. Henry Lowry-Corry
- 1835–1841: Hon. George Byng
- 1841: Lord Marcus Hill
- 1841–1846: Hon. George Dawson-Damer
- 1846–1847: Lord Marcus Hill
- 1847–1851: Hon. William Lascelles
- 1851–1852: Earl of Mulgrave
- 1852: Hon. George Weld-Forester
- 1853–1856: Viscount Drumlanrig
- 1856–1858: Viscount Castlerosse
- 1858–1859: Hon. George Weld-Forester
- 1859–1866: Lord Proby
- 1866–1868: Viscount Royston
- 1868–1874: Lord Otho FitzGerald
- 1874–1879: Lord Henry Somerset
- 1879–1880: Earl of Yarmouth
- 1880–1885: The Lord Kensington
- 1885–1886: Lord Arthur Hill
- 1886: Edward Marjoribanks
- 1886–1892: Lord Arthur Hill
- 1892–1895: George Leveson-Gower
- 1895–1898: Lord Arthur Hill
- 1898–1905: The Viscount Valentia
20th century
- 1905–1909: Master of Elibank
- 1909–1912: The Earl of Liverpool
- 1912–1915: The Lord Saye and Sele
- 1915–1916: Charles Henry Roberts
- 1916–1919: Sir Edwin Cornwall
- 1919–1921: George Frederick Stanley
- 1921–1924: Harry Barnston
- 1924: John Allen Parkinson
- 1924–1928: Sir Harry Barnston
- 1928–1929: Sir William Cope
- 1929–1931: Thomas Henderson
- 1931: Goronwy Owen
- 1931–1932: Walter Rea
- 1932–1935: Sir Frederick Penny, Bt
- 1935: Sir Victor Warrender, Bt
- 1935: George Bowyer
- 1935–1937: Sir Lambert Ward
- 1937: Sir George Frederick Davies
- 1937–1939: Charles Waterhouse
- 1939–1940: Charles Kerr
- 1940–1942: William Whiteley
- 1942–1945: William John
- 1945: George Mathers
- 1945: Leslie Pym
- 1945–1946: Arthur Pearson
- 1946: Michael Stewart
- 1946–1951: Frank Collindridge
- 1951–1954: Roger Conant
- 1954–1955: Tam Galbraith
- 1955–1957: Hendrie Oakshott
- 1957–1958: Gerald Wills
- 1958–1959: Edward Wakefield
- 1959–1961: Harwood Harrison
- 1961–1964: Robin Chichester-Clark
- 1964–1966: Charles Grey
- 1966–1967: William Whitlock
- 1967–1968: William Howie
- 1968–1970: Ioan Evans
- 1970: Walter Elliot
- 1970–1972: Reginald Eyre
- 1972–1973: Bernard Weatherill
- 1973–1974: Walter Clegg
- 1974–1978: Joseph Harper
- 1978–1979: James Hamilton
- 1979–1981: Spencer le Marchant
- 1981–1983: Anthony Berry
- 1983–1986: Carol Mather
- 1986–1988: Robert Boscawen
- 1988–1989: Tristan Garel-Jones
- 1989–1990: Alastair Goodlad
- 1990: Sir George Young, 6th Baronet
- 1990–1995: David Lightbown
- 1995–1997: Timothy Wood
- 1997–2008: Tommy McAvoy
21st century
- 2008–2010: John Spellar
- 2010–2013: Alistair Carmichael
- 2013–2015: Don Foster
- 2015–2016: Gavin Barwell[2]
- 2016–2017: Mel Stride
- 2017: Christopher Pincher
- 2018: Christopher Heaton-Harris
- 2018–2019: Mark Spencer
- 2019: Jeremy Quin
- 2019–2021: Mike Freer
- 2021–2022: Marcus Jones[14][15]
- 2022–present: Rebecca Harris
Notes
External links
- Comptroller Etymology OnLine
- Database of Court Officers Loyola University Chicago
- Whips from 1970 Archived 19 February 2006 at the Wayback Machine Political Science Resources