Lord Chamberlain's Office
The
Lord Chamberlain's Office is a department within the British
Royal Household. It is presently concerned with matters such as
protocol, state visits,
investitures,
garden parties, the
State Opening of Parliament, royal weddings and funerals. For example, in April 2005 it organised the
wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles.
The Lord Chamberlain's Office had a more significant role in British society prior to 1968, as it was the official
censor for virtually all
theatre performed in Britain. Commercial theatre owners were generally satisfied by the safety this arrangement gave them. So long as they presented only licensed plays they were effectively immune from prosecution for any offence a play might cause.
By the 1960s however, there were many
playwrights and
producers who wished to produce controversial works. Theatre companies such as the
Royal Court Theatre came into open conflict with the Lord Chamberlain's Office. Sometimes they would resort to such measures as declaring themselves private clubs for the performance of certain plays. The Lord Chamberlain's Office technically had jurisdiction over private performances, but had generally avoided getting involved with bona-fide private clubs. The various activist groups didn't actually come up with solid legal loopholes, but the publicity they generated eventually resulted in the abolition of the role of official censor.
Following the passing of the
Theatres Act 1968, regulation of theatre in Britain is now done on a
common law basis.
As the
Lord Chamberlain is a part-time position the day-to-day work of the Office is conducted by the
Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain's Office.
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Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Ford 2006-
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Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Malcolm Ross,
GCVO OBE 1991-2005
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Lieutenant-Colonel George Alston-Roberts-West,
CVO DL 1987-1990
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Lieutenant-Colonel Sir John Johnston,
KCVO MC 1981-1987
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Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Eric Penn,
GCVO OBE MC 1964-1981
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Brigadier Sir Norman Gwatkin,
GCVO DSO 1960-1964
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Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Terence Nugent,
GCVO MC 1936-1960
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Colonel Honourable Sir George Crichton,
GCVO DL 1920-1936
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Brigadier-General Sir Douglas Dawson,
GCVO KCB CMG 1907-1920
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Major-General Sir Arthur Ellis,
GCVO MC 1901-1907
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Sir Spencer Ponsonby-Fane GCB ISO 1857-1901
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Official website
