History & Duties

History of the Office of Lord Lieutenant

The Office of Lord Lieutenant is military in origin and can be said to date from the reign of Henry VIII when its holder took over responsibility for the maintenance of order and for all military measures necessary for local defence. By 1569 provision was made for the appointment of deputies.

The Regulation of the Forces Act 1871 removed the Militia from the Lord Lieutenant’s direct control but it was not until 1921 that Lord Lieutenants finally lost the power to call on all able-bodied men of a county to fight in case of need.

The traditional links with the armed forces have been preserved in a modern form in the association of the Office of Lord Lieutenant with the Volunteer Reserve Forces and with other uniformed organisations such as the Police, Fire and Ambulance Services and many voluntary bodies such as the Red Cross, the Cadet Forces and other national and local Youth organisations

In recent years the sphere within which the Lord Lieutenant’s leadership role is exercised has come to include a wide range of matters, civil and defence, professional and voluntary. Lord Lieutenants are effective in such work largely because of their links to the Crown and the essentially voluntary and apolitical nature of their role.

From the earliest days the Office of Lord Lieutenant has been closely associated with the Magistracy and until the nineteenth century the Lord Lieutenant was appointed Clerk of the Peace.

Since at least the eighteenth century a military-style uniform has been worn by male Lieutenants (appropriate to the military origins of the post).

The office is unpaid and the age of retirement is 75.

Lord Lieutenant Gwent Brigadier Robert Aitken CBE

The Lord-Lieutenant will be interested in all aspects of life within the County – both voluntary and statutory as well as business, social and cultural including nominations for the National Honours List.

Lord-Lieutenants are required to appoint Deputy Lieutenants within an establishment that varies according to the population of a county. They are appointed by the Lord-Lieutenant, subject only to Her Majesty not disapproving the Commission. The letters ‘DL’ appear after their names. The Vice Lord-Lieutenant is appointed by the Lord -Lieutenant from among the Deputies.

The traditional links with the military have been preserved in the modern form in the association of the Lord-Lieutenant with the Territorial Army and other reserve forces. In recent years, the links between Lord-Lieutenants and the uniformed organisations have also led to support being given to a wide spectrum of voluntary groups.

From the earliest days the Lord-Lieutenant has also been closely associated with the Magistracy, and until the nineteenth century he was appointed the Clerk of the Peace. Today the Lord-Lieutenant usually holds the office of Keeper of the Rolls.

Etiquette and Protocol

The purpose of the protocol is not to add unnecessary formality but to reduce confusion and ensure people feel comfortable. The Lord- Lieutenant represents Her Majesty The Queen. When the Lord- Lieutenant is attending an event in his official capacity in Gwent, he should be received with the same degree of etiquette and protocol as any member if the Royal Family.

Where the Lord Lieutenant is unable to attend and he is represented by his Vice Lord–Lieutenant or a Deputy Lieutenant, the same etiquette and protocol must be followed.

Addressing the Lord Lieutenant

The correct form of address for the Lord-Lieutenant is as follows:

• Written: Brigadier Aitken, Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Gwent
• Salutation: Dear Lord- Lieutenant
• In a Speech: In the preamble the Lord-Lieutenant should be referred to as ‘Lord-Lieutenant. A speech might begin ‘Lord-Lieutenant, Ladies and Gentleman….’
• Conversation: Brigadier Aitken should be initially addressed as ‘Lord- Lieutenant’ and thereafter as Brigadier Aitken / Sir.

If the Lord- Lieutenant is represented by his Vice Lord-Lieutenant or a Deputy Lieutenant, the above should be adapted accordingly i.e. ‘Dear Vice Lord-Lieutenant/ Deputy Lord-Lieutenant

If hosts have any queries or questions in relation to the etiquette and protocols for a visit by the Lord-Lieutenant they should contact the Lord-Lieutenants Office

Parking

A space should be reserved for his car as close as possible to the entrance when the Lord- Lieutenant is attending an event in uniform.

Escort

The Lord Lieutenant should be met on arrival by the host and escorted from the entrance door to his seat

Seating

In a church the Lord-Lieutenant should be in a front pew on the left in the first seat adjacent to the aisle (the Mayor if present should be ditto on the right).

For funerals if the family is on the left the Lord- Lieutenant sits on the right side at the front and on the aisle edge.

At other functions the Lord- Lieutenant should be seated in the same place as you would seat a member of the Royal Family: Simply as the principal guest.

Church services

At funerals, the Lord- Lieutenant or his representative (unless attending in a personal rather than official capacity) always enters the church last (2 minutes before the start of the service and before the coffin), and always leaves straight after the family.

For other church services, the Lord- Lieutenant or his representative enters last (after the Mayor but before the clergy/choir) and leaves first (before the Mayor but after the clergy/choir).

Lord-Lieutenant`s spouse, if attending, should be seated next to the Lord-Lieutenant, and enter & depart with him.

HISTORY

Past Lord Lieutenants

PAST LORD LIEUTENANTS OF GWENT (FORMALLY MONMOUTHSHIRE)

2016 – BRIGADIER ROBERT AITKEN

Brigadier Robert Aitken
24 March 2016

2016

2001

2001 – SIR SIMON BOYLE

Sir Simon Boyle
22 October 2001 – 23 March 2016

1979 – SIR RICHARD HANBURY-TENISON

Sir Richard Hanbury-Tenison, of Clytha Park
25 June 1979 – 22 October 2001

1979

1974

1974 – COL. EDWARD RODERICK HILL

Col. Edward Roderick Hill
1 April 1974 – 24th June 1979

1965 – EDWARD RODERICK HILL

Edward Roderick Hill 15 February
1965 – 31 March 1974

1965

1942

1942 – FITZROY SOMERSET

FitzRoy Somerset, 4th Baron Raglan
27 April 1942 – 14 September 1964

1934 – SIR HENRY MATHER-JACKSON

Sir Henry Mather-Jackson, 3rd Baronet
1 June 1934 – 23 March 1942

1934

1933

1933 – COURTENAY MORGAN

Courtenay Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar
4 December 1933 – 3 May 1934

1913 – IVOR HERBERT

Ivor Herbert, 1st Baron Treowen
4 April 1913 – 18 October 1933

1913

1899

1899 – GODFREY MORGAN

Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar
23 June 1899 – 11 March 1913

1867 – HENRY SOMERSET

Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort
21 May 1867 – 30 April 1899

1867

1861

1861 – BENJAMIN HALL

Benjamin Hall, 1st Baron Llanover
9 November 1861 – 27 April 1867

1835 – CAPEL HANBURY LEIGH

Capel Hanbury Leigh
24 December 1835 – 28 September 1861

1835

1803

1803 – HENRY SOMERSET

Henry Somerset, 6th Duke of Beaufort
4 November 1803 – 2 December 1835

1771 – HENRY SOMERSET

Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort
23 December 1771 – 11 October 1803

1771

1770

1770 – THOMAS MORGAN

Thomas Morgan
27 January 1770 – 15 May 1771

1731 – THOMAS MORGAN

Thomas Morgan
18 June 1731 – 12 April 1769

1731

1720

1720 – SIR WILLIAM MORGAN

Sir William Morgan
21 June 1720 – 24 April 1731

1715 – JOHN MORGAN

John Morgan
7 October 1715 – 7 March 1720

1715

1694

1694 – THOMAS HERBERT

Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke
11 May 1694 – 7 October 1715

1689 – CHARLES GERARD

Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield
22 March 1689 – 7 January 1694

1689

1660

1660 – HENRY SOMERSET

Henry Somerset, 1st Duke of Beaufort
30 July 1660 – 22 March 1689

1631 – JOHN EGERTON

John Egerton, 1st Earl of Bridgewater
11 July 1631 – 1642

1631

1630

1630 – WILLIAM COMPTON

William Compton, 1st Earl of Northampton
9 May 1629 – 24 June 1630

1626 – HENRY SOMERSET

Henry Somerset, 5th Earl of Worcester
3 December 1626 – 9 May 1629
Position held jointly with Edward Somerset

1626

1602

1602 – EDWARD SOMERSET

Edward Somerset, 4th Earl of Worcester
17 July 1602 – 3 March 1628
Position held jointly with Henry Somerset

1587 – HENRY HERBERT

Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
24 February 1587 – 19 January 1601

1587