16 Facts About Lord Chamberlain

1.

Over 230 years, the Lord Chamberlain had the power to decide which plays would be granted a licence for performance.

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2.

From 1737 to 1968, this meant that the Lord Chamberlain had the capacity to censor theatre at his pleasure.

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3.

Lord Chamberlain is always sworn of the Privy Council, is usually a peer and before 1782 the post was of Cabinet rank.

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4.

The office dates from the Middle Ages when the King's Chamberlain often acted as the King's spokesman in Council and Parliament.

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5.

The Lord Chamberlain was responsible for the "chamber" or the household "above stairs": that is, the series of rooms used by the Sovereign to receive increasingly select visitors, terminating in the royal bedchamber.

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6.

Lord Chamberlain had authority over the Chapel Royal, and through the reabsorption of the Wardrobe into the Chamber, was responsible for the Office of Works, the Jewel House, and other functions more removed from the Sovereign's person, many of which were reorganized and removed from the Chamberlain's purview in 1782.

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7.

In 1594, the Lord Chamberlain, Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon, founded the Lord Chamberlain's Men, for which William Shakespeare was a part and for whom he wrote most of his plays during his career.

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8.

Historically though, the Lord Chamberlain had been exercising a commanding authority on London's theatre companies under the Royal Prerogative for many decades already.

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9.

Therefore, the fact the Lord Chamberlain still retained censorship authority for the next 200 years gave him uniquely repressive authority during a period where Britain was experiencing "growing political enfranchisement and liberalization".

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10.

In 1909, a Joint Select Committee on Stage Plays was established and recommended that the Lord Chamberlain should continue to act as censor but that it could be lawful to perform plays without a licence from the Lord Chamberlain.

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11.

Those who opposed the termination of this particular duty of the Lord Chamberlain were mostly concerned about how to protect the reputation of the royal family and the government instead of controlling obscenity and blasphemy on stage.

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12.

Lord Chamberlain is the most senior official of the Royal Household and oversees its business, including liaising with the other senior officers of the Household, chairing Heads of Department meetings, and advising in the appointment of senior Household officials.

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13.

The Lord Chamberlain undertakes ceremonial duties and serves as the channel of communication between the Sovereign and the House of Lords.

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14.

Lord Chamberlain's Office is a department of the Royal Household and its day-to-day work is headed by the Comptroller.

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15.

On State and ceremonial occasions, the Lord Chamberlain carries specific symbols that represent his office: a white staff and a key.

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16.

Lord Chamberlain is ex-officio the Chancellor of the Royal Victorian Order, having possession of a Badge corresponding to that office.

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