Counsellor of State

For Counsellor of State in France, see Conseiller d'État.

In the United Kingdom, Counsellors of State are senior members of the British royal family to whom the Monarch, currently Elizabeth II, delegates certain state functions and powers when she is in another Commonwealth realm, abroad or unavailable for other reasons (such as short-term incapacity or sickness). Any two Counsellors of State may preside over Privy Council meetings, sign state documents or receive the credentials of new ambassadors to the United Kingdom.

While the establishment of a Regency carries with it the suspension of the monarch from the personal discharge of the royal functions, when Counsellors of State are appointed, both the Sovereign and the Counsellors can—the Counsellors within the limits of their delegation of authority—discharge the royal functions; so the monarch can give instructions to the Counsellors of State, or even personally discharge a certain royal prerogative, when the Counsellors are in place. The Counsellors of State and Regents always act in the name and on behalf of the Sovereign.

History

The first Counsellors of State were created in 1911 by an Order in Council of George V, and this process was repeated on each occasion of the King's absence or incapacity. The Regency Act 1937 established in law those individuals that could serve as Counsellors of State. The Counsellors of State are the consort of the monarch and the first four people in the line of succession who meet the qualifications. These qualifications are the same as those for a regent: they must be at least 21 years old (except the heir-apparent or presumptive, who need only be 18 years old), they must be domiciled in the United Kingdom, and they must be a British subject. One exception was made for Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother (see below).

Since the passage of the Regency Act 1937, the only person to have been a Counsellor of State while not a queen consort, prince or princess was The Earl of Harewood (although Princess Maud of Fife, who served as a Counsellor of State between 1942 and 1945, styled herself simply Lady Southesk); prior to that the Lord Chancellor, the Lord President of the Council, the Prime Minister and the Archbishop of Canterbury had been appointed to the position by George V.

Current Counsellors of State

Currently, the Counsellors of State are:

• HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
• HRH The Prince of Wales
• HRH The Duke of Cambridge
• HRH Prince Henry of Wales
• HRH The Duke of York

List of Counsellors of State

The following is a list of all the people eligible to have served as a Counsellor of State, since the passage of the Regency Act 1937, in chronological order. Note that this list contains the dates not of when they served, but when they were eligible to serve.

• HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother (1937–1952, 1953–2002)^[1]
• HRH The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (1937–1974)
• HRH The Prince George, Duke of Kent (1937–1942)
• HRH The Princess Mary, Princess Royal (1937–1957)
• HRH Princess Arthur of Connaught (1937–1944)
• His Grace The Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1942–1943) (never served)
• HH Princess Maud, Countess of Southesk (1943–1944)
• The Rt Hon The Earl of Harewood (1944–1951, 1952–1956)
• HRH The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (later Elizabeth II) (1944–1952)
• HRH The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (1951–1985)
• HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (since 1952)
• HRH Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (1956–1965)
• HRH Princess Alexandra of Kent (1957–1962)
• HRH Prince William of Gloucester (1962–1971)
• HRH Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester (1965–1966, 1974–1981)
• HRH The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (since 1966)
• HRH The Princess Anne, Princess Royal (1971–2003)
• HRH The Prince Andrew, Duke of York (since 1981)
• HRH The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (1985–2005)
• HRH Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (since 2003)
• HRH Prince Henry of Wales (since 2005)

See also

• List of state visits made by Queen Elizabeth II
• List of Commonwealth visits made by Queen Elizabeth II
• Regency Acts
• British monarchy
• Regent

References

1. ^ When George VI died, Queen Elizabeth ceased to be queen consort, thus losing her position as Counsellor of State. However, the Regency Act 1953 made a special exception, including Queen Elizabeth as a Counsellor of State.

• Velde, François R. (2004). Regency Acts 1937 to 1953. Retrieved 2005.