Private Secretary to the Sovereign Totally Explained

Everything about The Private Secretary To The Sovereign totally explained

The Private Secretary to the Sovereign is the senior operational member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, as distinct from the Great Officers of the Household. The Private Secretary is the principal channel of communication with the Governments of the United Kingdom and the fifteen other Realms. He also has responsibility for the official programme and correspondence of the Sovereign. Through these roles the position wields considerable influence. The office of Private Secretary was first established in 1805. The current Private Secretary is The Rt. Hon. Christopher Geidt, CVO OBE.
Functions and history
The principal functions of the office are as follows. First, he acts as a channel of communications between the Sovereign and his or her Government, and advises on any constitutional, political or governmental questions. Secondly he organises the official programme of the Sovereign, advising on its elements, ensuring the acceptability of these to the interests of both the Sovereign and the Government. These duties including drafting speeches, maintaining liaison with other Households, the Royal Train, The Queen's Helicopter, No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron RAF, and the armed forces — the latter through the Defence Services Secretary. Thirdly he deals with the Sovereign's official correspondence from members of the public, including congratulatory messages, the Press Office, the Court Circular, private papers, the Royal Archives, and the Buckingham Palace website.
   A new addition to the Private Secretary's Office is the Director for Security Liaison, currently Brigadier Jeffrey Cook, OBE MC, appointed 2004. The Private Secretary has general oversight of security, though the Master of the Household is also involved, and the Keeper of the Privy Purse has responsibility for the ceremonial bodyguards, such as the Gentlemen at Arms and the Yeomen of the Guard.
   The office of Private Secretary is comparatively new, with the first acknowledged Private Secretary being Colonel Herbert Taylor, appointed in 1805 — though the office was only officially established in 1867. Constitutionally there was some opposition on the part of Ministers to the creation of an office which might grow to have considerable influence upon the Sovereign. However, it was soon realised that the Sovereign was in need of secretarial support, since his Ministers had ceased to provide daily advice and support with the growth of ministerial government. Queen Victoria didn't have a Private Secretary until she appointed General the Honourable Sir Charles Grey to the office in 1861, since her husband Albert, the Prince Consort, had been effectively her secretary.
   The present position is that the Private Secretary, though being a rather prosaic title, wields considerable influence. The office is regarded as equivalent to that of the permanent secretary of a government department, and the incumbent is always made a Privy Counsellor on appointment, and normally receives a peerage on retirement. The current Private Secretary is the Rt Hon Christopher Geidt, CVO OBE, who succeeded Sir Robin Janvrin in September 2007.
   The Private Secretary is head of one of the operational divisions of the Royal Household. Others are headed by the Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the Queen, the Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain's Office, the Crown Equerry, the Director of the Royal Collection, and the Master of the Household. Control is exercised by the part-time Lord Chamberlain, though the Master of the Horse is nominally in charge of the Royal Mews — the responsibility of the Crown Equerry — and the Lord Steward responsibility for the Master of the Household's Department. Other units of the Royal Household include the Royal Almonry, the Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, and the Ecclesiastical Household and Medical Household. In some respects, however, these are co-ordinated by the Private Secretary, who has direct control of the Press Office, the Queen's Archives, and the office of the Defence Services Secretary.
Private Secretaries to the Sovereign (1805 – )

The Rt Hon Christopher Geidt, CVO OBE 2007 – present
The Rt Hon Sir Robin Janvrin, GCB GCVO 1999 – 2007 (later Lord Janvrin)
The Rt Hon Sir Robert Fellowes, GCB GCVO 1990 – 99 (later Lord Fellowes)
The Rt Hon Sir William Heseltine, GCB GCVO AC 1986 – 1990
The Rt Hon Sir Philip Moore, GCB GCVO CMG 1977 – 1986 (later Lord Moore of Wolvercote)
Lieutenant-Colonel the Rt Hon Sir Martin Charteris, GCB GCVO OBE 1972 – 1977 (later Lord Charteris of Amisfield)
Lieutenant-Colonel the Rt Hon Sir Michael Adeane, GCB GCVO 1953 – 1972 (later Lord Adeane)
Captain the Rt Hon Sir Alan Lascelles, GCB GCVO CMG MC 1943 – 1953
Major the Rt Hon Sir Alexander Hardinge, GCVO KCB MC 1936 – 1943
Colonel the Rt Hon Sir Clive Wigram, GCB GCVO CSI 1931 – 1936 (later Lord Wigram)
Lieutenant-Colonel the Rt Hon Lord Stamfordham, GCB GCVO GCIE KCSI KCMG ISO 1910 – 1931
The Rt Hon Lord Knollys, GCB GCVO KCMG ISO 1901 – 1913
Lieutenant-Colonel the Rt Hon Sir Arthur Bigge, KCB CMG 1895 – 1901 (later Lord Stamfordham)
Major-General the Rt Hon Sir Henry Ponsonby, GCB 1870 – 1895
General the Hon Sir Charles Grey, 1861 – 1870
HRH Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, 1840 – 1861 (unofficial)
Lieutenant-General Sir Herbert Taylor, GCB GCH 1830 – 1837
Sir William Knighton, Bt, MD 1822 – 1830
Lieutenant-General Sir Benjamin Bloomfield, GCB 1817 – 1822
Colonel the Rt Hon Sir John McMahon, Bt 1811 – 1817
Colonel Herbert Taylor, 1805 – 1811

Deputy Private Secretaries to the Sovereign (1972 – )

Mr Edward Young, 2007 – present
Mr Christopher Geidt, CVO, OBE 2005 – 2007
Mrs Mary Francis, LVO February – June 1999
Sir Robin Janvrin, KCVO CB 1996 – 1999
Sir Kenneth Scott, KCVO CMG 1990 – 1996
Sir Robert Fellowes, KCVO CB 1986 – 1990
Sir William Heseltine, KCVO CB 1977 – 1986
Sir Philip Moore, KCVO CB CMG 1972 – 1977
Assistant Private Secretaries to the Sovereign (1878 – )

Mr Douglas King, 2007 – present
Mr Edward Young, 2004 – 2007
Mr Christopher Geidt, OBE 2002 – 2005
Mr Stuart Shilson, LVO 2001 – 2004
Mrs Kay Brock, LVO 1999 – 2002
Mr Tim Hitchens, LVO 1999 – 2002
Mrs Mary Francis, 1996 – 1999
Mr Robin Janvrin, CVO 1990 – 1995
Sir Kenneth Scott, KCVO CMG 1985 – 1990
Mr Robert Fellowes, LVO 1977 – 1985
Mr William Heseltine, CVO 1972 – 1977
Mr Philip Moore, CMG 1966 – 1972
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Martin Charteris, KCVO CB OBE 1952 – 1972
Sir Edward Ford, GCVO KCB ERD DL 1946 – 1967
Sir Eric Mieville, KCIE KCVO CSI CMG 1937 – 1945
Major Sir Michael Adeane, KCVO CB 1936 – 1953
Sir Godfrey Thomas, Bt KCVO CSI 1936
Sir Alan Lascelles, KCVO CB CMG 1935 – 1943
Sir Frank Mitchell, KCVO CBE 1931 – 1937
Major the Hon Sir Alexander Hardinge, CB CVO MC 1920 – 1936
The Earl of Cromer, 1916 – 1920
Colonel Sir Clive Wigram, KCVO CB CSI 1910 – 1931
Colonel Sir Arthur Davidson, KCB KCVO 1901 – 1910
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Frederick Ponsonby, KCB KCVO 1895 – 1914
Colonel Sir Arthur Bigge, KCB 1880 – 1895
Lieutenant-Colonel the Rt Hon Sir Fleetwood Edwards, KCB 1878 – 1895Further Information
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