The Lord Chamberlain holds the most senior officer role in the Royal Household. The current Lord Chamberlain is Andrew Parker, Baron Parker of Minsmere, who was appointed by the Queen in April 2021.
Lord Parker had a 37-year career in the British secret service and served as director general of MI5 for seven years until 2020. The 60-year-old is also a crossbench member of the House of Lords.
He joined the secret service in 1983 after graduating from Cambridge with a degree in natural sciences. The Lord Chamberlain is married with two children, Tatler reports .
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As a Lord Chamberlain, Lord Parker was responsible for supervising every department that offered the Queen advice and assisting communications between the House of Lords and the monarch. His office also manages “elements of The Queen’s programme that involve ceremonial activity or public facing events”, the Royal Family’s website states.
The Lord Chamberlain also carries out the final ceremonial role in the Queen’s funeral, breaking the Wand of Office also known as breaking of the stick. This is the final ceremonial act before Queen Elizabeth II is laid to rest.
What does the Lord Chamberlain’s Office do?
The Royal Family’s website states that the Lord Chamberlain’s Office was “responsible for organising those elements of The Queen’s programme that involve ceremonial activity or public facing events. These range from garden parties and state visits, to royal weddings and the State Opening of Parliament. They handle the Royal Mews, as well as the biannual awarding of honours.”
What does breaking the Wand of Office mean?
Breaking the Wand is traditionally the last ceremonial act before the Head of State is laid to rest. The Lord Chamberlain will snap in two the Wand of Office, which is a thin white staff once used to discipline courtiers, Scotsman reports .
Once the Lord Chamberlain has broken the Wand of Office he lays it on top of the Queen’s coffin. The ceremonial breaking of the Wand of Office signifies the end of the committal service, as the final hymn is played and Queen Elizabeth II is interred at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
The last Wand of Office was broken by a Lord Chamberlain on February 15 1952 as George VI was laid to rest. After a 70-year reign Queen Elizabeth II, his daughter, will be interred in the same way alongside her husband Prince Philip.
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