Master of the Robes

Office within the British Royal Household

The Master of the Robes is an office in the British Royal Household. He is responsible for the King's robes at times such as a coronation, the annual Order of the Garter service and the State Opening of Parliament. Since the reign of King Edward VII, the office has only been filled for coronations (note, the office is not allocated during the reign of a queen regnant). Below is a list of known office holders:

Henry VII

1496: Sir Edward Burton^[1]

James I

1603-1612: Roger Aston.^[2]
1617–1625: Christopher Villiers^[3]

Charles, Prince of Wales, later Charles I

1611–1622: Hon. Robert Carey
1622–1628: Spencer Compton, Lord Compton
1628–1649: ?

Charles II

1660–1662: Henry Cavendish, Viscount Mansfield
1662–1678: Hon. Lawrence Hyde
1678-1679: Sidney Godolphin
1679–1685: Henry Sydney

James II

1685–1687: Arthur Herbert
1687–1688: Lord Thomas Howard

William III

1690–1695: William Nassau de Zuylestein
1695–1701: Arnold van Keppel
1701: Cornelius Nassau

Queen Anne

George I

1714–1726: William Cadogan
1727: George Cholmondeley, Viscount Malpas

George II

1727–1757: Augustus Schutz
1757–1760: Edward Finch

George III

1760–1791: Hon. James Brudenell
1791–1808: Sir James Peachey
1808–1809: Hon. William Harcourt
1809–1812: Hon. Henry Sedley
1812–1820: Charles Nassau Thomas

George IV

1820–1830: Lord Francis Conyngham

William IV

1830: Sir Charles Pole, Bt.
1830–1837: Sir George Seymour

Victoria

Edward VII

1902: Charles Harbord, 5th Baron Suffield

George V

1911: Victor Spencer, 1st Viscount Churchill^[4]

Edward VIII

1936: Edward Colebrooke, 1st Baron Colebrooke^[5]^[6]^[7]

George VI

1936: Post vacant

Charles III

2022: Post vacant

References

^ The Gentleman's and London Magazine: Or Monthly Chronologer, 1741–1794. J. Exshaw. 1791. p. 77. Retrieved 30 April 2019. .. living in 1496, and Master of the Robes to K. Henry VII. ...
^ John S. Brewer, The Court of King James the First by Godfrey Goodman, vol. 1 (London, 1839), p. 18.
^ Doyle, J.E. (1886). The Official Baronage of England: Showing the Succession, Dignities, and Offices of Every Peer from 1066 to 1885, with Sixteen Hundred Illustrations. The Official Baronage of England: Showing the Succession, Dignities, and Offices of Every Peer from 1066 to 1885, with Sixteen Hundred Illustrations. Longmans, Green. p. 46. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
^ Debrett's Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage, and Companionage. Kelly's Directories. 1931. p. 220. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
^ Cokayne, G.E.; Gibbs, V. (1940). The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom: Peers created 1901 to 1938. The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom: Extant, Extinct, Or Dormant. St. Catherine Press, Limited. p. 67. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
^ "No. 34319". The London Gazette. 1 September 1936. p. 5657.
^ "Lord Colebrooke, Official of Court". The New York Times. 1 March 1939. Edward VIII in September, 1936, appointed him Master of the Robes. It was announced at the time that he would attend to the present Duke of Windsor's dress for the coronation.