14 April 2021

Queen welcomes her new Lord Chamberlain

14 April 2021

The Queen has formally welcomed her new Lord Chamberlain to his post as she carried out her second in-person public engagement after the Duke of Edinburgh’s death.

The Queen hosted a ceremony at Windsor Castle for Baron Parker who will oversee Philip’s funeral as part of his role as the most senior official in the royal household.

The official engagement was recorded in the Court Circular, a daily list of the events attended by the Queen and her family.

Lord Parker shows the Queen artefacts relating to MI5's D-Day operations during her visit to the intelligence agency. Victoria Jones/PA Wire (PA Archive)

It said: “The Lord Parker of Minsmere had an audience of the Queen today, kissed hands upon his appointment as Lord Chamberlain and received from Her Majesty the Wand and Insignia of Office and the Badge of Chancellor of the Royal Victorian Order, when the Queen invested him with the Insignia of a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.”

Andrew Parker, Baron Parker of Minsmere, officially took up his new role on April 1, following the Earl Peel’s retirement after more than 14 years in the post.

The Earl Peel had overseen arrangements for the duke’s funeral, known as Operation Forth Bridge, before handing responsibility to his successor just over a week before Philip died peacefully at Windsor Castle.

Baron Parker served as director general of MI5 from April 2013 until last year and hosted a visit by the Queen to the intelligence agency.

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