{{Short description|Office within the royal household of the United Kingdom}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} The '''Royal Almonry''' is a small office within the Royal Households of the United Kingdom, headed by the '''Lord High Almoner''', an office dating from 1103. The almoner is responsible for distributing alms to the poor.
The Lord High Almoner is usually a diocesan bishop or high cleric of the Church of England.<ref name=johninge/> There is also an hereditary Grand Almoner, an office dating from 1685 and vested in the person of the Marquess of Exeter, but this is not an office of the Royal Almonry and he has no role to play. The actual work of the office is undertaken by the Sub-Almoner (currently Paul Wright), who is also the Deputy Clerk of the Closet of the Ecclesiastical Household, Sub-Dean of the Chapel Royal, and Domestic Chaplain at Buckingham Palace.
There are in addition a Secretary, and Assistant Secretary, both offices of which are shared with other Royal Household appointments. There are also half a dozen wandsmen.
==Duties== In the 13th century, the Lord High Almoner was responsible for giving alms from the royal household to the poor.<ref name=2024EasternDaily>[https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/24722410.bishop-norwich-given-new-role-king-charles-iii/ Bishop of Norwich given new role by King Charles III], ''Eastern Daily Press'' (November 14, 2024).</ref> Today, the Almonry is responsible for the arrangements for the Royal Maundy service, which is held annually every Maundy Thursday.<ref name=BBCMarmalade>[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-62868113 Bishop remembers unexpected marmalade gift for Queen], BBC News (11 September 2022).</ref> The royal service was traditionally given at Westminster Abbey until the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, when the service rotated among various British cathedrals.<ref name=2024EasternDaily/> The service includes various elements, including the Yeomen of the Guard and six wandsmen who act as ushers.<ref name=2024EasternDaily/><ref name=BBCMarmalade/> At the service, the sovereign traditionally gives purses of coins ("Maundy Money") to a man and a woman for every year of the sovereign's age.<ref name=2024EasternDaily/> If the sovereign is infirm, then he or she may be represented by a different member of the royal family; for example, in 2022, Charles, Prince of Wales represented the 95-year-old Elizabeth at the service.<ref>Charley Adams, [https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61111303 Prince Charles stands in for Queen at Maundy Service], BBC News (14 April 2022).</ref>
Until 1737, the Lord High Almoner personally washed the feet of Maundy recipients.<ref name=2024EasternDaily/>
== Lord High Almoners == {{Expand list|date=February 2011}} ;Henry III (1216) * John Leukenor, Knight Templar <ref name= RH>{{cite web|url=https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/files/17255058/2013farrischdcphd.pdf|title= The Pious Practices of Edward I, 1272-1307|access-date= 26 April 2017}}</ref> *1233: Brother John and Brother Geoffrey (to 1239) <ref>{{cite book|title=Issues of the Exchequer|first=Frederick|last=Devon|page=514}}</ref> *1255–''unknown'': Simon of Offam <ref name= RH/> *1256–''unknown'': John of Colchester <ref name= RH/> *1257: John the Chaplain<ref>{{cite book|title=Issues of the Exchequer|first=Frederick|last=Devon|page=32}}</ref> ;Edward I (1272) * Friar Ralph <ref name= RH/> *c.1280–1307: Master Henry of Blunsdon <ref name= RH/> ;Edward II (1307) * c.1323: Adam de Brome ;Edward III (1327) * c.1340: Philip Weston <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.efm.bris.ac.uk/het/tout/AdminHist04.pdf|title=CHAPTERS IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY OF MEDIAEVAL ENGLAND|access-date= 26 April 2017}}</ref> * Thomas Hatfield (Bishop of Durham, 1345) ;Richard II (1377) * 1383: William Walsham <ref>{{cite book|title=Issues of the Exchequer|first=Frederick|last=Devon|page=223}}</ref> ;Henry IV (1399) *1399: Robert Eslakby <ref>{{cite book|title=Issues of the Exchequer|first=Frederick|last=Devon|page=276}}</ref> *? –1413 Earl of Cambridge<ref name= BA>{{cite book|title=Belle Assemblée: Or, Court and Fashionable Magazine; Containing ..., Volume 3|page=141}}</ref> ;Henry V (1413) * 1413–''unknown'': James Tuchet, 5th Baron Audley<ref name= BA/> ; Henry VI (1422) * 142n–''unknown'': John Snell <ref>{{cite book|title=Issues of the Exchequer| first=Frederick| last=Devon| page=406}}</ref> * ?–1432: John De la Bere (later Bishop of St David's, 1447) <ref name=HVI >{{cite book|title= Henry VI|first= Bertram|last=Wolffe|page=67}}</ref> * 1432–1438: Robert Felton <ref name= HVI/> * 1438–''unknown'': Henry Sever, Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral<ref>{{cite book|title=The Reign of King Henry VI: The Exercise of Royal Authority, 1422-1461|first=Ralph|last=Griffiths|page=302}}</ref> ;Edward IV (1461) * 1461–?1466: Thomas Wilford <ref name= EIV>{{cite book|title=The Household of Edward IV|first= Alec|last=Myers|page= 292}}</ref> * ?1466–1468: Thomas Bonyfaunt <ref name= EIV/> * 1468–1476: John Gunthorpe, Dean of Wells and, until 1478, Archdeacon of Essex<ref name= EIV/> * 1471: Alexander Legh<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/bk15/pp12-15|title=History of St Bride's: Clergy and parishioners in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries|publisher = British History Online|access-date= 26 April 2017}}</ref> * 1476–1483: Thomas Danet <ref name= EIV/> * 1483: Walter Felde <ref name= EIV/> ;Richard III (1483) * 1483-1485 John Taillour <ref name= EIV/> ;Henry VII (1485) * 1485–1495: Christopher Urswick<ref>{{cite book|title=Political Society in Later Medieval England|first=Benjamin|last=Thompson|page=226}}</ref> * 1495-1497: Richard FitzJames * 1497–''unknown'': Richard Mayew, Bishop of Hereford (died 1516)<ref>{{cite book|title=Athenæ Oxonienses an Exact History of All the Writers and Bishops ..., Volume 1|page= 559}}</ref> * ''unknown'': Christopher Bainbridge * 28 January 1507 - 1509: John Ednam (Edenham)<ref>Calendar of Patent Rolls Henry VII</ref> * ''unknown''–1509: Thomas Hobbes, Dean of Exeter.<ref>Starkey, D (2008) Henry: Virtuous Prince, page 365</ref> ;Henry VIII (1509); Edward VI (1547); Mary I (1553) * 1509–1514: Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop of York (etc.) * 1514–''unknown'': Richard Rawlins, Archdeacon of Huntingdon (later Bishop of St David's), 1523) (died 1528) * 1521–''unknown'': John Longland, Bishop of Lincoln (died 1547) * 1523–''unknown'': Edward Lee (later Archbishop of York, 1531) <ref>{{cite web|title=The Dignity and Honour of the Clergy; in an Historical Collection|page=390}}</ref> * 1530–''unknown'': John Stokesley, Bishop of London (died 1539)<ref>{{cite book|title=Athenæ Oxonienses an Exact History of All the Writers and Bishops ..., Volume 1|page= 575}}</ref> *c.1532–1537: Edward Foxe, Bishop of Hereford, 1535 * 1537–>1555: Nicholas Heath, Bishop of Rochester<ref name= CJ>Chronica juridicialia</ref> (died 1578) ;Elizabeth I (1558) * 1559–1561: William Bill, Master of Trinity * 1561–1572: Edmund Guest, Bishop of Rochester. * 1576–''unknown'': John Piers, Bishop of Salisbury, later Archbishop of York. {died 1594) * 29 March 1572 – 1591: Edmund Freke, Bishop of Worcester * 1591–1594: Richard Fletcher, Bishop of Bristol * 1595–''unknown'': Anthony Watson, Bishop of Chichester (died 1605) ;James I (1603) * 1605–''1626'': Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop of Chichester, then of Ely * 1619–''unknown'': George Montaigne (or Mountain), Bishop of London (etc.) (died 1628) ;Charles I (1625) * 1626: Francis White, Bishop of Carlisle, then Bishop of Norwich and Bishop of Ely <ref name= CJ/> (died 1638) * 1632–''unknown'': Walter Curle, Prelate of the Garter and Bishop of Winchester<ref name= CJ/> (died 1647) ;''Commonwealth (1649-1660)'' ;Charles II (1660) * 1660–1662: Brian Duppa, Bishop of Winchester * 1662–1675: Humphrey Henchman, Bishop of Salisbury, then Bishop of London * 1675–1684: John Dolben, Bishop of Rochester ;James II (1685) * 1684–1687: Francis Turner, Bishop of Ely * 1687: John Leyburn, Vicar Apostolic of England * 1687–1689: Cardinal Philip Howard ;William III (1689); Anne (1702) * 1689–1703: William Lloyd, Bishop of St Asaph, then of Lichfield and Coventry, then of Worcester * 1703–1714: John Sharp, Archbishop of York ;George I (1714); George II (1727) * 1714–1715: George Smalridge, Bishop of Bristol * 1715–1716: William Wake, Bishop of Lincoln * 1716–1718: William Nicolson, Bishop of Carlisle * 1718–1723: Richard Willis,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=5638|page=2|date=29 April 1718}}</ref> Bishop of Gloucester * 1723–1743: Lancelot Blackburne,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=6214|page=1|date=5 November 1723}}</ref> Archbishop of York * 1743–1748: Thomas Sherlock, Bishop of Salisbury * 1748–1757: Matthew Hutton, Archbishop of York * 1757–1761: John Gilbert, Archbishop of York ;George III (1760); George IV (1820); William IV (1830); Victoria (1837) * 1761–1777: Robert Hay Drummond, Archbishop of York * 1777–1808: William Markham, Archbishop of York * 1808–1847: Edward Venables-Vernon-Harcourt, Archbishop of York * 1847–1870: Samuel Wilberforce,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=20797|page=4255|date=23 November 1847}}</ref> Bishop of Oxford, then of Winchester * 1870–1882: Gerald Wellesley,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=23620|page=2787|date=31 May 1870}}</ref> Dean of Windsor * 1882–1906: Lord Alwyne Compton,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25168|page=5106|date=17 November 1882}}</ref> Bishop of Ely ;Edward VII (1901); George V (1910) * 1906–1933: Joseph Armitage Robinson,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27914|page=3464|date=18 May 1906}}</ref> Dean of Westminster, then of Wells ;Edward VIII (1936); George VI (1936); Elizabeth II (1952); Charles III (2022) * 1933–1945: Cosmo Gordon Lang, Archbishop of Canterbury<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33978|page=6011|date=15 September 1933}}</ref> * 1946–1953: Edward Woods, Bishop of Lichfield<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=37516|page=1583|date=29 March 1946}}</ref> * 1953–1970: Michael Gresford Jones, Bishop of St Albans<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=39798|page=1443|date=13 March 1953}}</ref> * 1970–1988: David Say, Bishop of Rochester<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=45208|page=10989|date=8 October 1970}}</ref> * 1988–1997: John Taylor, Bishop of St Albans<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=513880|page=7207|date=22 June 1988}}</ref> * 1997–2013: Nigel McCulloch, Bishop of Manchester<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=54807|page=6967|date=16 June 1997}}</ref> * 2013–2024: John Inge, Bishop of Worcester<ref name=johninge>{{London Gazette|issue=60427|page=3313|date=20 February 2013}}</ref> * 2024–present: Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich<ref name=2024EasternDaily>[https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/24722410.bishop-norwich-given-new-role-king-charles-iii/ Bishop of Norwich given new role by King Charles III], ''Eastern Daily Press'' (November 14, 2024).</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=64571|page=23406|date=18 November 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Sources== * {{cite web|url=http://www.manchester.anglican.org/bishop/royal-almoner|title=The Royal Almonry|work=Diocese of Manchester|access-date=28 November 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716071436/http://www.manchester.anglican.org/bishop/royal-almoner|archive-date=16 July 2011}} * {{cite book |last=Bucholz |first=R. O. |year=2006 |chapter=The Chapel Royal: Lord Almoners and Sub-Almoners |chapter-url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=43823 |title=Court Officers, 1660–1837 |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.aspx?pubid=316&page=2&sort=1 |series=Office-Holders in Modern Britain |volume=11 |publisher=British History Online |pages=245–247 |access-date=28 November 2010}}
{{British Monarchy Household}}
Category:1103 establishments in England Category:Anglican ecclesiastical offices Category:Church of England lists Category:Lists of English people Category:Lists of office-holders in the United Kingdom Category:Monarchy of the United Kingdom Category:Almoners