Lord Seal Keeper

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Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex

The Lord Privy Seal ( Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal , or shortly Lord Privy Seal ) is one of the oldest offices in the English or British government . Originally, the Lord Seal Keeper was responsible for the private royal seal .

The Lord Privy Seal is the fifth among the great officer of state , the great government officials . Only the Lord President of the Council ( President of the Privy Council ), the Lord High Treasurer ( Lord Treasurer ), the Lord High Chancellor ( Lord Chancellor ) and, at the top of the list, the Lord High Steward ( Truchsess ) stand above him .

The Lord Privy Seal is one of the most influential figures in the history of England and the United Kingdom because there was no hierarchy of office in government, so the policy-making minister was not only the First Lord of the Treasury , but also the Lord Privy Seal or who could be the Lord President of the Council . In 1902, Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury , was Prime Minister as Lord Seal Keeper, while Arthur Balfour was First Lord of the Treasury .

Several times the office was also run on commission, i. That is , several commissioners were hired to carry out the official business, which considerably reduced the influence of this position.

Today the Lord Privy Seal will be occupied by the Crown on the proposal of the Prime Minister. Usually the Chairs of the House of Commons or House of Lords assume the post of Lord Privy Seal . Today the office can best be compared to that of a minister with no portfolio.

In addition to the Lord Privy Seal , there was also the office of Lord Keeper of the Great Seal , i.e. the keeper of the public seal - an office that was awarded as an alternative to that of the Lord Chancellor and included similar duties. In medieval France, the office of Gardien du Sceaux was mostly entrusted to the Chancelier de France .

Lords Privy Seal of England 1307–1707

Thomas Boleyn
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley

Lords Privy Seal of Great Britain 1707–1801

Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham

Lords Privy Seal of the United Kingdom 1801-present