The Royal Almonry is a small office within the

Royal Households of the United Kingdom The Royal Households of the United Kingdom are the collective departments that support members of the British royal family. Many members of the royal family who undertake public duties have separate households. They vary considerably in size, f ...

, headed by the Lord High Almoner, an office dating from 1103. The

almoner An almoner () is a chaplain or church officer who originally was in charge of distributing money to the deserving poor. The title ''almoner'' has to some extent fallen out of use in English, but its equivalents in other languages are often used f ...

is responsible for distributing

alms Alms (, ) are money, food, or other material goods donated to people living in poverty. Providing alms is often considered an act of Charity (practice), charity. The act of providing alms is called almsgiving. Etymology The word ''alms'' come ...

to the poor. The Lord High Almoner is usually a diocesan bishop or high

cleric Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

of the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

. There is also an hereditary Grand Almoner, an office dating from 1685 and vested in the person of the

Marquess of Exeter Marquess of Exeter is a title that has been created twice, once in the peerage of England and once in the peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation came in the peerage of England in 1525 for Henry Courtenay, 2nd Earl of Devon. For mor ...

, 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 The Deputy Clerk of the Closet is the Domestic Chaplain to the Monarch, Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The office was created in 1677. Since 1931, the Deputy Clerk is also the sub-dean of the Chapel Royal (under the Clerk of the Closet). The De ...

of the

Ecclesiastical Household The Ecclesiastical Household is a part of the Royal Household of the sovereign of the United Kingdom. Reflecting the different constitutions of the churches of England and Scotland, there are separate households in each nation. England The Church ...

, Sub-Dean of the

Chapel Royal A chapel royal is an establishment in the British and Canadian royal households serving the spiritual needs of the sovereign and the royal family. Historically, the chapel royal was a body of priests and singers that travelled with the monarc ...

, and Domestic Chaplain at

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...

. 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.Bishop of Norwich given new role by King Charles III
''

Eastern Daily Press The ''Eastern Daily Press'' (''EDP'') is a regional newspaper covering Norfolk, northern parts of Suffolk Suffolk ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Norfolk to the north, the North Sea to ...

'' (November 14, 2024). Today, the Almonry is responsible for the arrangements for the

Royal Maundy Royal Maundy () is a religious service in the Church of England held on Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday. At the service, the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, British monarch or a royal official ceremonially distributes small silver co ...

service, which is held annually every

Maundy Thursday Maundy Thursday, also referred to as Holy Thursday, or Thursday of the Lord's Supper, among other names,The day is also known as Great and Holy Thursday, Holy and Great Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Sheer Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries. is ...

.Bishop remembers unexpected marmalade gift for Queen
BBC News (11 September 2022). The royal service was traditionally given at

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...

until the reign of Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

, when the service rotated among various British cathedrals. The service includes various elements, including the

Yeomen of the Guard The King's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard is a Sovereign's Bodyguard, bodyguard of the British monarch. The List of oldest military units and formations in continuous operation, oldest British military corps still in existence, it was ...

and six wandsmen who act as ushers. 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. 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 Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, a ...

represented the 95-year-old Elizabeth at the service. Until 1737, the Lord High Almoner personally washed the feet of Maundy recipients.

Lord High Almoners

;Henry III (1216) * John Leukenor, Knight Templar *1233: Brother John and Brother Geoffrey (to 1239) *1255–''unknown'': Simon of Offam *1256–''unknown'': John of Colchester *1257: John the Chaplain ;Edward I (1272) * Friar Ralph *c.1280–1307: Master Henry of Blunsdon ;Edward II (1307) * c.1323:

Adam de Brome Adam de Brome (; died 16 June 1332) was an almoner to King Edward II and founder of Oriel College in Oxford, England. De Brome was probably the son of Thomas de Brome, taking his name from Brome near Eye in Suffolk; an inquisition held after t ...

;Edward III (1327) * c.1340: Philip Weston *

Thomas Hatfield Thomas Hatfield or Thomas de Hatfield (died 1381) was Bishop of Durham from 1345 to 1381 under King Edward III. He was one of the last warrior-bishops in England. He was born around 1310, presumably in one of the several British towns named ...

(

Bishop of Durham The bishop of Durham is head of the diocese of Durham in the province of York. The diocese is one of the oldest in England and its bishop is a member of the House of Lords. Paul Butler (bishop), Paul Butler was the most recent bishop of Durham u ...

, 1345) ;Richard II (1377) * 1383: William Walsham ;Henry IV (1399) *1399: Robert Eslakby *? –1413

Earl of Cambridge The title of Earl of Cambridge was created several times in the Peerage of England, and since 1362 the title has been closely associated with the Royal family (see also Duke of Cambridge, Marquess of Cambridge). The first Earl of the fourth cre ...

;Henry V (1413) * 1413–''unknown'': James Tuchet, 5th Baron Audley ; Henry VI (1422) * 142n–''unknown'': John Snell * ?–1432: John De la Bere (later

Bishop of St David's The Bishop of St Davids is the ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of St Davids. The succession of bishops stretches back to Saint David who in the 6th century established his seat in what is today the city of St Davids in ...

, 1447) * 1432–1438: Robert Felton * 1438–''unknown'': Henry Sever,

Chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...

;Edward IV (1461) * 1461–?1466: Thomas Wilford * ?1466–1468: Thomas Bonyfaunt * 1468–1476: John Gunthorpe,

Dean of Wells The Dean of Wells is the head of the Chapter of Wells Cathedral in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The dean's residence is The Dean's Lodging, 25 The Liberty, Wells. List of deans High Medieval *1140–1164: Ivo *1164–1189: ...

and, until 1478,

Archdeacon of Essex The Archdeacon of West Ham is a senior ecclesiastical officer – in charge of the Archdeaconry of West Ham – in the Church of England Diocese of Chelmsford. The current archdeacon is Mike Power (priest), Mike Power. Brief history Historically ...

* 1471: Alexander Legh * 1476–1483: Thomas Danet * 1483: Walter Felde ;Richard III (1483) * 1483-1485 John Taillour ;Henry VII (1485) * 1485–1495: Christopher Urswick * 1495-1497: Richard FitzJames * 1497–''unknown'':

Richard Mayew Richard Mayew (1439/40–1516), also written Mayo, was an English academic, who became Bishop of Hereford (1504 to 1516) and a diplomat for Henry VII of England. Biography Mayew was born in Hungerford, Berkshire, England. He was President of Ma ...

Bishop of Hereford The Bishop of Hereford is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury. Until 1534, the Diocese of Hereford was in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church and two of its bishop ...

(died 1516) * ''unknown'':

Christopher Bainbridge Christopher Bainbridge ( 1462/1464 – 14 July 1514) was an English cardinal. Of Westmorland origins, he was a nephew of Bishop Thomas Langton of Winchester, represented the continuation of Langton's influence and teaching and succeeded him in ...

* 28 January 1507 - 1509: John Ednam (Edenham) * ''unknown''–1509:

Thomas Hobbes Thomas Hobbes ( ; 5 April 1588 – 4 December 1679) was an English philosopher, best known for his 1651 book ''Leviathan (Hobbes book), Leviathan'', in which he expounds an influential formulation of social contract theory. He is considered t ...

Dean of Exeter The Dean of Exeter is the head of the Chapter of Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter, England. The chapter was established by William Briwere, Bishop of Exeter (1224–44) who set up the offices of dean and chancellor of Exeter Cathedr ...

. ;Henry VIII (1509); Edward VI (1547); Mary I (1553) * 1509–1514: Cardinal

Thomas Wolsey Thomas Wolsey ( ; – 29 November 1530) was an English statesman and Catholic cardinal (catholic), cardinal. When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, Wolsey became the king's Lord High Almoner, almoner. Wolsey's affairs prospered and ...

Archbishop of York The archbishop of York is a senior bishop in the Church of England, second only to the archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and the metropolitan bishop of the province of York, which covers the ...

(etc.) * 1514–''unknown'': Richard Rawlins, Archdeacon of Huntingdon (later

), 1523) (died 1528) * 1521–''unknown'':

John Longland John Longland (1473 – 7 May 1547) was an English cleric. He was Dean of Salisbury from 1514 to 1521 and Bishop of Lincoln from 1521 to his death in 1547. Career He was made a Demy at Magdalen College, Oxford in 1491 and became a Fellow. He ...

Bishop of Lincoln The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary (diocesan bishop) of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury. The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of Nort ...

(died 1547) * 1523–''unknown'': Edward Lee (later

, 1531) * 1530–''unknown'':

John Stokesley John Stokesley (8 September 1475 – 8 September 1539) was an English clergyman who was Bishop of London during the reign of Henry VIII. Life Stokesley was born at Collyweston in Northamptonshire, and became a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford ...

Bishop of London The bishop of London is the Ordinary (church officer), ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury. By custom the Bishop is also Dean of the Chapel Royal since 1723. The diocese covers of 17 boroughs o ...

(died 1539) *c.1532–1537:

Edward Foxe Edward Foxe (c. 1496 – 8 May 1538) was an English churchman, Bishop of Hereford. He played a major role in Henry VIII's divorce from Catherine of Aragon, and he assisted in drafting the '' Ten Articles'' of 1536. Early life He was born at ...

, 1535 * 1537–>1555:

Nicholas Heath Nicholas Heath (–1578) was the last Roman Catholic archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor. He previously served as bishop of Worcester. Life Heath was born in London and graduated BA at Oxford in 1519. He then migrated to Christ's Colleg ...

Bishop of Rochester The Bishop of Rochester is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Rochester in the Province of Canterbury. The town of Rochester, Kent, Rochester has the bishop's seat, at the Rochester Cathedral, Cathedral Chur ...

Chronica juridicialia (died 1578) ;Elizabeth I (1558) * 1559–1561: William Bill, Master of Trinity * 1561–1572: Edmund Guest,

. * 1576–''unknown'':

John Piers John Piers (Peirse) (1522/3 – 1594) was Archbishop of York between 1589 and 1594. Previous to that he had been Bishop of Rochester and Bishop of Salisbury. Life He was born at South Hinksey, near Oxford, and was educated at Magdalen Colleg ...

, Bishop of Salisbury, later

. {died 1594) * 29 March 1572 – 1591: Edmund Freke,

Bishop of Worcester The Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary (officer), head of the Church of England Anglican Diocese of Worcester, Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title can be traced back to the foundation of the diocese in the ...

* 1591–1594:

Richard Fletcher Richard Fletcher may refer to: Politicians * Richard Fletcher (American politician) (1788–1869), US Representative from Massachusetts *Richard Fletcher (died 1560), MP for Rye *Richard Fletcher (died c.1607), MP for Derby (UK Parliament constitue ...

, Bishop of Bristol * 1595–''unknown'': Anthony Watson,

Bishop of Chichester The Bishop of Chichester is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers the counties of East Sussex, East and West Sussex. The Episcopal see, see is based in t ...

(died 1605) ;James I (1603) * 1605–''1626'':

Lancelot Andrewes Lancelot Andrewes (155525 September 1626) was an English bishop and scholar, who held high positions in the Church of England during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I. During the latter's reign, Andrewes served successively as Bishop of Chi ...

, then of Ely * 1619–''unknown'': George Montaigne (or Mountain),

(etc.) (died 1628) ;Charles I (1625) * 1626: Francis White,

Bishop of Carlisle The Bishop of Carlisle is the Ordinary (officer), Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Carlisle in the Province of York. The diocese covers the county of Cumbria except for Alston Moor and the former Sedbergh Rural District. The Episcop ...

, then

Bishop of Norwich The Bishop of Norwich is the Ordinary (Catholic Church), ordinary of the Church of England Anglican Diocese of Norwich, Diocese of Norwich in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers most of the county of Norfolk and part of Suffolk. Th ...

and

Bishop of Ely The Bishop of Ely is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Ely in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese roughly covers the county of Cambridgeshire (with the exception of the Soke of Peterborough), together with ...

(died 1638) * 1632–''unknown'': Walter Curle, Prelate of the Garter and

Bishop of Winchester The Bishop of Winchester is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Winchester in the Church of England. The bishop's seat (''cathedra'') is at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. The Bishop of Winchester has always held ''ex officio'' the offic ...

(died 1647) ;''Commonwealth (1649-1660)'' ;Charles II (1660) * 1660–1662:

Brian Duppa Brian Duppa (also spelled Bryan; 10 March 1589 – 26 March 1662) was an English bishop, chaplain to the royal family, Royalist and adviser to Charles I of England. Life He was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford, graduati ...

* 1662–1675:

Humphrey Henchman Humphrey Henchman (1592–1675) was a Church of England clergyman and bishop of London from 1663 to 1675. Biography He was born in Burton Latimer (or possibly nearby Barton Seagrave), Northamptonshire, the son of Thomas Henchman, a skinner, an ...

Bishop of Salisbury The Bishop of Salisbury is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset. The Episcopal see, see is in the Salisbur ...

, then

* 1675–1684:

John Dolben John Dolben (1625-1686) was an English priest and Church of England bishop and archbishop. Life Early life He was the son of William Dolben (died 1631), prebendary of Lincoln and bishop-designate of Gloucester, and Elizabeth Williams, n ...

;James II (1685) * 1684–1687: Francis Turner, Bishop of Ely * 1687:

John Leyburn John Leyburn (1615 – 20 June 1702) was an English Catholic prelate who served as Vicar Apostolic of England from 1685 to 1688 and as Vicar Apostolic of the London District from 1688 to 1702. He was not only a theologian but also a mathematicia ...

Vicar Apostolic of England The Apostolic Vicariate of England (and Wales) was an ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales. It was led by a vicar apostolic (or apostolic vicar) who was a titular bishop. The apostolic vicariate was created ...

* 1687–1689: The Hon Cardinal Philip Howard ;William III (1689); Anne (1702) * 1689–1703: William Lloyd,

Bishop of St Asaph The Bishop of St Asaph heads the Church in Wales diocese of St Asaph. The diocese covers the counties of Conwy county borough, Conwy and Flintshire, Wrexham county borough, the eastern part of Merioneth in Gwynedd and part of northern Powys. The ...

, then of Lichfield and Coventry, then of

Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Engl ...

* 1703–1714: John Sharp, Archbishop of York ;George I (1714); George II (1727) * 1714–1715: George Smalridge, Bishop of Bristol * 1715–1716:

William Wake William Wake (26 January 165724 January 1737) was a minister in the Church of England and Archbishop of Canterbury from 1716 to his death. Life Wake was born in Blandford Forum Blandford Forum ( ) is a market town in Dorset, England, o ...

* 1716–1718:

William Nicolson William Nicolson (1655–1727) was an English churchman, linguist and antiquarian. As a bishop he played a significant part in the House of Lords during the reign of Queen Anne, and left a diary that is an important source for the politics of ...

* 1718–1723: Richard Willis,

Bishop of Gloucester The Bishop of Gloucester is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Gloucester, England, Diocese of Gloucester in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers the Gloucestershire, County of Gloucestershire and part ...

* 1723–1743: Lancelot Blackburne, Archbishop of York * 1743–1748:

Thomas Sherlock Thomas Sherlock (167818 July 1761) was a British divine who served as a Church of England bishop for 33 years. He is also noted in church history as an important contributor to Christian apologetics. Life Born in London, he was the son of the ...

* 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: The Hon

Robert Hay Drummond Robert Hay (10 November 1711 – 10 December 1776), known later as Robert Hay-Drummond of Cromlix and Innerpeffray, was successively Bishop of St Asaph, Bishop of Salisbury, and, from 1761 until his death, Archbishop of York. Origins and bi ...

, Archbishop of York * 1777–1808: William Markham, Archbishop of York * 1808–1847: The Hon

Edward Venables-Vernon-Harcourt Edward Venables-Vernon-Harcourt (10 October 1757 – 5 November 1847) was a Church of England bishop. He was the Bishop of Carlisle from 1791 to 1807 and then the Archbishop of York until his death. He was the third son of the George Venables ...

, Archbishop of York * 1847–1870:

Samuel Wilberforce Samuel Wilberforce, Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS (7 September 1805 – 19 July 1873) was an English bishop in the Church of England, and the third son of William Wilberforce. Known as "Soapy Sam", Wilberforce was one of the greatest public sp ...

, Bishop of Oxford, then of Winchester * 1870–1882: The Hon Gerald Wellesley,

Dean of Windsor The Dean of Windsor is the spiritual head of the Canon (priest), canons of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, England. The dean chairs meetings of the Chapter of Canons as ''primus inter pares''. The post of Dean of Wolverhampton was assimilat ...

* 1882–1906: Lord Alwyne Compton, Bishop of Ely ;Edward VII (1901); George V (1910) * 1906–1933:

Joseph Armitage Robinson Joseph Armitage Robinson (9 January 1858 – 7 May 1933) was a priest in the Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England a ...

Dean of Westminster The Dean of Westminster is the head of the chapter at Westminster Abbey. Due to the abbey's status as a royal peculiar, the dean answers directly to the British monarch (not to the Bishop of London as ordinary, nor to the Archbishop of Canterb ...

, then of Wells ;Edward VIII (1936); George VI (1936); Elizabeth II (1952); Charles III (2022) * 1933–1945:

Cosmo Gordon Lang William Cosmo Gordon Lang, 1st Baron Lang of Lambeth, (31 October 1864 – 5 December 1945) was a Scottish Anglican prelate who served as Archbishop of York (1908–1928) and Archbishop of Canterbury (1928–1942). His elevation to Archbishop ...

, Archbishop of Canterbury * 1946–1953: Edward Woods,

Bishop of Lichfield The Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers 4,516 km2 (1,744 sq. mi.) of the counties of Powys, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and West M ...

* 1953–1970: Michael Gresford Jones,

Bishop of St Albans The Bishop of St Albans is the Ordinary (officer), Ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of St Albans in the Province of Canterbury. The bishop is supported in his work by two suffragan bishops, the Bishop of Hertford and the Bishop o ...

* 1970–1988: David Say, Bishop of Rochester * 1988–1997: John Taylor, Bishop of St Albans * 1997–2013: Nigel McCulloch,

Bishop of Manchester The Bishop of Manchester is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England Anglican Diocese of Manchester, Diocese of Manchester in the Province of York.) The current bishop is David Walker (Bishop of Manchester), David Walker who w ...

* 2013–2024: John Inge,

* 2024–present: Graham Usher,

Bishop of Norwich given new role by King Charles III
''

'' (November 14, 2024).

References

Sources

* * {{British Monarchy Household 1103 establishments in England Anglican ecclesiastical offices Church of England lists Lists of English people Lists of office-holders in the United Kingdom Monarchy of the United Kingdom Almoners