James Saunders Watson – HM Lord-Lieutenant
of Northamptonshire

 

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Civic and Social

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The Lord-Lieutenant has precedence of a Chairman over a District Council but will wish to extend him every courtesy and to impinge as little as possible on his civic functions.

If the presence of the Lord-Lieutenant is required at a civic ceremony at which the Chairman of a District Council is to arrive in procession, the Chairman’s procession should precede the arrival of the Lord-Lieutenant.

A formal Lieutenancy procession is nowadays rare, but on such occasions the most junior appointed Deputy Lieutenants (irrespective of military or civil qualifications) lead the procession; the Clerk of the Lieutenancy, the Vice Lord-Lieutenant and the Lord-Lieutenant following at the rear, the Lord-Lieutenant coming last.

On leaving the ceremony, the order is reversed. The Lord-Lieutenant, the Vice Lord-Lieutenant and the Clerk of the Lieutenancy lead the procession. The Deputy Lieutenants follow in order of seniority, with the most junior at the rear. The Chairman’s procession follows that of the Lord-Lieutenant. Uniform, or morning dress with top hat, should be worn whenever the Chairman wears robes of office, or when badges and chains are worn.

For further details of precedence please refer to Appendix 2 (Home Office Memorandum as to Precedence 1928) and Appendix 3 (Home Office Memorandum as to Precedence July 1988).

The Lord-Lieutenant and the High Sheriff

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High Sheriffs are appointed by His Majesty the King to represent him in each county in matters relating to the judiciary and the maintenance of law and order.

High Sheriffs play an increasingly active and supportive role within their counties both in relation to the Police and emergency services and in lending encouragement to public sector agencies such as the probation and prison services and to voluntary sector organisations involved in crime reduction and social cohesion. The principal formal duties of High Sheriffs today include attendance at royal visits in the County and support for Her Majesty’s High Court Judges when on Circuit.

The holder of the Office of High Sheriff can be well placed to offer encouragement to those in their county who are engaged in supporting the voluntary sector and those most in need. Many High Sheriffs give their own personal awards to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution in some way. As the Office is independent and non-political, High Sheriffs are able to bring together a wide range of people within the community they serve.

Addressing the Lord-Lieutenant

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The role of the Lord-Lieutenant is to act as the representative of His Majesty the King in the county. As a result, when the Lord-Lieutenant is attending a function in his official capacity, he should be received in the same manner as that of a member of the Royal Family. This protocol extends to the Vice-Lieutenant and Deputy Lieutenants if they are representing the Lord-Lieutenant at an event.

Below is the correct form of address for the Lord-Lieutenant:

In a letter: Dear Lord-Lieutenant
In a speech: Lord-Lieutenant
In a conversation: Lord-Lieutenant initially and then Mr Saunders Watson thereafter

The Lord-Lieutenant’s wife should be addressed as Mrs Saunders Watson . If the Lord-Lieutenant is represented by a Vice Lord-Lieutenant or Deputy Lieutenant at an event, they should be called ‘Vice Lord-Lieutenant’ or ‘Deputy Lieutenant’ initially.

Seating at events

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As the Lord-Lieutenant is His Majesty The King’s representative, when acting in an official capacity at a seated event, the Lord-Lieutenant should be placed in the position of principal guest. This same protocol occurs if attending a church service, with the Lord-Lieutenant the last person to enter the church at the start of the service and the first to leave at the end of the service.

Lieutenancy Engagement Forms

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For all events that the Lord-Lieutenant (or Deputy Lieutenant representing him) has agreed to attend, the event organisers are asked to complete a Lieutenancy Engagement Form at least two weeks ahead of the event and return it to the Lord-Lieutenant’s office at Lord-Lieutenant@westnorthants.gov.uk  This will ensure that the Lord-Lieutenant is given relevant timing and location details and the name of the host who will meet the Lord-Lieutenant on his arrival.