Mistress of the Robes

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The Mistress of the Robes is the senior lady of the British Royal Household. Formerly (as the name implies) responsible for the Queen's clothes and jewellery, the post now has the responsibility for arranging the rota of attendance of the Ladies in Waiting on the Queen, along with various duties at State ceremonies. When the Queen was a Queen regnant rather than a queen consort, the Mistress of the Robes was a political appointment, changing with the government. However, this has not been the case since the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, and Queen Elizabeth II has only had two Mistresses of the Robes in more than fifty years' reign. Queens dowager have their own Mistresses of the Robes, and in the eighteenth century the Princess of Wales had one too. The Mistress of the Robes is almost always a Duchess.

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[edit] Mistresses of the Robes to Queen Anne, 1704-1714

[edit] Mistresses of the Robes to Caroline, Princess of Wales, later Queen Caroline, 1714-1737

[edit] Mistresses of the Robes to Augusta, Princess of Wales, 1736-1763

[edit] Mistress of the Robes to Queen Charlotte, 1761-1818

  • 1761-1793: Mary, The Duchess of Ancaster and Kesteven (The Dowager Duchess of Ancaster and Kesteven from 1778)
  • 1793-1818: Elizabeth, The Marchioness of Bath (The Dowager Marchioness of Bath from 1796)

[edit] Mistress of the Robes to Queen Adelaide, 1830-1837

  • 1830-1837: Catherine, The Dowager Duchess of Leeds

[edit] Mistress of the Robes to Queen Victoria, 1837-1901

[edit] Mistress of the Robes to Queen Alexandra, 1901-1925

[edit] Mistress of the Robes to Queen Mary, 1910-1953

[edit] Mistress of the Robes to Queen Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, 1937-2002

[edit] Mistress of the Robes to Queen Elizabeth II, 1953-present