The College of Chaplains of the Ecclesiastical Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom is under the Clerk of the Closet, an office dating from 1437. It is normally held by a diocesan bishop, who may however remain in office after leaving his see. The current Clerk is James Newcome, Bishop of Carlisle.
The Clerk of the Closet is responsible for advising the Private Secretary to the Sovereign on the names for candidates to fill vacancies in the Roll of Chaplains to the Sovereign. He presents bishops for homage to the Sovereign, examines any theological books to be presented to the Sovereign, and preaches annually in the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace. He receives a salary of £7 a year.
The Deputy Clerk of the Closet, an office dating from 1677, is the Domestic Chaplain to the Sovereign, and Sub-Dean of the Chapel Royal, and is the sole full-time clerical member of the Household.
Other members of the royal family may also have their own Clerk of the Closet.
James Newcome, Bishop of Carlisle 2014–
Christopher Hill, KCVO, Bishop of Guildford 2005–2014
Jonathan Bailey, KCVO, Bishop of Derby 1997–2005
John Waine, KCVO Bishop of Chelmsford 1989–1997
John Bickersteth, KCVO Bishop of Bath and Wells 1979–1989
Gordon Fallows, KCVO Bishop of Sheffield 1975–1979
Roger Wilson, KCVO Bishop of Chichester 1963–1975
Percy Herbert, KCVO Bishop of Norwich 1942–1963
Cyril Garbett, GCVO Bishop of Winchester 1937–1942
Thomas Banks Strong, GBE Bishop of Oxford 1925–1937
Hubert Murray Burge, Bishop of Oxford 1918–1925
William Boyd-Carpenter, KCVO Bishop of Ripon 1903–1918
Randall Davidson, KCVO Bishop of Rochester 1891–1903
Henry Philpott, Bishop of Worcester 1865–1891
John Graham, Bishop of Chester 1849–1865
Edward Stanley, Bishop of Norwich 1837–1849
Robert James Carr, Bishop of Chichester 1827–1837
George Pelham, Bishop of Exeter 1815–1827
William Jackson, Bishop of Oxford 1813–1815
Richard Hurd, Bishop of Worcester 1781–1808
William Buller 1763–1773 (later Bishop of Exeter)
John Thomas 1757–1763
John Gilbert 1752–1757 later Archbishop of York
Joseph Butler, Bishop of Bristol 1746 – 1752
Henry Egerton, Bishop of Hereford 1737–1746
Charles Trimnell, Bishop of Norwich 1714–1723
Samuel Pratt, Dean of Rochester 1706–1714
James Canaries 1691–92 (representing Scottish Episcopalian Church)
Hon. John Montagu 1695–1702
Thomas Burnet 1691–1695
John Tillotson, Dean of St Paul's 1689–1691
Sir Edward Petre S.J. 1687–1693 (after 1689 in exile with James II)
Thomas Sprat, Bishop of Rochester 1685–1687
Henry Compton, Bishop of London 1675–1681
John Dolben, Dean of Westminster 1664–1675
John Earle, Bishop of Salisbury 1651–1664
Gilbert Sheldon 1646–1651 later Archbishop of Canterbury
Richard Steward 1636–1646 designated Dean of St Paul's
Matthew Wren, Bishop of Hereford 1633–1636
William Juxon, Dean of Worcester 1632–1633
Walter Balcanquhall 1617–1621 (represented the Church of Scotland at the Synod of Dort)
Richard Neile, Archbishop of York 1603–1632
John Rudd 1540s
Geoffrey Wren 1510
Henry Burton, Clerk of the Closet to Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales
William Stanley, Clerk of the Closet to Queen Mary 1689–1694
Lancelot Blackburne, Clerk of the Closet to Caroline of Ansbach
Isaac Maddox, Clerk of the Closet to Caroline of Ansbach 1729–1736
Joseph Butler, Clerk of the Closet to Caroline of Ansbach 1736–37
Francis Ayscough, Clerk of the Closet to Frederick, Prince of Wales 1736–51
Samuel Squire, Clerk of the Closet to the Prince of Wales 1756-
Edward Young, Clerk of the Closet to Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha 1761–1765
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