Mistress of the Robes

Tasks

Formerly (as the name implies) responsible for the queen's clothes and jewelry, 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.

In modern times, the Mistress of the Robes is almost always a duchess.

History

During the 17th and 18th centuries role often overlapped with or was retitled as First Lady of the Bedchamber.

In the past, whenever 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 sixty years' reign. Queens dowager have their own Mistresses of the Robes, and in the 18th century Princesses of Wales had one too.

Mistress of the Robes to Mary I, 1553–1558

Mistress of the Robes to Elizabeth I, 1558–1603

Mistress of the Robes to Anne of Denmark, 1603–1619

Mistresses of the Robes to Anne, 1704–1714

Mistresses of the Robes to Caroline of Ansbach, 1714–1737

Mistresses of the Robes to Augusta of Saxe-Gotha 1736–1763

Mistress of the Robes to Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, 1761–1818

Mistress of the Robes to Caroline of Brunswick 1795–1820

Mistress of the Robes to Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, 1830–1837

Mistress of the Robes to Victoria, 1837–1901

Mistress of the Robes to Alexandra of Denmark, 1901–1925

Mistress of the Robes to Mary of Teck, 1910–1953

Mistress of the Robes to Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, 1937–2002

Mistress of the Robes to Elizabeth II, 1953–present