An Honorary Chaplain to the King is a member of the clergy within the United Kingdom who, through long and distinguished service, is appointed to minister to the monarch of the United Kingdom. When the reigning monarch is female, Honorary Chaplains are known as Honorary Chaplains to the Queen. As of 2008 there are 33 appointees. They are also known as Honorary Chaplains to the Sovereign.
Honorary Chaplains wear a scarlet cassock and a special bronze badge consisting of the royal cypher and crown within an oval wreath. The badge is worn below medal ribbons or miniature medals during the conduct of religious services on the left side of the scarf by chaplains who wear the scarf and on academic or ordinary clerical dress by other chaplains.
Ten ministers of the Church of Scotland are appointed as Chaplains to the King in Scotland.
The monarch may also, as circumstances dictate, appoint extra chaplains.
Notable chaplains
- Gavin Ashenden, who was an Honorary Chaplain to the Queen from 2008 to 2017; he then resigned from the Church of England in protest and was first made a bishop in the Christian Episcopal Church; he later converted to the Catholic Church
- Rose Hudson-Wilkin, who delivered a prayer at the Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and also served as Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons, and is currently Bishop of Dover
- Mary Levison, who in 1991 became first woman to hold the position of Honorary Chaplain to the Queen in her role as a minister of the Church of Scotland
- Marion Mingins, who was the first Church of England clergywoman to become an Honorary Chaplain to the Queen
- Anna Eltringham, who is bishop of Ripon
See also
Notes
- Crockford's Clerical Directory2008/2009 Lambeth, Church House Publishing ISBN 978-0-7151-1030-0
- "Chapter 7 - Distinguishing Insignia - Royal Air Force" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
- J. Mayo. A History of Ecclesiastical Dress. London: Batsford, 1984. ISBN 0-7134-3764-2
- "Two new Chaplains to the Queen appointed". The Church of Scotland. 9 May 2022.
- "London Gazette". 27 October 1989.
- "Obituary: Rev. Mary Levison, minister of the Church of Scotland". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
- Revd Canon Anna Eltringham appointed as Chaplain to the Queen
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