The principal functions of the office are: • to act as a channel of communication between the sovereign and his or her governments, and to advise the sovereign on constitutional, political or governmental questions; • to organise the official programme of the sovereign, and to ensure its acceptability to both the sovereign and the government; these duties including drafting speeches, maintaining connection with other households, the
Royal Train,
The King's Helicopter,
No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron RAF, and the armed forces – the last through the
Defence Services Secretary; and • to deal with the sovereign's official correspondence (including congratulatory messages), from members of the public,
Royal Communications, and the
Court Circular; and also to deal with the sovereign's private papers, the
Royal Archives, and the monarchy's official website. The position of private secretary is regarded as equivalent to that of the
permanent secretary of a government department. The incumbent is always made a
privy counsellor on appointment, and has customarily received a
peerage upon retirement (a
life peerage since 1972, although a small number have been given hereditary titles). Until 1965, peerages granted to Private Secretaries were hereditary baronies, with the exception of
Lord Knollys, who was created a
viscount in 1911. All private secretaries since the time of
Lord Stamfordham have been created peers, with the exceptions of Sir
Alexander Hardinge (inherited his father's barony in 1944), Sir
Alan Lascelles (declined as he felt titles to be a show of self-importance) and Sir
William Heseltine (who is an Australian). Private secretaries to the sovereign are always knighted, typically in the
Order of the Bath or the
Royal Victorian Order, or both. The same is often true for principal private secretaries to other members of the
Royal Household, such as
William, Prince of Wales. The private secretary is head of only one of the several operational divisions of the
Royal Household. However, he or she is involved in co-ordination between various parts of the household, and has direct control over royal communications, the
Royal Archives, and the office of the
Defence Services Secretary. There are 57 people employed in the office of the monarch's private secretary.
Liaison with the government The private secretary is responsible for liaising with the
Cabinet Secretary, the
Privy Council Office (PCO), and the
Ministry of Justice's
Crown Office in relation to: • appointments that are formally made by the sovereign; • the scheduling of the meetings of the
Privy Council; and • the transmission of official documents that need to be signed by the sovereign. The private secretary is, with the Cabinet Secretary and the
Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, part of the "golden triangle" of officials responsible for supporting the
sovereign to appoint a prime minister in the event of a
hung parliament, when it is not immediately clear who can command a majority in the
House of Commons. This is important for ensuring that the sensitive process runs smoothly and that the sovereign is not implicated in political debate or manoeuvres.
Security Reporting to the private secretary is the role of
director for security liaison, which was established following a recommendation of the Security Commission in 2004. The post was first held by Brigadier
Jeffrey Cook, who was in office from 2004 to 2008. The private secretary has general oversight of security policy, though the
master of the household is also involved, and the
keeper of the Privy Purse has responsibility for the ceremonial bodyguards, such as the
gentlemen at arms and the
yeomen of the Guard. ==List of private secretaries to the sovereign since 1805==