Lord-Lieutenant of Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale

Lord-Lieutenant of Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale
Office name	Lord-Lieutenant of Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale

Lord-Lieutenant of Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale is the monarch's personal representative in the Scottish Borders area comprising Roxburghshire, Ettrick and Lauderdale, and surrounding districts. The office interfaces with institutions such as Buckingham Palace, the Scottish Government, the Royal Family, and local authorities including the Scottish Borders Council, while interacting with regiments like the Royal Regiment of Scotland, civic bodies such as the Court of Session and the Scottish Parliament, and cultural organisations like the National Trust for Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland and the Royal Horticultural Society.

History

The lieutenancy traces roots to Tudor and Stuart practices under monarchs including Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and James VI, adopting roles analogous to those in counties elsewhere in the United Kingdom such as Yorkshire, Lancashire and Kent. Developments during the Acts of Union 1707, the Jacobite risings including the 1715 and 1745 rebellions, and reforms after the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 reshaped the territorial remit in line with changes affecting regions like Berwickshire and Selkirkshire. The office has intersected with figures from the peerage such as dukes, earls and barons — for example peers in the House of Lords, landed families linked to estates like Bowhill, Floors Castle, Mellerstain and Traquair — and with national personalities including prime ministers across Conservative and Labour administrations, secretaries of state for Scotland, and crown officials at Windsor Castle and Holyrood. Institutional links extend to the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Privy Council, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, and ceremonial networks epitomised by events like coronations, state funerals and jubilees associated with Elizabeth II and Charles III.

Role and Duties

Duties mirror precedents observed in posts connected to the Crown such as Lord-Lieutenantships in Aberdeenshire, Midlothian, Fife and Perthshire. Core functions include arranging royal visits for members of the Royal Family including the monarch and the Duke of Rothesay, presenting honours such as the British Empire Medal and the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, and supporting cadet organisations like the Army Cadet Force, Sea Cadet Corps and Air Training Corps. The office liaises with armed formations such as the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, Corps of Royal Engineers and Territorial Army units, and with emergency services like Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and NHS Scotland. Civic responsibilities align with bodies such as the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, and cultural partners including the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the British Red Cross, and Scouts Scotland.

Appointment and Term

Appointments are made by the monarch on the advice of ministers including the First Minister of Scotland and the Secretary of State for Scotland, reflecting conventions similar to appointments to the Privy Council, the Order of the Thistle, and other ceremonial commissions. Candidates often include retired senior military officers such as generals and admirals, senior judiciary figures like Lords of Session, distinguished civic leaders from city councils including Edinburgh and Glasgow, and holders of honours such as Knights Bachelor, Commanders of the Order of the British Empire, and Companions of Honour. The tenure typically follows patterns observed in commissions such as the Lord Chancellor’s and the Lord President of the Court of Session: service until retirement age or resignation, with occasional reappointments mirroring practice in duchies and royal households like the Duchy of Cornwall and the Royal Household at Buckingham Palace.

List of Lord-Lieutenants

Historically the list of holders has included local magnates with ties to institutions such as the Scottish Land Commission, the National Farmers Union of Scotland, and organisations like the Scottish Civic Trust. Holders have had affiliations with universities including the University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, University of St Andrews, and Heriot-Watt University, and with professional bodies such as the Law Society of Scotland, the Faculty of Advocates, the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. The sequence of incumbents reflects interactions with events including World War I, World War II, the Coronation of Elizabeth II, the devolution referendum of 1997, and the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999.

Deputy Lieutenants and Support

The Lord-Lieutenant is supported by deputy lieutenants drawn from civic society: magistrates connected to sheriff courts, former Members of Parliament from constituencies such as Berwickshire and Selkirk, veterans of regiments like the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, leaders from charities such as Shelter Scotland and Samaritans Scotland, and representatives of faith communities including the Church of Scotland, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Scottish Episcopal Church. The office coordinates with organisations like Volunteer Scotland, the Royal Voluntary Service, local chambers of commerce, VisitScotland, and rural networks tied to Borders Distillery, textile firms in Hawick, and agricultural bodies including the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland.

Ceremonial and Community Involvement

Ceremonial duties involve participation in Remembrance Day services associated with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, civic ceremonies at town halls in Hawick, Galashiels and Kelso, and cultural festivals such as the Common Ridings, the Borders Book Festival, the Melrose Sevens and the Edinburgh International Festival. Community engagement includes patronage of voluntary organisations, award presentations in partnership with the Scottish Thistle Trust, liaison with youth organisations like Scouts Scotland and Girlguiding Scotland, and collaboration with heritage organisations including the National Museums Scotland, the Royal Collection Trust, and Historic Environment Scotland. The post traditionally fosters links with artistic institutions such as the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and local theatre companies, while engaging with economic stakeholders like the Scottish Enterprise network, transport authorities including Transport Scotland, and environmental bodies such as the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Category:Scottish Borders