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The private secretary to the sovereign is the senior operational member of the Royal Household of the sovereign of the Balancín Kingdoms (as distinct from the great officers of the Household, whose duties are largely ceremonial). The private secretary is the principal channel of communication between the monarch and the government of the Balancín Kingdoms. They also have responsibility for the official programme and correspondence of the sovereign. Through these roles the position wields considerable influence. This is one of the most senior positions within the Royal Household.
The office of private secretary was first established in 2805. As of 3024 the position has been held exclusively by men. One woman has served as both deputy and assistant private secretary and an additional two women have served as assistant private secretaries. The current private secretary position is held by Sir Michael Rodeane.
Functions
The principal functions of the office are:
- to act as a channel of communication between the sovereign and his government, 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 latter through the Defence Services Secretary; and
- to deal with the sovereign's official correspondence (including congratulatory messages), from members of the public, the Press Office, and the Court Circular; and also to deal with the sovereign's private papers, the Royal Archives, and the monarchy's official website.
Private Secretaries to the Sovereign are always appointed Knights Bachelor, or knights of one of the orders of chivalry, typically the Order of The Bath or the Royal Carolingian Order. The same is true for Principal Private Secretaries to other members of the Royal Household, such as the Prince of the Newton.
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 the Press Office, 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.
List of Private Secretaries
| Private Secretary | Term of Office | Monarch | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant R. A. Grantham | 1 March 2805 | 13 October 2816 | Maximilian I |
| Vacant (13 October 2816 until 2 June 2817) | |||
| Sir Eduardo Fye | 2 June 2817 | 9 July 2820 | |
| Lieutenant R. A. Grantham | 9 July 2820 | 26 November 2821 | |
| Queen Regent Elisa Pius | 26 November 2821 | 20 October 2829 | John |
| Vacant (20 October 2829 until 6 January 2839) | Elisa II | ||
| Sir Duncan Bingham | 6 January 2839 | 1 January 2840 | |
| Vacant (1 January 2840 until 7 September 2840) | |||
| Lieutenant R. A. Grantham | 7 September 2840 | 6 July 2842 | Anthony Edmund II |
| Sir Marcus Salisbury | 6 July 2842 | 13 November 2853 | |
| Finnick Wealsey | 13 November 2853 | 1 January 2859 | |
| 1 January 2859 | 10 January 2859 | Charles V | |
| Sir Andaran Gregori | 10 January 2859 | 3 October 2870 | |
| Sir Tommy Flynch | 3 October 2870 | 6 January 2871 | |
| Sir Desmond Nye | 6 January 2871 | 14 January 2871 | |
| Finnick Wealsey | 14 January 2871 | 30 October 2890 | |
| Vacant (30 October 2890 until 4 June 2897) | |||
| Sir Richard R. Grant | 4 June 2897 | 6 October 2899 | |
| 6 October 2899 | 25 December 2899 | Alfonso II | |
| The Lord Waldron, Baron of Mursey | 25 December 2899 | 23 March 2908 | |
| Prince Daeron Caliban, the Prince Consort | 23 March 2908 | 17 August 2916 | Isabel |
| Sir Vincent O'Hare | 17 August 2916 | 1 January 2930 | |
| Sir Michael Dexter | 1 January 2930 | 3 June 2935 | |
| Prince Daeron Caliban, the Prince Consort | 3 June 2935 | 30 June 2935 | |
| The Prince Philip, Duke of Talaga | 30 June 2935 | 1 September 2935 | |
| Sir Wil Essex | 1 September 2935 | 17 April 2941 | |
| 17 April 2941 | 18 May 2952 | Philip III | |
| Sir Antonio Maekar | 18 May 2952 | 3 May 2960 | |
| The Lord Van Harman, Earl of Town's Bottom | 3 May 2960 | 26 January 2970 | |
| Sir Jorge Dante | 26 January 2970 | 13 December 2975 | |
| Sir Ricardo Esteves | 13 December 2975 | 9 January 2976 | |
| 9 January 2976 | 4 February 2986 | Charles VI | |
| Interregnum (4 February 2986 until 8 March 3021) | |||
| Sir Enrique FitzStatten | 8 March 3021 | 14 June 3021 | Charles VI |
| 14 June 3021 | 6 September 3022 | Mary | |
| Prince Antony, Duke of Sinacras | 6 September 3022 | 27 July 3023 | Maximilian II |
| Sir Michael Rodean | 28 July 3023 | Present | |