Coroner of the Queen's Household
Encyclopedia
The Coroner
of the King's/Queen's Household is an officer of the Medical Household
of the Royal Household
of the Sovereign
of the United Kingdom
.
of the Royal Household.
If he empanels a jury
to investigate the death, all members of the jury have to be chosen from among the members of the Royal Household. This has led to some controversy concerning the independence of the jury in the 2006 second inquest into the death
of Diana, Princess of Wales
.
There is usually also a deputy coroner, appointed by the coroner and the Lord Steward.
Section 46 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009
provides for the abolition of the office of Coroner of the Queen's Household.
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
of the King's/Queen's Household is an officer of the Medical Household
Medical Household
The Medical Household is the medical part of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom.It mainly comprises a range of Physicians and Surgeons to the Sovereign and to the Royal Household...
of the Royal Household
Royal Household
A Royal Household in ancient and medieval monarchies formed the basis for the general government of the country as well as providing for the needs of the sovereign and his relations....
of the Sovereign
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
History
The first was appointed in 1887 by virtue of the Coroners Act of that year, section 29; to replace the former Coroner of the Verge. Nowadays, under section 29 of the Coroners Act 1988 his or her function is to investigate the death of anyone whose body is lying "within the limits of any of the Queen's palaces; or within the limits of any other house where Her Majesty is then residing." He is appointed by the Lord StewardLord Steward
The Lord Steward or Lord Steward of the Household, in England, is an important official of the Royal Household. He is always a peer. Until 1924, he was always a member of the Government...
of the Royal Household.
If he empanels a jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
to investigate the death, all members of the jury have to be chosen from among the members of the Royal Household. This has led to some controversy concerning the independence of the jury in the 2006 second inquest into the death
Death of Diana, Princess of Wales
On 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, died as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident in the Pont de l'Alma road tunnel in Paris, France. Her companion, Dodi Fayed, and the driver of the Mercedes-Benz W140, Henri Paul, were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Fayed's...
of Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
.
There is usually also a deputy coroner, appointed by the coroner and the Lord Steward.
Section 46 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009
Coroners and Justice Act 2009
-External links:*, as amended from the National Archives.*, as originally enacted from the National Archives.* to the Coroners and Justice Act 2009....
provides for the abolition of the office of Coroner of the Queen's Household.
List of Coroners of the King's/Queen's Household
- DrDoctor (title)Doctor, as a title, originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb docēre . It has been used as an honored academic title for over a millennium in Europe, where it dates back to the rise of the university. This use spread...
Michael Burgess 2002– - Dr John Burton, CBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
MVO MB BSBachelor of ScienceA Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
MRCSMembership of the Royal College of SurgeonsMRCS is a professional qualification for surgeons in the UK and IrelandIt means Member of the Royal College of Surgeons. In the United Kingdom, doctors who gain this qualification traditionally no longer use the title 'Dr' but start to use the title 'Mr', 'Mrs', 'Miss' or 'Ms'.There are 4 surgical...
LRCP c.1987–2002 - Lieutenant-Colonel Dr G McEwan, MB ChBCHBCHB may refer to:*Centre for the history of the book University of Edinburgh*Centre half-back in Australian rules football*CHB Bank of South Korea*Champion Homes, NASDAQ symbol CHB*Chang Hwa Bank of Taiwan*Children's Hospital Boston*Chronic Hepatitis B...
RAMCRoyal Army Medical CorpsThe Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
c.1984 c.1986 - Dr AG Davies, MB BSBachelor of ScienceA Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
MRCS LRCP 1959–1983 - Dr William Bentley Purchase, CBE MCMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
c.1956 - Lieutenant-Colonel Dr WH McCarthy, MVO DSODistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
MC MRCS LRCP 1934–1955
List of Deputy Coroners
- Baroness Butler-Sloss GBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
PCPrivy councilA privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on... - Dr Michael BurgessMichael BurgessMichael John Clement Burgess OBE is the Coroner of the Queen's Household. He was educated at King's College London. He was appointed deputy coroner in 1991 and was appointed coroner in 2002...
1991–2002 - Lieutenant-Colonel GLB Thurston, DCh FRCP FRCGP MRCS BarristerBarristerA barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
1964–1980 - Derek WheatleyDerek WheatleyDerek Wheatley QC was an English barrister and legal advisor. He is now a novelist.Wheatley was educated at University College, Oxford, going up to Oxford in 1944. He became a barrister and was involved with the case of Isabel Earl, who was tried at the Old Bailey for murder. As a barrister, he...
1959–1964