Queen's Messenger
Encyclopedia
The Corps of Queen's Messengers are couriers employed by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
. They hand-carry secret and important documents to British embassies and consulates around the world. Many Queen's Messengers are retired Army
personnel. Messengers generally travel in plain clothes in business class
on scheduled airlines, carrying an official case from which they must not be separated - it may even be chained to their wrist.
The safe passage of diplomatic bag
gage is guaranteed by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations
, and for reasons of state secrecy, the diplomatic bag does not go through normal airport baggage-checks and must not be opened, x-rayed, weighed or otherwise investigated by customs or airline security staff (or anyone else for that matter). The bag is closed with a tamper-proof seal and has its own diplomatic passport. The Queen's Messenger (QM) and his personal luggage however are not covered by special rules, so although the diplomatic bag
, covered by the passport, is not checked, he and his personal luggage go through normal security screening.
The first recorded King's Messenger was John Norman, who was appointed in 1485 by King Richard III
to hand-deliver secret documents for his monarch. During his exile, Charles II
appointed four trusted men to convey messages to Royalist forces in England. As a sign of their authority, the King broke four silver greyhounds from a bowl familiar to royal courtiers, and gave one to each man. A silver greyhound thus became the symbol of the Service. On formal occasions, the Queen's Messengers wear this badge from a ribbon, and on less formal occasions many messengers wear ties with a discreet greyhound pattern while working.
The current number of Messengers is not readily available; a Parliamentary question
in 1995 put the number then at 27.
Modern communications have diminished the role of the Queen's Messengers, but as original documents still need to be conveyed between countries by "safe-hand", their function remains valuable. An undated paper on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
website, apparently from 2005 or perhaps later, gives the number as 15.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
. They hand-carry secret and important documents to British embassies and consulates around the world. Many Queen's Messengers are retired Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
personnel. Messengers generally travel in plain clothes in business class
Business class
Business class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines, known by brand names which vary by airline or rail company. In the airline industry, it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between economy class and first class, but many airlines now...
on scheduled airlines, carrying an official case from which they must not be separated - it may even be chained to their wrist.
The safe passage of diplomatic bag
Diplomatic bag
A diplomatic bag, also known as a diplomatic pouch is a kind of receptacle used by diplomatic missions. The physical concept of a "diplomatic bag" is flexible and therefore can take many forms e.g. an envelope, parcel, large suitcase or shipping container, etc...
gage is guaranteed by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations
The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 is an international treaty that defines a framework for diplomatic relations between independent countries. It specifies the privileges of a diplomatic mission that enable diplomats to perform their function without fear of coercion or...
, and for reasons of state secrecy, the diplomatic bag does not go through normal airport baggage-checks and must not be opened, x-rayed, weighed or otherwise investigated by customs or airline security staff (or anyone else for that matter). The bag is closed with a tamper-proof seal and has its own diplomatic passport. The Queen's Messenger (QM) and his personal luggage however are not covered by special rules, so although the diplomatic bag
Diplomatic bag
A diplomatic bag, also known as a diplomatic pouch is a kind of receptacle used by diplomatic missions. The physical concept of a "diplomatic bag" is flexible and therefore can take many forms e.g. an envelope, parcel, large suitcase or shipping container, etc...
, covered by the passport, is not checked, he and his personal luggage go through normal security screening.
The first recorded King's Messenger was John Norman, who was appointed in 1485 by King Richard III
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
to hand-deliver secret documents for his monarch. During his exile, Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
appointed four trusted men to convey messages to Royalist forces in England. As a sign of their authority, the King broke four silver greyhounds from a bowl familiar to royal courtiers, and gave one to each man. A silver greyhound thus became the symbol of the Service. On formal occasions, the Queen's Messengers wear this badge from a ribbon, and on less formal occasions many messengers wear ties with a discreet greyhound pattern while working.
The current number of Messengers is not readily available; a Parliamentary question
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime minister's questions is a constitutional convention in the United Kingdom that takes place every Wednesday during which the prime minister spends half an hour answering questions from members of parliament...
in 1995 put the number then at 27.
Modern communications have diminished the role of the Queen's Messengers, but as original documents still need to be conveyed between countries by "safe-hand", their function remains valuable. An undated paper on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
website, apparently from 2005 or perhaps later, gives the number as 15.