Bedchamber

Bedchamber, Lords and Ladies of the. An English king is waited on by twelve Lords of the Bedchamber (under a Groom of the Stole, who attends only on state occasions), and by thirteen grooms of the bedchamber, who perform their functions in turn. During the reign of William IV. the Groom of the Stole received £2,000 a year, each Lord £1,000, and each groom £500. Under a queen these officials are replaced by a Mistress of the Robes (salary £500), nine ordinary and three extra Ladies of the Bedchamber, and nine ordinary and four extra Bedchamber Women (salary £300) All these are members of the highest nobility, and the posts are much sought after. The refusal of the present Queen to allow her Bedchamber Ladies to resign along with the change of Government in 1839 caused Sir R. Peel to refuse to form a Ministry, and led to the return of the defeated Ministry of Lord Melbourne. In 1841, on another change of Government, a similar difficulty was met by the interposition of the Prince Consort, who induced three prominent Whig Ladies of the Bedchamber to resign.