Government - The Royal Court

Main purpose of the royal court

• Was important to the Elizabethan decision-making processes

• As here, Elizabeth could seek advice on an individual basis

• Court was part theatre and partly a place for patronage (Crown distributing favours to those seen as loyal)

• Royal court existed wherever the Queen happened to be at a particular time

Main areas of the royal court

• The Presence Chamber

• The Privy Chamber

The Presence Chamber

• A relatively open area to which anyone with the right status or connections might expect to have access

The Privy Chamber

• Was both more private and more important

• Though it was considerably less influential than it had been during the reigns of Tudor kings

• Due to the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber no longer having the rights of access to the monarch

• Admission to the Privy Chamber was carefully guarded

Operation of the court

• Came under the jurisdiction of the Lord Chamberlain

• Elizabeth always appointed a memor of noblility to this post

• Ceremonial aspects of court became increasingly important as her reign progressed

• Elizabeth turned her politicians (i.e Cecil) into courtiers and her courtiers (i.e Earl of Leicester and Sir Christopher Hatton) into politicians