Latest Press Release
A new Household for His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales
6th January 2009
The Queen has graciously agreed to the creation of a joint Household for Prince William and Prince Harry. The Household, which has been created with The Prince of Wales’s support, lays the basis for The Princes’ lives in the future as they progress their public, military and charitable activities.
The Household has offices in St James’s Palace and remains closely linked with The Household of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall at Clarence House. It continues to be funded in exactly the same way as previously. Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, who has been The Princes’ Private Secretary since March 2005, heads The Household.
Sir David Manning, the former British Ambassador to the United States of America, has been appointed by The Queen to a part-time, advisory role with The Princes and The Household.
The staff currently employed in The Office of Prince William and Prince Harry continue in their roles within the new Household. Working with Mr Lowther-Pinkerton are Helen Asprey, Personal Private Secretary, and Miguel Head, Assistant Press Secretary, who has particular responsibility for The Princes within the Clarence House Press Office. Mr Lowther-Pinkerton, Miss Asprey and Mr Head are supported by a small team.
Departments, such as Press Office, Finance, Personnel and Archives remain as a shared resource between The Princes’ Household and Clarence House.
Notes to editors
Royal Households
Royal Households support Members of the Royal Family in their official and private lives. Households primarily comprise Office and support functions, and where a Household is based is not necessarily where the Member of the Royal Family lives. Today’s announcement does not denote a change of Official Residence for Prince William and Prince Harry; their Official Residences remain the same as those of The Prince of Wales.
The new Household will officially be called ‘The Household of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales’.
The other Royal Households currently are:
Household of The Queen
Household of The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Household of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall
Household of The Duke of York
Household of The Earl and Countess of Wessex
Household of The Princess Royal
Household of The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
Household of The Duke of Kent
Household of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent
Household of Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy
In terms of precedence, the Household of Prince William and Prince Harry will fall between the Household of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall and the Household of The Duke of York.
Cyphers
The “W” and “H” cyphers are, respectively, Prince William’s and Prince Harry’s cyphers. The cyphers were designed by the College of Arms, printed by Wren Press, and have been used by The Princes privately for a number of years.
The coronets above each letter denote that they are sons of the Heir Apparent.
Prince William’s cypher, when displayed on its own, is Wren Press Red, which is the same colour as used by The Queen and The Prince of Wales for their cyphers.
Prince Harry’s cypher, when displayed on its own, is Pantone 281 (a blue), which is similar to the blue used by his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales for her cypher.
When displayed together, their cyphers are printed in black.