More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
The Queen has appointed Lady Annabel Colgrain of Ide Hill near Sevenoaks to be Kent's new Lord-Lieutenant.
She replaces Viscount De L’Isle and becomes the first woman to take on the role.
The announcement was made by Prime Minister Boris Johnson today.
Lady Colgrain was among Lord De L'Isle's first four appointments of deputy lieutenants in June, 2012 as part of his attempt to modernise the office.
She spent her early career in current affairs and non-fiction publishing.
Since marrying Alastair Campbell, the 4th Baron Colgrain and moving to Kent in 1979 she has been closely involved in the family's 800-acre farm.
She has been associated with the Citizens Advice for more than 25 years, both as a volunteer in Sevenoaks and working with an inner-city Citizens Advice branch.
She has been the Kent Visitor for the Henry Smith Charity and took over as chairman of the Kent Community Foundation where she was a trustee since 2006.
Lord De L'Isle was appointed on September 1, 2011.
It is the Lord-Lieutenant's job, along with up to 64 deputy lieutenants, to represent the royal family at functions around the county and to act as hosts on visits.
The office dates back to Tudor times and was originally responsible for the county’s defence and maintenance of order.
The role of the Lieutenancy is entirely non-political and unpaid.
Duties include greeting and accompanying royalty and heads of state during official visits, the presentation of honours and awards on behalf of the Crown and participation in Citizenship ceremonies.
They advise on events potentially warranting royal visits, on how residents can put forward others suitable for honours or for invitations to Buckingham Palace garden parties and on anniversaries warranting a message from the Queen.
They also advise on how community organisations can gain recognition in The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service Scheme.
The Viscount De L’Isle was born Philip Sidney in 1945.
He retired from the Army as a Major in 1979 to manage the Penshurst Place Estate and chaired Kent Country Landowners Committee from 1983-85.
He sat in the House of Lords from 1991-1999.
