Lieutenancy of Kent Fact File

• Lord Lieutenants are appointed by the Sovereign on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.

• The Lord Lieutenant represents the Sovereign in the ancient and ceremonial County of Kent, which includes the Kent County Council and Medway Council administrative areas.

• The duties include looking after members of the Royal Family and heads of State when they pay official visits to the County of Kent.



• The Lord Lieutenant chairs the County's Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace and their appointment - and there are more than 800 JPs in Kent.
  
• Lieutenancy duties also include presenting honours on behalf of the Crown, and involvement in the honours system.


• The Lieutenancy maintains close relationships with the Armed Forces, reflecting the ancient office's original responsibility for the maintenance of order and local defence of the County.
  
• The Lord Lieutenant leads the 60 or so influential Deputy Lieutenants County-wide and is increasingly providing the organisation for their individual networks to interlock for the benefit of Kent's varied communities.
  
• The role of the Lieutenancy is entirely non-political. The appointment carries no pay.
  
• Lord Lieutenants do not normally retire until they are 75, which gives the present incumbent until August 2011 in the role!