The Lord Privy Seal (or, more formally, the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal) is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. Originally, its holder was responsible for the monarch's personal (privy) seal (as opposed to the Great Seal of the Realm, which is in the care of the lord chancellor) until the use of such a seal became obsolete. Though one of the oldest offices in European governments, it has no particular function today because the use of a privy seal has been obsolete for centuries; it may be regarded as a traditional sinecure, but today, the holder of the office is invariably given a seat in the Cabinet of the United Kingdom, and is sometimes referred to as a minister without portfolio.
Since the premiership of Clement Attlee, the position of Lord Privy Seal has frequently been combined with that of leader of the House of Lords or leader of the House of Commons. The office of Lord Privy Seal, unlike those of leader of the Lords or Commons, is eligible for a ministerial salary under the Ministerial and Other Salaries Act 1975. The office does not confer membership of the House of Lords, leading to Ernest Bevin's remark on holding this office that he was "neither a Lord, nor a Privy, nor a Seal".
During the reign of Edward I, prior to 1307, the privy seal was kept by the controller of the wardrobe. During the time that the Court of Requests existed, the Lord Privy Seal was its president.
List of Lord Keepers of the Privy Seal
Lord Keepers of the Privy Seal (c. 1307–1714)
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal
|-
! Lord Keeper
! colspan=2 | Term of office
! Monarch<br/>
|-
| William Melton
| 1307
| 1312
! rowspan=10 scope=row style="text-align:center" | Edward II<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| Roger Northburgh
| 1312
| 1316
|-
| Thomas Charlton
| 1316
| 1320
|-
| Robert Baldock<br/>
| 1320
| 1323
|-
| Robert Wodehouse
| 1323
| 1323
|-
| Robert Ayleston
| 1323
| 1324
|-
| William Ayermin
| 1324
| 1325
|-
| Henry de Cliff
| 1325
| 1325
|-
| William Herlaston
| 1325
| 1326
|-
| Robert Wyvil
| 1326
| 1327
|-
| Richard Airmyn
| 1327
| 1328
! scope=row rowspan=19 style="text-align:center" | Edward III<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| Adam de Lymbergh
| 1328
| 1329
|-
| Richard Bury<br/>
| 1329
| 1334
|-
| Robert Ayleston
| 1334
| 1334
|-
| Robert Tawton
| 1334
| 1335
|-
| William de la Zouch
| 1335
| 1337
|-
| Richard Bintworth
| 1337
| 1338
|-
| William Kilsby
| 1338
| 1342
|-
| John de Ufford
| 1342
| 1344
|-
| Thomas Hatfield
| 1344
| 1345
|-
| John Thoresby<br/>
| 1345
| 1347
|-
| Simon Islip<br/>
| 1347
| 1350
|-
| Michael Northburgh<br/>
| 1350
| 1354
|-
| Thomas Bramber
| 1354
| 1355
|-
| John Winwick
| 1355
| 1360
|-
| John Buckingham<br/>
| 1360
| 1363
|-
| William of Wykeham<br/>
| 1363
| 1367
|-
| Peter Lacy
| 1367
| 1371
|-
| Nicholas Carew<br/>
| 1371
| 1377
|-
| John Fordham
| 1377
| 1381
! rowspan=7 scope=row style="text-align:center" | Richard II<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| William Dighton
| 1381
| 1382
|-
| Walter Skirclaw<br/>
| 1382
| 1386
|-
| John Waltham<br/>
| 1386
| 1389
|-
| Edmund Stafford<br/>
| 1389
| 1396
|-
| Guy Mone
| 1396
| 1397
|-
| rowspan=2 | Richard Clifford<br/>
| rowspan=2 | 1397
| rowspan=2 | 1401
|-
! rowspan=4 scope=row style="text-align:center" | Henry IV<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| Thomas Langley
| 1401
| 1405
|-
| Nicholas Bubwith
| 1405
| 1406
|-
| rowspan=2 | John Prophet<br/>
| rowspan=2 | 1406
| rowspan=2 | 1415
|-
! rowspan=5 scope=row style="text-align:center" | Henry V<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| John Wakering<br/>
| 1415
| 1416
|-
| Henry Ware
| 1416
| 1418
|-
| John Kemp<br/>
| 1418
| 1421
|-
| John Stafford
| 1421
| 1422
|-
| William Alnwick<br/>
| 1422
| 1432
! rowspan=8 scope=row style="text-align:center" | Henry VI<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| William Lyndwood<br/>
| 1432
| 1443
|-
| Thomas Beckington<br/>
| 1443
| 1444
|-
| Adam Moleyns<br/>
| 1444
| 1450
|-
| Andrew Holes<br/>
| 1450
| 1452
|-
| Thomas Lisieux<br/>
| 1452
| 1456
|-
| Laurence Booth<br/>
| 1456
| 1460
|-
| rowspan=2 | Robert Stillington<br/>
| rowspan=2 | 1460
| rowspan=2 | 1467
|-
! rowspan=2 scope=row style="text-align:center" | Edward IV<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| Thomas Rotherham<br/>
| 1467
| 1470
|-
| John Hales<br/>
| 1470
| 1471
! scope=row style="text-align:center" | Henry VI<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| Thomas Rotherham<br/>
| 1471
| 1474
! rowspan=2 scope=row style="text-align:center" | Edward IV<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| rowspan=2 | John Russell<br/>
| rowspan=2 | 1474
| rowspan=2 | 1483
|-
! rowspan=2 scope=row style="text-align:center" | Edward V<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| rowspan=2 | John Gunthorpe<br/>
| rowspan=2 | 1483
| rowspan=2 | 1485
|-
! scope=row style="text-align:center" | Richard III<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| Peter Courtenay<br/>
| 1485
| 1487
! rowspan=2 scope=row style="text-align:center" | Henry VII<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| rowspan=2 | Richard Foxe<br/>
| rowspan=2 | 1487
| rowspan=2 | 1516
|-
! rowspan=8 scope=row style="text-align:center" | Henry VIII<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| Thomas Ruthall<br/>
| 1516
| 1523
|-
| Henry Marney<br/>1st Baron Marney
| 1523
| 1523
|-
| Cuthbert Tunstall<br/>
| 1523
| 1530
|-
| Thomas Boleyn<br/>1st Earl of Wiltshire
| 1530
| 1536
|-
| Thomas Cromwell<br/>1st Earl of Essex
| 1536
| 1540
|-
| William FitzWilliam<br/>1st Earl of Southampton
| 1540
| 1542
|-
| rowspan=3 | John Russell<br/>1st Earl of Bedford
| rowspan=3 | 1542
| rowspan=3 | 1555
|-
! scope=row style="text-align:center" | Edward VI<br/>60px<br/>
|-
! rowspan=2 scope=row style="text-align:center" | Mary I<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| William Paget<br/>1st Baron Paget
| 1555
| 1558
|-
| Nicholas Bacon
| 1558
| 1571
! rowspan=7 scope=row style="text-align:center" | Elizabeth I<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| William Cecil<br/>1st Baron Burghley
| 1571
| 1572
|-
| William Howard<br/>1st Baron Howard of Effingham
| 1572
| 1573
|-
| Thomas Smith<br/>
| 1573
| 1576
|-
| Francis Walsingham<br/>
| 1576
| 1590
|-
| William Cecil<br/>1st Baron Burghley
| 1590
| 1598
|-
|rowspan=2 | Robert Cecil<br/>1st Earl of Salisbury
|rowspan=2 | 1598
|rowspan=2 | 1608
|-
! rowspan=4 scope=row style="text-align:center" | James I<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| Henry Howard<br/>1st Earl of Northampton
| 1608
| 1614
|-
| Robert Carr<br/>1st Earl of Somerset
| 1614
| 1616
|-
| Edward Somerset<br/>4th Earl of Worcester
| 1616
| 1625
|-
| John Coke<br/>
| 1625
| 1628
! rowspan=6 scope=row style="text-align:center" | Charles I<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| Robert Naunton
| 1628
| 1628
|-
| Henry Montagu<br/>1st Earl of Manchester
| 1628
| 1642
|-
| Lucius Cary<br/>2nd Viscount Falkland
| 1643
| 1643
|-
| Edward Nicholas
| 1643
| 1644
|-
| Henry Bourchier<br/>5th Earl of Bath
| 1644
| 1646<br/>
|-
! scope=row style="background:#eee; text-align:center" | Interregnum<br/>Commissioners of Parliament's Great Seal
| style="background:#eee" | 1646
| style="background:#eee" | 1660
! scope=row style="text-align:center" | Charles II<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| John Robartes<br/>2nd Baron Robartes
| 1660
| 1673
! scope=row style="text-align:center" rowspan=3 | Charles II<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| Arthur Annesley<br/>1st Earl of Anglesey
| 1673
| 1682
|-
| George Savile<br/>1st Marquess of Halifax
| 1682
| 1685
|-
| Henry Hyde<br/>2nd Earl of Clarendon
| 1685
| 1687
! rowspan=2 scope=row style="text-align:center" | James II<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| Henry Arundell<br/>3rd Baron Arundell of Wardour
| 1687
| 1688
|-
| George Savile<br/>1st Marquess of Halifax
| 1689
| 1690
! rowspan=4 scope=row style="text-align:center" | Mary II<br/>60px<br/><br/>&<br/>William III<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| Thomas Herbert<br/>8th Earl of Pembroke
| 1692
| 1699
|-
| John Lowther<br/>1st Viscount Lonsdale
| 1699
| 1700
|-
| Ford Grey<br/>1st Earl of Tankerville
| 1700
| 1701
|-
| John Sheffield<br/>1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby
| 1702
| 1705
! rowspan=4 scope=row style="text-align:center" | Anne<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| John Holles<br/>1st Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne
| 1705
| 1711
|-
| John Robinson<br/>
| 1711
| 1713
|-
| William Legge<br/>1st Earl of Dartmouth
| 1713
| 1714
|}
Lord Keepers of the Privy Seal (1714–present)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal
! colspan=3 | Lord Keeper
! colspan=2 | Term of office
! Other ministerial portfolios held during tenure
! Party
! Ministry
! Monarch<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Thomas Wharton<br/>1st Marquess of Wharton
| <br/>1714
| <br/>1715
!
| | Whig
| rowspan=3 | Townshend
| rowspan=9 style="background:#EAECF0" | George I<br/>60px<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Charles Spencer<br/>3rd Earl of Sunderland
| <br/>1715
| <br/>1716
!
| | —
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=3 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=3 | 75px
| rowspan=3 | Evelyn Pierrepont<br/>1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull
| rowspan=3 | <br/>1716
| rowspan=3 | <br/>1719
! rowspan=3 |
| rowspan=3 | —
|-
| | Stanhope–Sunderland I
|-
| rowspan=3 | Stanhope–Sunderland II
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Henry Grey<br/>1st Duke of Kent
| <br/>1719
| <br/>1720
!
| | —
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Evelyn Pierrepont<br/>1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1720
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1726
! rowspan=2 |
| rowspan=2 | —
|-
| rowspan=3 | Walpole–Townshend
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Thomas Trevor<br/>1st Baron Trevor
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1726
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1730
! rowspan=2 |
| rowspan=2 | —
|-
| rowspan=15 style="background:#EAECF0" | George II<br/>60px<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Spencer Compton<br/>1st Earl of Wilmington
| <br/>1730
| <br/>1731
!
| | Whig
| rowspan=5 | Walpole
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| William Cavendish<br/>3rd Duke of Devonshire
| <br/>1731
| <br/>1733
!
| | Whig
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Henry Lowther<br/>3rd Viscount Lonsdale
| <br/>1733
| <br/>1735
!
| | —
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Francis Godolphin<br/>2nd Earl of Godolphin
| <br/>1735
| <br/>1740
!
| | —
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| John Hervey<br/>2nd Baron Hervey
| <br/>1740
| <br/>1742
!
| | —
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| John Leveson-Gower<br/>2nd Baron Gower
| <br/>1742
| <br/>1743
!
| | Tory
| rowspan=2 | Carteret
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| George Cholmondeley<br/>3rd Earl of Cholmondeley
| <br/>1743
| <br/>1744
!
| | —
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | John Leveson-Gower<br/>1st Earl Gower
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1744
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1755
! rowspan=2 |
| rowspan=2 | Tory
| | Broad Bottom<br/>
|-
| rowspan=3 | Newcastle I
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Charles Spencer<br/>3rd Duke of Marlborough
| <br/>1755
| <br/>1755
!
| | —
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=3 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=3 | 75px
| rowspan=3 | Granville Leveson-Gower<br/>2nd Earl Gower
| rowspan=3 | <br/>1755
| rowspan=3 | <br/>1757
! rowspan=3 |
| rowspan=3 | Tory
|-
| | Pitt–Devonshire
|-
| | 1757 Caretaker
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Richard Grenville-Temple<br/>2nd Earl Temple
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1757
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1761
! rowspan=2 |
| rowspan=2 | —
| rowspan=3 | Pitt–Newcastle
|-
| rowspan=26 style="background:#EAECF0" | George III<br/>60px<br/><br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | John Russell<br/>4th Duke of Bedford
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1761
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1763
! rowspan=2 |
| rowspan=2 | Whig
|-
| | Bute
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| George Spencer<br/>4th Duke of Marlborough
| <br/>1763
| <br/>1765
!
| | —
| | Grenville<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Thomas Pelham-Holles<br/>1st Duke of Newcastle
| <br/>1765
| <br/>1766
!
| | Whig
| | Rockingham I
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| William Pitt<br/>1st Earl of Chatham
| <br/>1766
| <br/>1768
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Prime Minister
| | Whig
| | Chatham<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| George Hervey<br/>2nd Earl of Bristol
| <br/>1768
| <br/>1770
!
| | —
| | Grafton<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| George Montagu-Dunk<br/>2nd Earl of Halifax
| <br/>1770
| <br/>1771
!
| | Tory
| rowspan=4 | North
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Henry Howard<br/>12th Earl of Suffolk
| <br/>1771
| <br/>1771
!
| | —
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Augustus FitzRoy<br/>3rd Duke of Grafton
| <br/>1771
| <br/>1775
!
| | Whig
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| William Legge<br/>2nd Earl of Dartmouth
| <br/>1775
| <br/>1782
!
| | —
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Augustus FitzRoy<br/>3rd Duke of Grafton
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1782
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1783
! rowspan=2 |
| rowspan=2 | Whig
| | Rockingham II
|-
| | Shelburne<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Frederick Howard<br/>5th Earl of Carlisle
| <br/>1783
| <br/>1783
!
| | —
| | Fox–North<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Charles Manners<br/>4th Duke of Rutland
| <br/>1783
| <br/>1784
!
| | —
| rowspan=5 | Pitt I
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Granville Leveson-Gower<br/>1st Marquess of Stafford
| <br/>1784
| 1794
!
| | Tory
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| George Spencer<br/>2nd Earl Spencer
| 1794
| <br/>1794
!
| | Whig
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| John Pitt<br/>2nd Earl of Chatham
| <br/>1794
| <br/>1798
!
| | —
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=3 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=3 | 75px
| rowspan=3 | John Fane<br/>10th Earl of Westmorland
| rowspan=3 | <br/>1798
| rowspan=3 | <br/>1806
! rowspan=3 |
| rowspan=3 | Tory
|-
| | Addington
|-
| | Pitt II
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:"|
| 75px
| Henry Addington<br/>1st Viscount Sidmouth
| <br/>1806
| <br/>1806
!
| | Tory
| rowspan=2 | All the Talents<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Henry Vassall-Fox<br/>3rd Baron Holland
| <br/>1806
| <br/>1807
!
| | Whig
|-
! rowspan=4 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=4 | 75px
| rowspan=4 | John Fane<br/>10th Earl of Westmorland
| rowspan=4 | <br/>1807
| rowspan=4 | <br/>1827
! rowspan=4 |
| rowspan=4 | Tory
| | Portland II
|-
| | Perceval
|-
| rowspan=2 | Liverpool
|-
| rowspan=6 style="background:#EAECF0" | George IV<br/>60px<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| William Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck<br/>4th Duke of Portland
| <br/>1827
| <br/>1827
!
| | Tory
| rowspan=2 | Canning<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" rowspan=2 |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | George Howard<br/>6th Earl of Carlisle
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1827
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1828
! rowspan=2 |
| rowspan=2 | Whig
|-
| | Goderich<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Edward Law<br/>2nd Baron Ellenborough
| <br/>1828
| <br/>1829
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- President of the Board of Control
| | Tory
| rowspan=3 | WellingtonPeel
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:"|
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | James St Clair-Erskine<br/>2nd Earl of Rosslyn
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1829
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1830
! rowspan=2 |
| rowspan=2 | Tory
|-
| rowspan=7 style="background:#EAECF0" | William IV<br/>60px<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:"|
| 75px
| John Lambton<br/>1st Baron Durham
| <br/>1830
| <br/>1833
!
| | Whig
| rowspan=3 | Grey
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Frederick John Robinson<br/>1st Earl of Ripon
| <br/>1833
| <br/>1834
!
| | Whig
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| George Howard<br/>6th Earl of Carlisle
| <br/>1834
| <br/>1834
!
| | Whigs
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Constantine Phipps<br/>2nd Earl of Mulgrave
| <br/>1834
| <br/>1834
!
| | Whig
| | Melbourne I
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| James Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie<br/>1st Baron Wharncliffe
| <br/>1834
| <br/>1835
!
| | Conservative
| | Peel I
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | John Ponsonby<br/>1st Baron Duncannon<br/>styled Viscount Duncannon
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1835
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1840
| rowspan=2 style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- First Commissioner of Woods and Forests
| rowspan=2 | Whig
| rowspan=3 | Melbourne II
|-
| rowspan=30 style="background:#EAECF0" | Victoria<br/>60px<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| George Villiers<br/>4th Earl of Clarendon
| <br/>1840
| <br/>1841
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
| | Whig
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville<br/>2nd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos
| <br/>1841
| <br/>1842
!
| | Conservative
| rowspan=3 | Peel II
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Walter Montagu-Douglas-Scott<br/>5th Duke of Buccleuch
| <br/>1842
| <br/>1846
!
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Thomas Hamilton<br/>9th Earl of Haddington
| <br/>1846
| <br/>1846
!
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound<br/>2nd Earl of Minto
| <br/>1846
| <br/>1852
!
| | Whig
| | Russell I
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| James Gascoyne-Cecil<br/>2nd Marquess of Salisbury
| <br/>1852
| <br/>1852
!
| | Conservative
| | Who? Who?
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" rowspan=2 |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | George Campbell<br/>8th Duke of Argyll
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1853
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1855
! rowspan=2 |
| rowspan=2 | Peelite
| | Aberdeen<br/>
|-
| rowspan=3 | Palmerston I
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:"|
| 75px
| Dudley Ryder<br/>2nd Earl of Harrowby
| <br/>1855
| <br/>1858
!
| | Whig
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:"|
| 75px
| Ulick de Burgh<br/>1st Marquess of Clanricarde
| <br/>1858
| <br/>1858
!
| | Whig
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:"|
| 75px
| Charles Yorke<br/>4th Earl of Hardwicke
| <br/>1858
| <br/>1859
!
| | Conservative
| | DerbyDisraeli II
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" rowspan=2 |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | George Campbell<br/>8th Duke of Argyll
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1859
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1866
! rowspan=2 |
| rowspan=2 | Liberal
| | Palmerston II
|-
| | Russell II
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| James Harris<br/>3rd Earl of Malmesbury
| <br/>1866
| <br/>1868
!
| | Conservative
| | DerbyDisraeli III
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| John Wodehouse<br/>1st Earl of Kimberley
| <br/>1868
| <br/>1870
!
| | Liberal
| rowspan=2 | Gladstone I
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Charles Wood<br/>1st Viscount Halifax
| <br/>1870
| <br/>1874
!
| | Liberal
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| James Harris<br/>3rd Earl of Malmesbury
| <br/>1874
| <br/>1876
!
| | Conservative
| rowspan=3 | Disraeli II
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Benjamin Disraeli<br/>1st Earl of Beaconsfield
| <br/>1876
| <br/>1878
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Prime Minister
- First Lord of the Treasury
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Algernon Percy<br/>6th Duke of Northumberland
| <br/>1878
| <br/>1880
!
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| George Campbell<br/>8th Duke of Argyll
| <br/>1880
| <br/>1881
!
| | Liberal
| rowspan=3 | Gladstone II
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue<br/>1st Baron Carlingford
| <br/>1881
| <br/>1885
!
| | Liberal
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Archibald Primrose<br/>5th Earl of Rosebery
| <br/>1885
| <br/>1885
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- First Commissioner of Works
| | Liberal
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Dudley Ryder<br/>3rd Earl of Harrowby
| <br/>1885
| <br/>1886
!
| | Conservative
| | Salisbury I
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| William Ewart Gladstone<br/>MP for Midlothian
| <br/>1886
| <br/>1886
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Prime Minister
- First Lord of the Treasury
- Leader of the House of Commons
| | Liberal
| | Gladstone III
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| George Cadogan<br/>5th Earl Cadogan
| <br/>1886
| <br/>1892
!
| | Conservative
| | Salisbury II
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| William Ewart Gladstone<br/>MP for Midlothian
| <br/>1892
| <br/>1894
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Prime Minister
- First Lord of the Treasury
- Leader of the House of Commons
| | Liberal
| | Gladstone IV
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Edward Marjoribanks<br/>2nd Baron Tweedmouth
| <br/>1894
| <br/>1895
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
| | Liberal
| | Rosebery
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Richard Assheton Cross<br/>1st Viscount Cross
| <br/>1895
| <br/>1900
!
| | Conservative
| rowspan=3 | Salisbury<br/><br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Robert Gascoyne-Cecil<br/>3rd Marquess of Salisbury
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1900
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1902
| rowspan=2 style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Prime Minister
- Leader of the House of Lords
| rowspan=2 | Conservative
|-
| rowspan=6 style="background:#EAECF0" | Edward VII<br/>60px<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Arthur Balfour<br/>MP for Manchester East
| <br/>1902
| <br/>1903
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Prime Minister
- First Lord of the Treasury
- Leader of the House of Commons
| | Conservative
| rowspan=2 | Balfour<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| James Gascoyne-Cecil<br/>4th Marquess of Salisbury
| <br/>1903
| <br/>1905
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- President of the Board of Trade
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | George Robinson<br/>1st Marquess of Ripon
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1905
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1908
| rowspan=2 style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Lords
| rowspan=2 | Liberal
| | Campbell-Bannerman
|-
| rowspan=5 | Asquith<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Robert Crewe-Milnes<br/>1st Marquess of Crewe
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1908
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1911
| rowspan=2 style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Lords
- Secretary of State for the Colonies
- Secretary of State for India
| rowspan=2 | Liberal
|-
| rowspan=20 style="background:#EAECF0" | George V<br/>60px<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Charles Wynn-Carington<br/>1st Earl Carrington
| <br/>1911
| <br/>1912
!
| | Liberal
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Robert Crewe-Milnes<br/>1st Marquess of Crewe
| <br/>1912
| <br/>1915
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Secretary of State for India
- Leader of the House of Lords
| | Liberal
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| George Curzon<br/>1st Earl Curzon of Kedleston
| <br/>1915
| <br/>1916
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- President of the Air Board
| | Conservative
| | Asquith Coalition<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| David Lindsay<br/>27th Earl of Crawford
| <br/>1916
| <br/>1919
!
| | Conservative
| rowspan=3 | Lloyd George<br/><br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Bonar Law<br/>MP for Glasgow Central
| <br/>1919
| <br/>1921
| rowspan="2" style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Commons
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Austen Chamberlain<br/>MP for Birmingham West
| <br/>1921
| <br/>1922
| | Conservative
|-
| colspan=3 | Vacant
| <br/>1922
| <br/>1923
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
| |
| | Law
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Robert Cecil<br/>1st Viscount Cecil of Chelwood
| <br/>1923
| <br/>1924
!
| | Conservative
| | Baldwin I
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| J. R. Clynes<br/>MP for Manchester Platting
| <br/>1924
| <br/>1924
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Deputy Leader of the House of Commons
| | Labour
| | MacDonald I
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| James Gascoyne-Cecil<br/>4th Marquess of Salisbury
| <br/>1924
| <br/>1929
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Lords
| | Conservative
| | Baldwin II
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Jimmy Thomas<br/>MP for Derby
| <br/>1929
| <br/>1930
!
| | Labour
| rowspan=3 | MacDonald II
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Vernon Hartshorn<br/>MP for Ogmore
| <br/>1930
| <br/>1931
!
| | Labour
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Tom Johnston<br/>MP for West Stirlingshire
| <br/>1931
| <br/>1931
!
| | Labour
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| William Peel<br/>1st Earl Peel
| <br/>1931
| <br/>1931
!
| | Conservative
| | National I<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Philip Snowden<br/>1st Viscount Snowden
| <br/>1931
| <br/>1932
!
| | National Labour
| rowspan=3 | National II<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Stanley Baldwin<br/>MP for Bewdley
| <br/>1932
| <br/>1933
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Lord President of the Council
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Anthony Eden<br/>MP for Warwick and Leamington
| <br/>1933
| <br/>1935
!
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart<br/>7th Marquess of Londonderry
| <br/>1935
| <br/>1935
| rowspan="4" style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Lords
| | Conservative
| rowspan=4 | National III<br/>)
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=3 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=3 | 75px
| rowspan=3 | Edward Wood<br/>3rd Viscount Halifax
| rowspan=3 | <br/>1935
| rowspan=3 | <br/>1937
| rowspan=3 | Conservative
|-
| style="background:#EAECF0" | Edward VIII<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| rowspan=16 style="background:#EAECF0" | George VI<br/>60px<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Herbrand Sackville<br/>9th Earl De La Warr
| <br/>1937
| <br/>1938
!
| | National Labour
| rowspan=2 | National IV<br/>)
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| John Anderson<br/>1st Viscount Waverley<br/>MP for Combined Scottish Universities
| <br/>1938
| <br/>1939
!
| | Independent<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Samuel Hoare<br/>1st Viscount Templewood<br/>MP for Chelsea
| <br/>1939
| <br/>1940
!
| | Conservative
| rowspan=2 | Chamberlain War<br/>)
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Kingsley Wood<br/>MP for Woolwich West
| <br/>1940
| <br/>1940
!
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Clement Attlee<br/>MP for Limehouse
| <br/>1940
| <br/>1942
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Deputy Leader of the House of Commons
| | Labour
| rowspan=4 | Churchill War<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Stafford Cripps<br/>MP for Bristol East
| <br/>1942
| <br/>1942
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Commons
| | Labour
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Robert Gascoyne-Cecil<br/>Viscount Cranborne
| <br/>1942
| <br/>1943
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Lords
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Max Aitken<br/>1st Baron Beaverbrook
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1943
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1945
! rowspan=2 |
| rowspan=2 | Conservative
|-
| | Churchill Caretaker<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Arthur Greenwood<br/>MP for Wakefield
| <br/>1945
| <br/>1947
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Paymaster General
| | Labour
| rowspan=5 | Attlee<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Philip Inman<br/>1st Baron Inman
| <br/>1947
| <br/>1947
!
| | Labour
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Christopher Addison<br/>1st Viscount Addison
| <br/>1947
| <br/>1951
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Lords
- Paymaster General
| | Labour
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Ernest Bevin<br/>MP for Woolwich East
| <br/>1951
| <br/>1951
!
| | Labour
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Richard Stokes<br/>MP for Ipswich
| <br/>1951
| <br/>1951
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Minister of Materials
| | Labour
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Robert Gascoyne-Cecil<br/>5th Marquess of Salisbury
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1951
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1952
| rowspan=2 style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Lords
- Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
| rowspan=2 | Conservative
| rowspan=3 | Churchill III
|-
| rowspan=45 style="background:#EAECF0" | Elizabeth II<br/>60px<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Harry Crookshank<br/>MP for Gainsborough
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1952
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1955
| rowspan=2 style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Commons
| rowspan=2 | Conservative
|-
| rowspan=2 | Eden
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=2 |75px
| rowspan=2 | R. A. Butler<br/>MP for Saffron Walden
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1955
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1959
| rowspan=2 style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Commons
- Secretary of State for the Home Department
| rowspan=2 | Conservative
|-
| rowspan=3 | Macmillan<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Quintin Hogg<br/>2nd Viscount Hailsham
| <br/>1959
| <br/>1960
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Minister for Science
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Edward Heath<br/>MP for Bexley
| <br/>1960
| <br/>1963
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Deputy Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Selwyn Lloyd<br/>MP for Wirral
| <br/>1963
| <br/>1964
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Commons
| | Conservative
| | Douglas-Home
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Frank Pakenham<br/>7th Earl of Longford
| <br/>1964
| <br/>1965
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Lords
| | Labour
| rowspan=6 |Wilson<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Frank Soskice<br/>MP for Newport
| <br/>1965
| <br/>1966
!
| | Labour
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Frank Pakenham<br/>7th Earl of Longford
| <br/>1966
| <br/>1968
| rowspan="2" style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Lords
| | Labour
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px<!-- Commented out:75px -->
| Edward Shackleton<br/>Baron Shackleton
| <br/>1968
| <br/>1968
| | Labour
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Fred Peart<br/>MP for Workington
| <br/>1968
| <br/>1968
!
| | Labour
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px<!-- Commented out:75px -->
| Edward Shackleton<br/>Baron Shackleton
| <br/>1968
| <br/>1970
| rowspan="6" style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Lords
| | Labour
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| George Jellicoe<br/>2nd Earl Jellicoe
| <br/>1970
| <br/>1973
| | Conservative
| rowspan=2 | Heath
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| David Hennessy<br/>3rd Baron Windlesham
| <br/>1973
| <br/>1974
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=2 | 75px<!-- Deleted image removed:75px -->
| rowspan=2 | Malcolm Shepherd<br/>2nd Baron Shepherd
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1974
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1976
| rowspan=2 | Labour
| | Wilson<br/>
|-
| rowspan=2 | Callaghan
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Fred Peart<br/>Baron Peart
| <br/>1976
| <br/>1979
| | Labour
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Ian Gilmour<br/>Baron Gilmour of Craigmillar<br/>MP for Chesham and Amersham
| <br/>1979
| <br/>1981
| rowspan="2" style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Government spokesman in the House of Commons for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
| | Conservative
| rowspan=3 | Thatcher I
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Humphrey Atkins<br/>MP for Spelthorne
| <br/>1981
| <br/>1982
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Janet Young<br/>Baroness Young
| <br/>1982
| <br/>1983
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Lords
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| John Biffen<br/>MP for North Shropshire
| <br/>1983
| <br/>1987
| rowspan="2" style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Commons
| | Conservative
| | Thatcher II
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| John Wakeham<br/>MP for South Colchester and Maldon
| <br/>1987
| <br/>1988
| | Conservative
| rowspan=2 | Thatcher III
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| John Ganzoni<br/>2nd Baron Belstead
| <br/>1988
| <br/>1990
| rowspan="6" style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Lords
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| David Waddington<br/>Baron Waddington
| <br/>1990
| <br/>1992
| | Conservative
| rowspan=3 | Major I
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| John Wakeham<br/>Baron Wakeham
| <br/>1992
| <br/>1994
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=2 | 75px
| rowspan=2 | Robert Gascoyne-Cecil<br/>Viscount Cranborne
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1994
| rowspan=2 | <br/>1997
| rowspan=2 | Conservative
|-
| | <br/>Major II<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Ivor Richard<br/>Baron Richard
| <br/>1997
| <br/>1998
| | Labour
| rowspan=2 | Blair I
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 100x100px
| Margaret Jay<br/>Baroness Jay of Paddington
| <br/>1998
| <br/>2001
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Lords
- Minister for Women
| | Labour
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Gareth Williams<br/>Baron Williams of Mostyn
| <br/>2001
| <br/>2003
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Lords
| | Labour
| rowspan=2 | Blair II
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 94x94px
| Peter Hain<br/>MP for Neath
| <br/>2003
| <br/>2005
| rowspan="3" style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Commons
| | Labour
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Geoff Hoon<br/>MP for Ashfield
| <br/>2005
| <br/>2006
| | Labour
| rowspan=2 | Blair III
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 75px
| Jack Straw<br/>MP for Blackburn
| <br/>2006
| <br/>2007
| | Labour
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 99x99px
| Harriet Harman<br/>MP for Camberwell and Peckham
| <br/>2007
| <br/>2010
| style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Commons
- Minister for Women and Equality
| | Labour
| | Brown
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 100x100px
| George Young<br/>MP for North West Hampshire
| <br/>2010
| <br/>2012
| rowspan="2" style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Commons
| | Conservative
| rowspan=3 | Cameron–Clegg<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:" |
| 112x112px
| Andrew Lansley<br/>MP for South Cambridgeshire
| <br/>2012
| <br/>2014
| | Conservative
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=2 |100x100px
| rowspan=2 |Tina Stowell<br/>Baroness Stowell of Beeston
| rowspan=2 | <br/>2014
| rowspan=2 | <br/>2016
| rowspan="10" style="background:#EAECF0; text-align:left" |
- Leader of the House of Lords
| rowspan=2 | Conservative
|-
| | <br/>Cameron II<br/>
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=4 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=4 | 99x99px
| rowspan=4 | Natalie Evans<br/>Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
| rowspan=4 | <br/>2016
| rowspan=4 | <br/>2022
| rowspan=4 | Conservative
| | May I
|-
| | May II
|-
| | Johnson I
|-
| | Johnson II
|- style="height:1em"<!-- Need a height attribute or this row collapses to zero and it looks like the Queen did not overlap with Lord True's tenure. -->
| rowspan=3 style="background-color:" |
| rowspan=3 |99x99px
| rowspan=3 |Nicholas True<br/>Baron True
| rowspan=3 | <br/>2022
| rowspan=3 | <br/>2024
| rowspan=3 | Conservative
| rowspan=2 | Truss
|-
| rowspan=3 style="background:#EAECF0" | Charles III<br/>60px<br/>
|-
| rowspan=1 | Sunak
|-
| rowspan=3 style="background-color:" |
|99x99px
|Angela Smith<br/>Baroness Smith of Basildon
| <br/>2024
| Incumbent
| rowspan=3 | Labour
| rowspan=2 | Starmer
|}
;Notes
Other countries
- Keeper of the seals of France
- Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan
- Keeper of the Rulers' Seal of Malaysia
See also
- Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
- Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland
- Lord Keeper of the Great Seal
- Lord Privy Seal (term), as used in the television news business