Groom of the Stole in the British Royal Household is a position evolved from the earlier Groom of the Stool, an office under Henry VIII of England. The title originally referred to the chamberpot (or stool) of whomever the person served. The Groom of the Stool "preside[d] over the office of royal excretion,"[1] that is, he had the task of cleaning the monarch's anus after a bowel movement.[2] The position was effectively "neutralized" by Elizabeth I of England in 1559.[3] During the reign of Charles I of England the term "stool" (("stole" is a Victorian spelling[4]) came to represent the long robe of the monarch (from the Latin stola, meaning garment). The position often had considerable power because of the intimate access to the king. The holder of the position became in the 17th century the senior Lord of the Bedchamber, always a great nobleman (the equivalent appointment to the King or Prince-consort of the Queen's Mistress of the Robes), and was discontinued on the accession of King Edward VII in 1901, to whom one had been appointed while he was Prince of Wales. [edit] Incumbents [edit] Grooms of the Stole to James II [edit] Grooms of the Stole to George I [edit] See also [edit] References - ^ Bruce Boehrer, "The Privy and Its Double: Scatology and Satire in Shakespeare's Theatre," in Dutton, Richard; Jean Elizabeth Howard (2003). A Companion to Shakespeare's Works: Poems, problem comedies, late plays. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 78. ISBN 9780631226352. http://books.google.com/books?id=OrWRYciM5GsC&pg=PA78.
- ^ "David Starkey: An appointment with Dr Rude". The Independent. 2004-06-28. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/david-starkey-an-appointment-with-dr-rude-733738.html. Retrieved 2009-07-24.
- ^ Nicholls, Mark (1999). A history of the modern British Isles, 1529-1603: the two kingdoms. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 194. ISBN 9780631193340. http://books.google.com/books?id=3-bmU1s5T3EC&pg=PA194.
- ^ Starkey, David (2004-12-21). "Majesty in all its magnificence". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/3633793/Majesty-in-all-its-magnificence.html. Retrieved 2009-07-24.
- ^ a b Clarendon, Edward Hyde; William Dunn Macray (1888). The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England: Begun in the Year 1641. Clarendon Press. p. 146. http://books.google.com/books?id=x6eGAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA146.
- ^ Evelyn, John (1907). The life of Margaret Godolphin. Chatto and Windus. p. 4. http://books.google.com/books?id=lXALAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA4.
- ^ Evelyn, John (1907). The life of Margaret Godolphin. Chatto and Windus. p. 6. http://books.google.com/books?id=lXALAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA6.
- ^ O'Conor, Charles (1819). Bibliotheca Ms. Stowensis. A Descriptive Catalogue of the Manuscripts in the Stowe Library, Vol. II. Seeley. p. 527. http://books.google.com/books?id=21g7AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA527.
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