Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
The Wardenship of the Cinque Ports is an ancient post held in right of the Kent ports of Sandwich, Dover, Hythe, Romney and Hastings, whose councils have held a long standing tradition of maintaining defence contingents for the realm of England.
Originally the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports oversaw the running of the Cinque Ports and maintaining their defences. Today the role is largely a sinecure but does confer the right to fly a unique standard. The title is one of the higher honours bestowed by the queen. It is generally reserved for members of the British royal family or prime ministers especially those who have been influential in defending Britain at times of war.
Recent holders of the post have been:
- The Earl Granville, 1865-1891
- William Henry Smith, 1891
- The Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, 1892-1895
- The Marquess of Salisbury, 1895-1903
- The Marquess Curzon, 1904-1905
- The Prince of Wales, 1905-1907
- The Earl Brassey, 1908-1913
- The Earl Beauchamp, 1913-1934
- The Marquess of Reading, 1934-1935
- The Marquess of Willingdon, 1936-1941
- Sir Winston Churchill, 1941-1965
- Sir Robert Menzies, 1965-1978
- Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, 1978-2002
The post is currently vacant, although Bill Clinton and Nelson Mandela have both been suggested for the honour. [1] The current British government has delayed the appointment of a replacement to this post in its reformist zeal for modern administration, and locally a lot of ill fealing has been expressed because of these events.