In the United Kingdom, a deputy lieutenant is a Crown appointment and one of several deputies to the lord-lieutenant of a lieutenancy area – an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county boroughorcounty. Prior to the creation of the Irish Free State, all Irish counties had deputy lieutenants.
Informal style, the postnominal letters DL may be added after a deputy lieutenant's surname and other postnominals – e.g. John Brown, CBE, DL.
Deputy lieutenants are nominated by a lord-lieutenant, to assist with any duties as may be required (see the Lieutenancies Act 1997). Deputy lieutenants receive their commission of appointment via the appropriate government minister by command of the British monarch.[1] In England and Wales, since November 2001, the minister responsible for most appointments is the Lord Chancellor, with exceptions such as the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.[2] In Scotland, since July 1999, it has been the Scottish Ministers.[3]
Decades ago, the number of deputy lieutenants for each county could be as few as three. Today, however, there may be well over a dozen that are appointed, as the number of deputy lieutenants today correlates with the population of each respective county. Deputy lieutenants tend to be people who either have served the local community, or have a history of public service in other fields.[4]
Deputy lieutenants represent the lord-lieutenant in his or her absence, including at local ceremonies and official events, from opening exhibitions to inductions of vicars (as requested by the Church of England). They must live within their lieutenancy area, or within seven miles (11 km) of its boundary.[5] Their appointments do not terminate with any change of lord-lieutenant,[6] but they are legally required to retire at age 75.
One of the serving deputy lieutenants is appointed to be vice lord-lieutenant,[7] who in most circumstances will stand in for a lord-lieutenant who cannot be present. The appointment as vice lord-lieutenant usually expires upon the retirement of the lord-lieutenant who made the choice. Generally, the vice lord-lieutenant would then revert to being a regular deputy lieutenant.[8]
Unlike the office of lord-lieutenant, which is an appointment in the gift of the Sovereign, the position of deputy lieutenant is an appointment of the Sovereign's appointee, and therefore not a direct appointment of the Sovereign per se.
Deputy lieutenant commissions are published by the clerk of the lieutenancy, as a State Appointment, in either the London Gazette or the Edinburgh Gazette, as appropriate, with the names of the persons appointed deputy lieutenants for that county or area, and the dates of their commissions.[9]
