Royal Proclamation - Declaring That Existing Officeholders Should Remain in Their Posts [1837-06-21]

VICTORIA, R.

WHEREAS by an Act made in the sixth year of the reign of Her late Majesty Queen Anne, intituled “An Act for the security of Her Majesty’s Person and Government, and of the succession to the Crown of Great Britain in the Protestant Line,” it was enacted, that no office, place, or employment, civil or military, within the kingdoms of Great Britain or Ireland, dominion of Wales, town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, isles of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark, or any of His Majesty’s plantations, should become void by reason of the demise of Her said late Majesty, Her heirs or successors, Kings or Queens of this realm, but that every person and persons in any of the offices, places, and employments aforesaid, should continue in their respective offices, places, and employments for the space of six months next after such death or demise, unless sooner removed and discharged by the next successor to whom the Imperial Crown of this realm was limited and appointed to go, remain, and descend; and whereas by an Act, made in the fifty-seventh year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third, intituled “An Act for the continuation of all and every person or persons in any and every offices, place, or employment, civil or military, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, dominion of Wales, town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, isles of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all and every of His Majesty’s foreign possessions, colonies, or plantations, which he or she shall hold, possess, or exercise, during the pleasure of the Crown, at the time of the death or demise of His present Majesty, until removed or discharged therefrom by the succeeding King or Queen of this realm,” it was enacted, that all and every person and persons who, upon the day of the demise of His said late Majesty, should hold any office, civil or military, under the Crown during pleasure, should, under and by virtue of the said Act, and without any new or other patent, commission, warrant, or authority, continue and be entitled, in all respects, notwithstanding the demise of His said late Majesty, to hold and enjoy the same; but, nevertheless, the same should be held or enjoyed only during the pleasure of the King or Queen who should succeed to the Crown upon the demise of His said late Majesty, and the right and title to hold and enjoy the same, under the authority of the said Act, should be determinable in such and the like manner by the King or Queen who, upon the demise of His said late Majesty, should succeed to the Crown, as the right or title to any office, place, or employment granted by such succeeding King or Queen during pleasure, would by law be determinable; We, therefore, with the advice of Our Privy Council, declare Our Royal will and pleasure to be, and do hereby direct and command, that all and every person and persons who, at the time of the demise of Our late Royal Uncle, of glorious memory, duly and lawfully held, or were duly and lawfully possessed of or invested in, any office, place or employment, civil or military, within our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, dominion of Wales, town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, isles of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, or Man, or any of Our foreign possessions, colonies, or plantations, do, severally, according to their places, offices, or charges, proceed in the performance and execution of all duties belonging to their respective offices, whilst they shall hold the same respectively during Our pleasure; and We do hereby require and command all Our loving subjects to be aiding, helping, and assisting at the commandment of the said Officers and Ministers, in the performance and execution of their respective offices and places, as they and every of them tender Our utmost displeasure, and will answer the contrary at their peril.

Given at Our Court at St. James’s, this twenty-first day of June, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven, and in the first year of Our reign.

GOD save the QUEEN.