Royal Warrant - Appointing Archibald Russell as Acting Third Secretary in HM Diplomatic Service [1919-02-01]

Royal Warrant - Appointing Archibald Russell as Acting Third Secretary in HM Diplomatic Service [1919-02-01]

Foreign Affairs

Royal Warrant of King George V appointing Archibald Russell as Acting Third Secretary in HM Diplomatic Service.

King George V

College of Arms, Miscellaneous Enrolments I/78

1919-02-01

Mark Scott

George R. I.

George, By the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India, Etc. Etc. Etc. To all and Singular to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting

Whereas it appears to Us expedient to nominate some Person of approved Industry, Fidelity, and Knowledge to perform the functions of a Third Secretary in Our Diplomatic Service at any of Our Embassies or Legations abroad; Know Ye therefore, that We have constituted and appointed as We do by these Presents constitute and appoint, Our Trusty and Well-beloved Archibald George Blomefield Russell, Esquire, to be an Acting Third Secretary in Our Diplomatic Service at any of Our Embassies or Legations abroad: Giving and Granting to him in that character all Power and Authority to do and execute all necessary Writings, Memorials and Instruments, as also to assist Our Ambassador or Minister at the place where he may be appointed to reside, in all things which may belong to the duties of such Third Secretary as aforesaid: And we therefore request all those whom it may concern, to receive and acknowledge Our said Trusty and Well-beloved Archibald George Blomefield Russell as such Acting Third Secretary as aforesaid, and freely to communicate with him upon the things that may appertain to the Affairs of Our Embassy or Legation at the place where he may be appointed to reside.

Given at Our Court at Saint James the First day of February, in the year of Our Lord One thousand nine hundred and Nineteen and in the Ninth year of Our Reign.

By His Majesty’s Command
Edward Shortt.

Edward Shortt (Secretary of State for the Home Department). The fact that it's countersigned by the Home Secretary is unusual given that appointment documents for diplomatic personnel were normally countersigned by the Foreign Secretary.

This text is taken from a handwritten transcript of the document and may not reflect the formatting of the original.

Russell was Rouge Croix Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary making this an unusual modern example of a herald being appointed to a diplomatic position.

The use of the royal name without the ordinal number is a consistent feature of certain types of diplomatic and military Commissions (e.g., this one).