Funeral directors to the Royal Household

The funeral directors to the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom are selected and appointed by the Lord Chamberlain's Office.

The same companies are normally used to assist during state or ceremonial funerals of eminent people outside the Royal Family, for example Sir Winston Churchill or Margaret Thatcher.

It is not known when the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom began to employ privately owned and commercially operated funeral directors' companies.

[1] After the Banting family had ceased to operate as royal funeral directors in 1928, several society undertaking firms lobbied for the warrant.

It was finally awarded to the socially and politically well-connected Sir Harold Vaughan Kenyon, who also served six terms as Mayor of Paddington.

Procession during the funeral of Edward VII in 1910, assisted by William Banting funeral directors
Train transport during the state funeral of Sir Winston Churchill in 1965, assisted by J. H. Kenyon Ltd
Procession during the funeral of Margaret Thatcher in 2013, assisted by Leverton & Sons
Procession leaving Westminster Abbey during the funeral of Elizabeth II in 2022, assisted by Leverton & Sons
Procession of Elizabeth II's coffin in Edinburgh, assisted by William Purves Funeral Directors