The Duchy Council
The Council is responsible to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and the Chancellor to the Sovereign, for the Duchy’s affairs. Appointments to the Council are made by The King on the recommendation of the Chancellor.
The Council meets five times a year. Members of the Council include two ex-officio appointments: the Receiver General of the Duchy, who is Keeper of the Privy Purse, and the Clerk of the Council, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Duchy of Lancaster. Other Council members are chosen for their particular business skills, or for their links with the County Palatine. The Chancellor appoints one member of the Council to act as Chairman of the Council.
The current members are:
Sir James Henry Leigh-Pemberton, CVO (Chairman of the Council)
Sir James is the non-executive Chairman of RIT Capital Partners plc and previously served as Receiver General of the Duchy of Cornwall. He was appointed as Chairman of the Duchy Council in July 2023.
Sir Michael Stevens, KCVO (Receiver General)
As Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Sir Michael has been Receiver General of the Duchy of Lancaster since January 2018.
Ms Sonia Tolaney, KC (Attorney General)
Sonia Tolaney was appointed Attorney General of the Duchy of Lancaster on 30 October 2020. Ms Tolaney succeeded The Honourable Mr Justice Miles who had held the office for the previous eight years.
Mr Alastair Martin, CVO (Clerk of the Council and Chief Executive)
Alastair Martin CVO was appointed Clerk of the Council and Chief Executive, Keeper of the Records and Surveyor General of the Duchy of Lancaster on 1st November 2024.
Lord Downshire (Member of the Council)
Nicholas Downshire became a member of the Council of the Duchy of Lancaster in January 2018. He manages his family estate in Yorkshire.
Mrs Jill May (Member of the Council)
Jill May became a member of the Council of the Duchy of Lancaster in February 2022. Her experience is in regulation, public policy, economics, financial services and cybersecurity and she has been a member of the Prudential Regulation Committee for the Bank of England since 2018.
Ms Lucy Macdonald (Member of the Council)
Lucy Macdonald became a member of the Council of the Duchy of Lancaster in February 2022. She has 30 years’ experience as a global equity investor and brings with her a wealth of expertise in investments, valuations, marketing and digital media.
Mr Alistair Elliott (Member of the Council)
Alastair Elliott became a member of the Council of the Duchy of Lancaster in February 2023. An experienced professional with over 40 years’ experience in the commercial property sector, he was formerly Senior Partner and Chair of the Executive Board at Knight Frank.
Mr Toby Anstruther (Member of the Council)
Toby Anstruther became a member of Council in November 2024, having been an independent member of two Duchy committees in the preceding 5 years. He has 30 years’ experience managing central London and rural property on his own account and as a trustee for a number of private estates and wider experience as a trustee on the board of a number of charities.
