The Tower of London has a new Constable. From August, General Sir Gordon Messenger will become the 161st Constable of the Tower of London and the first Royal Marine to hold the post.
The role of the Constable is the most senior appointment one can have at the Tower of London. Historically, Constables were in charge of the operation, upkeep, and security of the tower, as well as all of those who lived and worked within it. Alongside those duties was the safekeeping of the tower’s prisoners. In modern times, the role is largely ceremonial. The Constable is also a trustee of Historic Royal Palaces, under which the tower is run, and of the Royal Armouries.
The office was established by William the Conqueror around 1078 and the holder was known as the Keeper of the Tower. It’s believed the first Keeper was Geoffrey de Mandeville, a Norman baron who fought alongside William at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. At first, it was a hereditary right of the de Mandeville family to hold the role, the right was eventually confiscated by the King when William de Mandeville became the first prisoner of the tower.
Under The Queen’s Regulations for the Army, the office is conferred upon a field marshal or a retired general officer for a five-year term. At the conclusion of their Installation ceremony, the Lord Chamberlain symbolically hands over The Queen’s House to the Constable. In turn, he entrusts it to the Resident Governor who is responsible for the day-to-day runnings of the Tower of London.
General Sir Gordon Messenger is a retired senior Royal Marines Officer who once served as Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff. Other military roles include serving as British Commander of Task Force Helmand and leading the Commando in the assault on the Al-Faw Peninsula.
