His Majesty The King has approved the appointment of Lieutenant
General Ed Davis CB CBE as the new Black Rod. He will formally
take up the role in July, succeeding Sarah Clarke CVO OBE when
she steps down in the summer.
Ed Davis is currently the Strategic Director for Capewell Europe
Limited and Gibraltar Chair of the Commonwealth Enterprise and
Investment Council.
He served for 35 years in the Naval Service as a Royal Marines
Officer. Retiring from the UK Armed Forces in the rank of
Lieutenant General, he then transferred to the Foreign
Commonwealth and Development Office and was appointed by Her
Majesty The Queen as the 67th Governor and Commander-in-Chief of
Gibraltar in January 2016. He completed his tenure as
Gibraltar's Governor in February 2020.
The Gentleman or Lady Usher of the Black Rod, formally appointed
by the Crown, is a senior officer in the House of Lords. Black
Rod is responsible for and participates in the major ceremonial
events in the Palace of Westminster, including the State Opening
of Parliament. They are also responsible organising access to and
maintaining order within the House.
Commenting on his appointment, Ed Davis
said:
“I am profoundly humbled and extremely delighted to have been
appointed by His Majesty to be the Gentleman Usher of the Black
Rod for the House of Lords, a role that stretches back 670 years.
“I take on this great honour with a deep sense of responsibility
to serve the King and the House of Lords with a steadfast
commitment and unwavering determination to uphold the excellence
of my predecessors who have held this unique and remarkable
position.
“Together with Black Rod's team, I look forward, with relish and
excitement, to rising to the opportunities and challenges ahead
by building on Sarah Clarke's inspiring legacy.”
of Alcluith, the Lord Speaker,
said:
“I am delighted to welcome Ed Davis as the next Black Rod. Ed
will bring a breadth of experience to this high-profile and
demanding role, including 35 years' service as a Royal Marine and
four as Governor of Gibraltar.
“As Black Rod, Ed will help to ensure the heart of our democracy
runs smoothly on a daily basis as well as leading a team
delivering major ceremonial events, such as the State Opening of
Parliament. I look forward to working with him and wish him well
in his post.”
