Jason Loch
@jasonloch.bsky.social
I am a historian of the British constitution whose work focuses on the Crown, the House of Lords, and the Church of England.
You can read my blog here: venerablepuzzle.wordpress.com.
You can read my blog here: venerablepuzzle.wordpress.com.
In November 2003, Lord Falconer of Thoroton sent Tony Blair a minute recommending that the Lord Chancellor's ecclesiastiastical patronage should be transferred to the Church when the office was abolished. 1/3 cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
February 13, 2026 at 6:43 PM
In November 2003, Lord Falconer of Thoroton sent Tony Blair a minute recommending that the Lord Chancellor's ecclesiastiastical patronage should be transferred to the Church when the office was abolished. 1/3 cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
@gro-tsen.bsky.social In light of our conversation about the lack of punctuation in Letters Patent, you might find this interesting. Here's an instrument that has had punctuation and paragraph breaks added, presumably for readability. You can see the whole thing here: cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
February 5, 2026 at 1:14 AM
@gro-tsen.bsky.social In light of our conversation about the lack of punctuation in Letters Patent, you might find this interesting. Here's an instrument that has had punctuation and paragraph breaks added, presumably for readability. You can see the whole thing here: cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
Today, the Archbishop of Canterbury did homage for the temporalities of her See. Afterward, the King signed a Warrant like this one directing the Lord Chancellor to pass the necessary instruments under the Great Seal. 1/2
February 5, 2026 at 1:08 AM
Today, the Archbishop of Canterbury did homage for the temporalities of her See. Afterward, the King signed a Warrant like this one directing the Lord Chancellor to pass the necessary instruments under the Great Seal. 1/2
I guess the legislative solution isn't too difficult after all...
Of course, if they're going to do this for Mandelson, they should probably do it for Andrew, too. Last year's fudge seems increasingly untenable.
Of course, if they're going to do this for Mandelson, they should probably do it for Andrew, too. Last year's fudge seems increasingly untenable.
February 4, 2026 at 7:34 PM
I guess the legislative solution isn't too difficult after all...
Of course, if they're going to do this for Mandelson, they should probably do it for Andrew, too. Last year's fudge seems increasingly untenable.
Of course, if they're going to do this for Mandelson, they should probably do it for Andrew, too. Last year's fudge seems increasingly untenable.
Awkward [PREM 5/595/1].
February 4, 2026 at 7:33 PM
Awkward [PREM 5/595/1].
The CBAI includes a number of documents relating to the confirmation of episcopal elections including the Public Notice regarding the confirmation of Hugh Nelson's election as Bishop of Worcester. 1/3 cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
Legal Instrument - Public Notice Regarding the Confirmation of Hugh Nelson's Election as Bishop of Worcester [2025-10-22] · Corpus of British Administrative Instruments
cbaionline.org
January 28, 2026 at 7:03 PM
The CBAI includes a number of documents relating to the confirmation of episcopal elections including the Public Notice regarding the confirmation of Hugh Nelson's election as Bishop of Worcester. 1/3 cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
First page of the Vicar-General of Canterbury's judgment dismissing an objection to the confirmation of Sarah Mullally's election as Bishop of London. For the full document, see the CBAI record: cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
January 28, 2026 at 6:22 PM
First page of the Vicar-General of Canterbury's judgment dismissing an objection to the confirmation of Sarah Mullally's election as Bishop of London. For the full document, see the CBAI record: cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
Yesterday, I posted the text of a Royal Letter summoning a peer to a Coronation, but the Monarch could also dispense with a peer's attendance. For more information, check out the CBAI record: cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
January 27, 2026 at 6:16 PM
Yesterday, I posted the text of a Royal Letter summoning a peer to a Coronation, but the Monarch could also dispense with a peer's attendance. For more information, check out the CBAI record: cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
Transcript of a Royal Letter summoning the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough to the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The tone is rather peremptory ("Whereof you and she are not to fail"). For more information, check out the CBAI entry: cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
January 26, 2026 at 9:12 PM
Transcript of a Royal Letter summoning the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough to the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The tone is rather peremptory ("Whereof you and she are not to fail"). For more information, check out the CBAI entry: cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
I find it baffling that HM Ambassador to The Hague thought that Comic Sans was the best choice here (PREM 49/3049).
January 9, 2026 at 9:50 PM
I find it baffling that HM Ambassador to The Hague thought that Comic Sans was the best choice here (PREM 49/3049).
After deciding to give Lord Irvine of Lairg the sack, No. 10 debated what to do with him afterward. One option was to make him a senior judge of the European Court of Justice ("Derry could learn French between now and October"). Another was to let him sit as a Law Lord. 1/2
January 9, 2026 at 7:23 PM
After deciding to give Lord Irvine of Lairg the sack, No. 10 debated what to do with him afterward. One option was to make him a senior judge of the European Court of Justice ("Derry could learn French between now and October"). Another was to let him sit as a Law Lord. 1/2
First page of a Commission for the custody of the Great Seal from 1979. Unlike subsequent examples, it entrusts the Great Seal to specific individuals rather than the holders of certain offices. It's also largely handwritten even though it's unlikely to have been displayed. 1/2
January 8, 2026 at 10:33 PM
First page of a Commission for the custody of the Great Seal from 1979. Unlike subsequent examples, it entrusts the Great Seal to specific individuals rather than the holders of certain offices. It's also largely handwritten even though it's unlikely to have been displayed. 1/2
Submission asking John Major to approve the text of birthday greetings for members of the Royal Family. Other documents make it clear that the Princess Royal would have received a greeting as well, but it has been redacted under the FOIA (PREM 49/4667).
December 31, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Submission asking John Major to approve the text of birthday greetings for members of the Royal Family. Other documents make it clear that the Princess Royal would have received a greeting as well, but it has been redacted under the FOIA (PREM 49/4667).
Cabinet ministers must obtain the Prime Minister's permission before traveling abroad. Here's a request from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport along with No. 10's reply. Note that it also gave permission to miss Cabinet. 1/2
December 31, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Cabinet ministers must obtain the Prime Minister's permission before traveling abroad. Here's a request from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport along with No. 10's reply. Note that it also gave permission to miss Cabinet. 1/2
Memorandum from the Department for Constitutional Affairs dated May 4, 2005 regarding the handling of official business during Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Canada. It shows the limited role played by Counsellors of State (PREM 49/4325).
December 30, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Memorandum from the Department for Constitutional Affairs dated May 4, 2005 regarding the handling of official business during Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Canada. It shows the limited role played by Counsellors of State (PREM 49/4325).
Letter from the Palace stating that Queen Elizabeth II had given Tony Blair permission to leave the UK for the purpose of visiting the US from June 6-7, 2005 (PREM 49/4237).
December 30, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Letter from the Palace stating that Queen Elizabeth II had given Tony Blair permission to leave the UK for the purpose of visiting the US from June 6-7, 2005 (PREM 49/4237).
Letter granting the Lord Chancellor the Queen's permission to leave the UK. This is noteworthy because in 1980 the Queen had issued Letters Patent granting "leave to Our Chancellor to be absent from Our United Kingdom from time to time during Our Pleasure" (LCO 6/3932). 1/2
December 23, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Letter granting the Lord Chancellor the Queen's permission to leave the UK. This is noteworthy because in 1980 the Queen had issued Letters Patent granting "leave to Our Chancellor to be absent from Our United Kingdom from time to time during Our Pleasure" (LCO 6/3932). 1/2
Royal Warrant of Queen Victoria granting the Lord High Steward of Ireland permission to carry a white wand of office. cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
December 23, 2025 at 3:43 AM
Royal Warrant of Queen Victoria granting the Lord High Steward of Ireland permission to carry a white wand of office. cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
The Ecclesiastical Licenses Act 1533 gave the Archbishop of Canterbury the power to issue dispensations that were previously granted by the Curia. This Lambeth Degree is an example of this power being used today. 1/2 cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
December 11, 2025 at 9:01 PM
The Ecclesiastical Licenses Act 1533 gave the Archbishop of Canterbury the power to issue dispensations that were previously granted by the Curia. This Lambeth Degree is an example of this power being used today. 1/2 cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
The Corpus of British Administrative Instruments now has 500 entries! 🎉 cbaionline.org/corpus/
Corpus of British Administrative Instruments
cbaionline.org
December 11, 2025 at 8:25 PM
The Corpus of British Administrative Instruments now has 500 entries! 🎉 cbaionline.org/corpus/
Yesterday I shared the Royal Warrant and Letters Patent that formalized Andrew's loss of royal status. Today: my analysis of their numerous drafting anomalies, evidence of Whitehall's increasingly fuzzy grasp of constitutional minutiae. venerablepuzzle.wordpress.com/2025/12/02/t...
The Oddly Worded Instruments That Undid a Prince
In late October, it was announced that the King would formally strip Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor of his royal status. At the start of November, the Gazette announced that the King had issued a Warra…
venerablepuzzle.wordpress.com
December 3, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Yesterday I shared the Royal Warrant and Letters Patent that formalized Andrew's loss of royal status. Today: my analysis of their numerous drafting anomalies, evidence of Whitehall's increasingly fuzzy grasp of constitutional minutiae. venerablepuzzle.wordpress.com/2025/12/02/t...
CBAI entry: cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
December 2, 2025 at 12:40 AM
CBAI entry: cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
CBAI entry: cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
December 2, 2025 at 12:40 AM
CBAI entry: cbaionline.org/corpus/items...
Royal Warrant directing the Secretary of State to remove the Duke of York from the Roll of the Peerage. Note that, instead of the King's full signature, he simply wrote "Appd CR" like it was a submission.
December 1, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Royal Warrant directing the Secretary of State to remove the Duke of York from the Roll of the Peerage. Note that, instead of the King's full signature, he simply wrote "Appd CR" like it was a submission.