*Closes 29th November*
Trustees for Historic Royal Palaces
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport wishes to appoint three Trustees to the Board of independent charity Historic Royal Palaces, which has responsibility for six royal sites: the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace, the Banqueting House in Whitehall, and Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland. Together they welcomed 4.3m paying visitors in 2023-24, as well as interacting 80m times online and on social media. HRP’s ambition is to reach everyone, and now seeks new Trustees who will help to achieve this.
Applicants will have a demonstrable interest in history and the wide range of subjects related to the palaces, together with a desire to apply them for public benefit. They will be experienced in working on boards or as part of an executive team, able to bring sound business judgement to bear on corporate decisions, alert to the wider needs of the country and willing to support fundraising for the work of the charity.
The Role of Trustees
The Board of Trustees consists of the Chair and up to eleven Trustees who are appointed by either HM The King or the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Once appointed, all Trustees must act in the best interests of the charity. The current appointments will be made by the Secretary of State.
The Board of Trustees is ultimately accountable for the organisation and for ensuring that the Charter aims are met and HRP’s strategic ambitions are realised.  It delegates authority within agreed limits to the Chief Executive and his Executive Team and provides oversight, monitoring, support and advocacy. Trustees retain the authority to contribute to and approve operating plans and budgets, and other major projects and strategies.  The Executive Team, comprising the Chief Executive and eight Directors, is responsible for preparing strategies, operating plans and budgets and for the day-to-day operation of the organisation.
The time commitment is typically the equivalent of about one full day per month although more might be required from time to time.  This currently includes four half-day Board Meetings, sub-committee meetings as necessary which are usually held online, plus time to study papers, and to attend events.  Main board meetings are typically held in person in one of the Palaces and this will occasionally include Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland.

Historic Royal Palaces Trustees

Number of vacancies x 3

Time commitment x 1 day(s) per month

Length of term x Three years

Organisation description

Historic Royal Palaces
Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) is the independent charity charged with the management of six royal palaces, their associated contents, gardens and landscape.  The palaces are spaces to stir and be stirred, sources of pleasure, inspiration, surprise and debate. Our aim is for everyone, everywhere to be able to benefit from the palaces in our care whether onsite, off-site or online. We love and look after some of Britain’s most important historic buildings:  the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, the Banqueting House in Whitehall, Kew Palace and Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland.
The five London palaces are owned by His Majesty The King in Right of Crown and are held for the benefit of the nation by the Government through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Hillsborough Castle is owned by the Government and is The King’s Royal Residence in Northern Ireland.
HRP was established by Royal Charter in 1998. Under the Royal Charter, HRP has two primary aims:
  • to manage, conserve, renovate, repair, maintain and improve the palaces to a high standard consistent with their status as buildings of royal association and historic and/or architectural importance; and
  • to help everyone learn about the palaces, the skills required for their conservation and the wider story of how monarchs and people together have shaped society by providing public access, by exhibition, by events and education programmes, by the preparation of records, by research and by publication, and by such other means as are appropriate.
Since 1998, HRP has been responsible for the five London palaces under contract with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Responsibility for Hillsborough Castle is by lease from the Northern Ireland Office, since 2014.
HRP is a public corporation and receives no public revenue funding: all costs are met by self-generated income.
It has been a self-financing independent charity for over 20 years, with an extensive record of development and achievement and a turnover in 2023 of £130 million.
HRP’s new strategic ambition
In 2024 we are embarking on an ambitious new strategic direction with a focus on increasing our charitable impact. Although our palaces are very popular places to visit, with c4.3 million paying visitors each year plus those who come for events, we still feel that relatively few people benefit, and we are determined for that to change.
Our new strategy to be for everyone will see us reaching further and removing barriers to access; meaning more, making sure our stories are relevant and helping people explore our palaces and collections on their own terms; and acting for the future, investing in and listening to young people, and ensuring that our palaces have a positive impact on the planet.
We can’t do all of that on our own. We will work with people, for people and will partner with organisations who can help multiply our charitable impact so that everyone, everywhere can benefit from the palaces in our care. Further information about HRP is available on its website; www.hrp.org.uk.

Board composition

The Board currently consists of a Chair and nine trustees:
  • Sir Nicholas Coleridge – Chair of the Board
  • Professor Michael Wood
  • Camilla Finlay
  • Sarah Jenkins
  • Jonathan Bewes
  • Dr Jo Twist
  • Tim Knox
  • Lisa Burger
  • Mike Stevens
  • General Sir Gordon Messenger

Regulation of appointment

This post is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. For more information, please refer to the Commissioner’s website 

Person specification

Essential criteria

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate in their application the following qualities:
  • Demonstrable interest and experience in at least one of the following areas:
    • History
    • Art
    • Architecture
  • Commitment to Historic Royal Palaces, its charitable objectives and its strategic direction to be a charity for everyone;
  • Ability to make a significant contribution to the overall strategic direction and governance of HRP, recognising the complex organisational balance between charitable aims and financial and commercial pressures;
  • Ability to engage constructively with Trustees, the Executive Team, staff and stakeholders at all levels;
  • A strong commitment to diversity, inclusion and providing opportunities for all and;
  • An understanding of the principles of non-profit governance and a willingness to support fundraising appropriately.
All Trustees of the Historic Royal Palaces are encouraged to serve on specialist sub committees in addition to the main board, and to attend events (most usually in the evenings).

How to apply

In order to apply you will need to create an account or sign in.

Once you are logged into your account, click on ‘apply for this role’ and follow the on-screen instructions. To apply, all candidates are required to provide:

  • a Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • a supporting statement
  • equality information
  • information relating to any outside interests or reputational issues

We will ask you to check and confirm your personal details to ensure your application is accurate.

You will also have the opportunity to make a reasonable adjustment request or apply under the disability confident scheme before you submit your application.

The Advisory Assessment Panel reserves the right to only consider applications that contain all of the elements listed above, and that arrive before the published deadline for applications.