His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Essex is Mrs Jennifer Tolhurst, the first woman to be appointed to the office in the county since it was established in the 1500s.

She is His Majesty the King’s personal representative in the county.

The main duty of the Lord-Lieutenant is to uphold the dignity of the Crown in Essex, including encouraging voluntary service and benevolent organisations, helping to create a spirit of co-operation in the county, supporting business and industry and the social life of Essex. The appointment is non-political and unpaid.