Page of the Presence
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Page of the Presence is a courtier of the British Royal Household who acts as a personal attendant to Royal visitors. During events at Buckingham Palace (such as receptions, state visits, garden parties or investitures), they are positioned at the Grand Entrance and supervise the arrival of guests and heads of state. They also man the Privy Purse door where members of the British government are received and the daily red boxes are received and dispatched. Other duties include looking after the palace's visitors' book and they are also responsible for the service of meals to the Royal Family.
The origin of the courtiers' name derives from the Presence Chamber, which is where kings and queens of the past would dine in state, receive visitors and hold meetings of the Privy Council. As of 2005, there are four Pages of the Presence.
