Great Offices of State in January 1965. Five women have held one or more Great Offices of State, with three of the five being members of the Conservative Party. Out of the four Offices, three have been held by women; Chancellor of the Exchequer is the only position that has not. Due to her ascension to the office of Prime Minister in July 2016, Theresa May became the first woman to hold two different Great Offices of State, with the appointment of Amber Rudd as Home Secretary resulting in the first period in which more than one of the Offices were held by women
State Procession at the State Opening of Parliament the monarch's residence where he holds a Member of Parliament 'hostage' pending the monarch's safe return. Until 1998 two Gentleman Ushers were in the procession, in addition to the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod and the Gentleman Usher to the Sword of State (who conveys the sword to and from the Palace of Westminster). Gentleman Ushers have been in attendance at State Openings since at least the 15th century. Until 1998 the Queen was attended by three Ladies in Waiting: a Woman of the Bedchamber, a Lady of the Bedchamber and the Mistress of the Robes; subsequently only two