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| Lord High Steward of Ireland | |
|---|---|
 Unofficial arms of Kingdom of Ireland | |
 | |
| Style | The Right Honourable |
| Type | Great Officer of State |
| Formation | 1446 |
| First holder | The 1st Earl of Shrewsbury |
| Succession | Hereditary |
| Deputy | Vice Great Seneschal / Deputy Lord High Steward |
The office of Lord High Steward of Ireland is a hereditary position of Great Officer of State in the United Kingdom. Currently held by the Earl of Shrewsbury, it is sometimes referred to as the Hereditary Great Seneschal.[1] While most of Ireland achieved independence in 1922, the title retains its original naming and scope rather than adjusting to reflect Northern Ireland as the sole portion of the province of Ulster remaining within the United Kingdom.
The title of Lord High Steward of Ireland was first bestowed in 1446 upon the 1st Earl of Shrewsbury by way of letters patent from King Henry VI. He was named Earl of Waterford and granted the hereditary office of Lord High Steward, to be passed down through the male heirs of his line.[2] The lineage has remained unbroken, and the current holder of the position is the 22nd Earl of Shrewsbury, tracing his right to the office directly back to that original royal charter over 570 years ago.
- ^ In an inscription on a leaden coffin for the remains of Gilbert, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury (died May 1616), in the Mausoleum of the Earls of Shrewsbury in the Chancel of St. Peter’s Church at Sheffield, the said Gilbert is further described as High Seneschal of Ireland
- ^ Calendar of the patent rolls, preserved in the Public Record Office :Henry VI, 1422-1461 Volume 4, page 448. 24 Henry 6