UK state official, originally the royal
secretary, today a member of the cabinet,
whose office ends with a change of
government. The Lord Chancellor acts as
speaker of the House of Lords, may preside
over the court of appeal, and is head of the
judiciary. Until the 14th century he was
always an ecclesiastic, who also acted as
royal chaplain and Keeper of the Great Seal.
Under Edward III the Lord Chancellor became
head of a permanent court to consider
petitions to the king: the court of chancery.
In order of precedence the Lord Chancellor
comes after the archbishop of Canterbury.