Camarera mayor de Palacio

This Office was created in 1526 when, during the Habsburg dynasty, the Royal Court was shaped after that one that existed in the Court of Burgundy. Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, but also King of Spain, imported the etiquette styled in the Court of his paternal grandmother Mary of Burgundy and appointed the first “Camarera mayor de Palacio” for his wife, the Empress.

The principal responsibility of the “Camarera mayor de Palacio” was managing all that was related with the service to the Queen and she had authority over the different dignities and servants that composed her personnel. Her first obligation was the personal assistance to the Sovereign. She had to accompany her at all time, up to the point of sleeping in her chamber, when the King was not doing it. She was in charge of the clothes purveyors and directed the formal dressing of the Queen. In fact she had the high duty of delivering the Queen the water and the towel during morning toilette. All these functions gave the “Camarera mayor” a great intimacy with the Queen, as well as a big influence over her.

In the structure of the Royal Household, the Office “Camarera mayor de Palacio” had the same category as that of the Mayordomo mayor. Only a woman with the rank of Grandee of Spain could be nominated for this Office, and she was chosen between those of the class of “Dama de la Reina” (Lady of the Bedchamber) of major seniority. She was in charge of everything relative to the etiquette and organization of the Household of the Queen helped by the “Mayordomo mayor” (High Steward) to the Queen.

Between her duties there were signalling the dates for audiences to the Queen and accompanying her in every ceremony.

Under the “Camarera mayor de Palacio” they were the “Damas de la Reina” (Ladies of the Bedchamber) and the “Damas al servicio particular de la Reina” (Ladies-in-Waiting).

She had assigned an annual salary of 6.000 pesetas and had a private own office in the Royal Palace of Madrid.

She was styled “Excelentísima señora Camarera mayor de Palacio”.

This post was suppressed after the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931 and never re-created after the restoration of Monarchy in 1975.

During the reign of King Alfonso XIII, and after his marriage, it was created the own Household of her mother the Queen Maria Cristina of Austria with her own “Camarera mayor de la Reina Madre” (First Lady of the Bedchamber of the Queen Mother). This Office was successively held by:

• 1906-1923: Maria Natividad Quindos Villaroel, Duchess of La Conquista, Marchioness of San Saturnino, Grandee of Spain
• 1923-1929: Maria Concepcion Martos Zabalburu, Countess of Heredia Spinola, Grandee of Spain

• Chief Court Mistress, Dutch, German, Scandinavian and Russian equivalent
• Mistress of the Robes, British equivalent
• Première dame d'honneur, French equivalent
• Surintendante de la Maison de la Reine, French equivalent

• Enciclopedia universal ilustrada europeo-americana. Volume 49. Hijos de J. Espasa, Editores.1923
• Archivo General de Palacio (AGP) . Patrimonio Nacional. Sección Personal