His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset

Mr Michael Dooley LVO MMs FRCOG was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset on 5 September 2024.

Appointment and current duties

Lord-Lieutenants are appointed by The King for each county in the United Kingdom, to represent the Crown. They are non-political and retire at the age of 75. The post is unpaid.

The 5 main duties of the Lord-Lieutenant are:

• arranging visits to the county by members of the Royal family and escorting Royal visitors
• presenting medals and awards on behalf of His Majesty, and advising on honours nominations
• as Custos Rotolorum, leading local judicial body as Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace
• liaising with local units of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army (and Territorial Army), Royal Air Force and their associated cadet forces
• participating in civic and voluntary activities

The Dorset Lieutenancy covers the County of Dorset and the Boroughs of Poole and Bournemouth.

Clerk to the Lieutenancy

The Clerk to the Lieutenancy is Mr Matt Prosser.

The Deputy Clerk to the Lieutenancy is Sarah Rowe. How to contact the Deputy Clerk to the Lieutenancy.

Protocol and etiquette

Advice on protocol and etiquette, particularly to those organising an event to which a member of the Royal family or the Lord-Lieutenant is invited, is readily available by contacting the Civic & Lieutenancy Officer using the contact details below.

About the Lord-Lieutenant

The Office of the Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Michael Dooley LVO MMs FRCOG succeeding Angus Campbell CVO, who recently retired after serving 10 years in the role.

Mr Dooley commenced his new role on 5 September, taking on the responsibility of representing His Majesty The King in Dorset.

As HM Lord-Lieutenant, Mr Dooley will be working closely with businesses, charitable organisations, and communities to promote civic, cultural, and social initiatives across the county. He has extensive experience of working with numerous charitable sectors and a wide knowledge of the county from his role as High Sheriff in Dorset.

Mr Dooley has had a long and distinguished medical career. He is Consultant Gynaecologist to the Royal Household, and practices in London and Dorset. He was lead Gynaecologist at the London Olympics, and Team Doctor for the British Equestrian Federation for 8 years. He is a visiting Professor to Bournemouth University. Since serving as High Sheriff 4 years ago, he has developed and led an initiative Creating Health and Harmony in Dorset. The project’s next stage will focus on the county’s prison population (he is a trustee of Key4Life, which aims to reduce youth reoffending).

He has raised considerable sums for charities and other good causes, including the Dorset County Hospital, a local hospice, and the Royal Osteoporosis Society.

Mr Dooley lives in Broadmayne, near Dorchester, with his wife, Barbara. They have 3 adult children and 7 grandchildren.

History of the office of Lord-Lieutenant

The Office of Lord-Lieutenant was created during the reign of Henry VIII. It took over the military duties of the Sheriff and control of the military forces of the Crown. From 1569, there was provision for the appointment of Deputies, and in 1662 the Lord-Lieutenant was given entire control of the militia. The Forces Act of 1871 transferred this function back to the Crown, and in 1921, the office lost its power to call upon men of the County to fight in case of need.