Sir James Leigh-Pemberton, CVO
Chairman of the Council
Sir James was appointed as Chairman of the Duchy Council in July 2023. He previously served as Receiver General of the Duchy of Cornwall and was the non-executive Chairman of RIT Capital Partners plc.
Mr Alastair Martin CVO
Chief Executive and Clerk of the Council
Alastair Martin CVO was appointed Clerk of the Council and Chief Executive, Keeper of the Records and Surveyor General of the Duchy of Lancaster on 1st November 2024. He was formerly Secretary and Keeper of the Records of the Duchy of Cornwall and before that a partner in Carter Jonas and predecessor practices. He is an executive member of Council.
Mr James Chalmers
Receiver General
As Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to His Majesty The King, James Chalmers was appointed Receiver General of the Duchy of Lancaster in July 2025.
Ms Sonia Tolaney, KC
Attorney General
Sonia Tolaney was appointed Attorney General of the Duchy of Lancaster on 30 October 2020. Ms Tolaney succeeded The Honourable Mr Justice Miles who had held the office for the previous eight years.
Lord Downshire
Member of the Council
Nicholas Downshire became a member of the Council of the Duchy of Lancaster in January 2018. He manages his family estates in Yorkshire and Northern Ireland. Nicholas is a Chartered Accountant and chairs the Duchy Audit & Risk Committee along with the Duchy Investment Committee.
Mrs Jill May
Member of the Council
Jill May became a member of the Council of the Duchy of Lancaster in February 2022. Her experience is in regulation, public policy, economics, financial services and cybersecurity and she has been a member of the Prudential Regulation Committee for the Bank of England since 2018.
Ms Lucy Macdonald
Member of the Council
Lucy Macdonald became a member of the Council of the Duchy of Lancaster in February 2022. She has 30 years’ experience as a global equity investor and brings with her a wealth of expertise in investments, valuations, marketing and digital media.
Mr Alistair Elliott
Member of the Council
Alistair Elliott became a member of the Council of the Duchy of Lancaster in February 2023. An experienced professional with over 40 years’ experience in the commercial property sector, he was formerly Senior Partner and Chair of the Executive Board at Knight Frank.
Mr Toby Anstruther
Member of the Council
Toby Anstruther became a member of Council in November 2024, having been an independent member of two Duchy committees in the preceding 5 years. He has 30 years’ experience managing central London and rural property on his own account and as a trustee for a number of private estates and wider experience as a trustee on the board of a number of charities.
Mr Alastair Martin CVO
Chief Executive and Clerk of the Council
Alastair Martin CVO was appointed Clerk of the Council and Chief Executive, Keeper of the Records and Surveyor General of the Duchy of Lancaster on 1st November 2024. He was formerly Secretary and Keeper of the Records of the Duchy of Cornwall and before that a partner in Carter Jonas and predecessor practices. He is an executive member of Council.
Mr Jonathan Murrin
Chief Finance Officer
Jonathan joined the Duchy as Chief Finance Officer in January 2023. He is a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years experience in the property sector.
Mr Hugh Bruce-Watt
Duchy Solicitor
Hugh is the Solicitor for the Affairs of the Duchy of Lancaster and is the Duchy’s General Counsel. He provides legal advice and assistance to the Duchy team. Hugh has over 30 years’ experience in commercial property law and joined the Duchy in March 2019.