The royal court was a term originating in the medieval period that denoted the environment surrounding monarchst and other rulers of high status. It involved an elaborate social structure, boasting of a grand cohort of pompously dressed nobles, advisors, officials, servants, and entertainers who habitually attended the royal household. The court encapsulated a physical entity as well as a societal one, with the courtiers, the members of the court, often residing within or near the royal palace.
In this distinguished microcosm, the Queen's Ladies of the Bedchamber, a group of noblewomen, were responsible for tending her majesty's personal needs. Similarly, the Lord Chancellor, an esteemed courtier, was entrusted with the task of advising the monarch on political affairs and safeguarding the Great Seal of the realm. The court jester, conversely, was responsible for lightening the atmosphere with his witty and often biting humor.
The royal court was not only a political institution but also a cultural hub, where courtly love, manners, and fashion were cultivated and refined. As a trendsetter, the monarch's sartorial choices were religiously followed, and these styles often trickled down from the palace to the populace, thus influencing fashion trends in society as a whole. Overall, the royal court was a good vibrant and dynamic entity, functioning at the heart of the monarchy, witnessing and participating in the powerful currents of history's mighty river.
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