High Sheriff of Leicestershire

Words cannot express my sadness on hearing of the passing of our beloved Queen. She has been our leader and our role model for the last 70 years. It is the saddest of times.

Sincere condolences to the Royal Family.

I will be observing a period of Royal mourning until after the Queen's funeral. I will not be attending any engagements as High Sheriff until then.

Mehmooda Duke MBE DL is the current High Sheriff of Leicestershire from March 2022 – March 2023

What is a High Sheriff?

The Office of High Sheriff is an independent non-political Royal appointment for a single year. The origins of the Office date back to Saxon times, when the ‘Shire Reeve’ was responsible to the king for the maintenance of law and order within the shire, or county, and for the collection and return of taxes due to the Crown. Today, there are 55 High Sheriffs serving the counties of England and Wales each year.

Whilst the duties of the role have evolved over time, supporting the Crown and the judiciary remain central elements of the role today. In addition, High Sheriffs actively lend support and encouragement to crime prevention agencies, the emergency services and to the voluntary sector. In recent years High Sheriffs in many parts of England and Wales have been particularly active in encouraging crime reduction initiatives, especially amongst young people. Many High Sheriffs also assist Community Foundations and local charities working with vulnerable and other people both in endorsing and helping to raise the profile of their valuable work. The High Sheriffs´ Association adopted National Crimebeat in recent years in response to specific areas of need.

High Sheriffs receive no remuneration and no part of the expense of a High Sheriff’s year falls on the public purse.

For more information visit the High Sheriff’s Association Website