King appoints new lord-lieutenant for county

Elizabeth Barnes said the appointment was a huge honour

The next lord-lieutenant of Staffordshire has been appointed by King Charles III.

Prof Elizabeth Barnes will take up the role on 15 July when the current lord-lieutenant, Sir Ian Dudson, retires, the county council confirmed.

She will be the King's representative in the county and her duties will include overseeing royal visits and award presentations.

Prof Barnes was previously vice chancellor of the University of Staffordshire and a board member of the Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership before she was appointed deputy lieutenant in 2020.

She said it would be a "huge honour" to represent the King in the county where she was born and raised.