The Chapel Royal Team

The Reverend Canon Dr Simon Bloxam-Rose,
Chaplain

Prior to his involvement in the Chapels Royal, Simon had a career as a Chaplain in the Royal Army Chaplains department, serving in the Royal Horse Artillery, and The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, with tours including Iraq and Afghanistan where he was battlegroup chaplain in Helmand Province. He left the Army in 2021 as a Deputy Assistant Chaplain General.

A voracious reader and keen walker, his interests include people and entertaining, drama, historic buildings and music. Simon also has been made an Honorary Fellow of the London College of Music.

James Harris,
Chapel Clerk and Verger

James has been Chapel Clerk and Verger to the Chapel Royal Hampton Court Palace since October 2018. James was previously Dean’s Verger at St Davids Cathedral, Pembrokeshire, a post he held for five years. Previously to that, he worked at St Paul’s, Winchester, Portsmouth, and Lichfield Cathedrals. He brings a huge wealth of knowledge and experience to the position.

Carl Jackson MVO,
Director of Music

Carl has been Director of Music of the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace since 1996. He was educated at the Royal Academy of Music, Downing College, Cambridge and Goldsmiths’ College, London, and studied with Alan Harverson and Peter Hurford. He was appointed MVO in the 2012 New Year Honours list.

Sophie Baylis,
Music and Choir Co-ordinator

Sophie was appointed Music & Choir Co-ordinator at the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace in September 2017, after graduating in Music from Royal Holloway, University of London. Having specialised in instrumental and vocal performance, she enjoys performing as a freelance flautist and singer alongside working full time in HM Chapel Royal.

George Herbert,
Assistant Director of Music

George studied at Chetham’s School of Music and at St John’s College, Cambridge where he was organ student and subsequently assistant organist. He took up the post of Assistant Director of Music at the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace on moving to London in 2023 where he is pursuing a freelance career.

Samuel Kemp, Senior Organ Scholar

Samuel studied at the Purcell School and held organ scholarships at churches in St Albans and Leighton Buzzard. He learns the organ with Gerard Brooks, obtaining the diploma of FRCO in 2024. He took up the Gordon Reynolds Organ Scholarship here in September 2023, and has been offered the organ scholarship of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge from October 2024.

James Huxley-Jennings, Junior Organ Scholar

James was a chorister at Hampton Court from 2019 until October 2022 when he was appointed junior organ scholar. He studies the organ with Iestyn Evans.

Louise Cole,
Choral Foundation Administrator

Louise Cole is the administrator of the Choral Foundation. She is based in an office at Hampton Court Palace and can be contacted by telephone on 020 3166 6516.

All photographs of the Chapel Royal or taken in the Chapel Royal are with the gracious permission of His Majesty The King.

The Chapel Royal
Hampton Court Palace
KT8 9AU