Sir Laurence Howard KCVO OBE was the Lord Lieutenant of Rutland. He was appointed in 2003 in succession to Air Chief Marshal Sir Thomas Kennedy, having served as a deputy lieutenant since 1997. He is a former chairman of the Central Council of Magistrates' Courts Committees, serving on the bench in Leicestershire for 25 years. He was also the honorary air commodore of 504 County of Nottingham Squadron for ten years, ending in 2018. He was appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in the 2017 Birthday Honours.