# Sir Orlando Drought — The Prime Minister character guide

> Sir Orlando Drought in The Prime Minister by Anthony Trollope.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Sir Orlando, Sir Orlando Drought, Drought, old Tory Sir Orlando Drought

**First appearance:** 0019-xx-sir-orlando-s-policy

## Snapshot

A senior statesman whose wounded vanity turns him from colleague to saboteur, testing the Prime Minister's faith in honest men.

## Who they are

Sir Orlando Drought has earned the name of statesman and cannot bear to be outshone by a leader he considers his inferior. Personal jealousy drives him to undermine the Coalition from within, and his baseness wounds the Duke more than any newspaper attack. He embodies the ordinary treachery of political life, and his defection sets the Ministry's slow unraveling in motion.

## In the story

### [The Beginning of a New Career](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prime_minister_se/chapters/viii-the-beginning-of-a-new-career)

Assigned to lead the House of Commons as the principal spirit, though Mr. Rattler doubts his position.

### [The Gathering of Clouds](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prime_minister_se/chapters/xii-the-gathering-of-clouds)

Answers Mr. Turnbull's attack with jokes, but his jauntiness is seen as a misstep by experienced politicians.

### [The Duke of Omnium Thinks of Himself](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prime_minister_se/chapters/xviii-the-duke-of-omnium-thinks-of-himself)

Mentioned as one of the early guests at Gatherum, whom the Duchess thinks the Duke would not specially care to meet.

### [Sir Orlando's Policy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prime_minister_se/chapters/xx-sir-orlando-s-policy)

Sir Orlando, feeling his position as Leader of the House, seeks to assert himself by questioning the Duke's policy direction. He is influenced by Sir Timothy Beeswax's insinuations.

### [The Duchess's New Swan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prime_minister_se/chapters/xxi-the-duchess-s-new-swan)

Mentioned as a man the Duchess advises the Duke not to snub, though the Duke finds him uncomfortable.

### [The Duke's Misery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prime_minister_se/chapters/xxvii-the-duke-s-misery)

He is mentioned as having spoken to the Duke about policy, and the Duke recalls his arrogance in giving advice in the park.

### [XXXII: “What Business Is It of Yours?”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prime_minister_se/chapters/xxxii-what-business-is-it-of-yours)

Demands a more aggressive naval policy (four bigger ships) and challenges the Duke's leadership, causing a rift in the coalition government.

### [The Horns](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prime_minister_se/chapters/xxxvii-the-horns)

Leads opposition within the Cabinet over shipbuilding and county suffrage; threatens resignation.

### [Sir Orlando Retires](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prime_minister_se/chapters/xxxviii-sir-orlando-retires)

Resigns from the Cabinet after complaining to the Duke about not being invited to private dinners; feels slighted and plots against the Coalition.

### [The Value of a Thick Skin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prime_minister_se/chapters/xli-the-value-of-a-thick-skin)

Resigns from the Coalition and is met with parliamentary indifference; later reconciles with Mr. Boffin.

### [What the Duchess Thought of Her Husband](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prime_minister_se/chapters/lvi-what-the-duchess-thought-of-her-husband)

Former coalition member who organizes opposition against the government over naval neglect, attacking the Duke as a fainéant minister.

### [The Explanation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prime_minister_se/chapters/lvii-the-explanation)

Sounded about asking a hostile question but declines, recognizing the Duke's essential honor despite their political enmity.

### [Only the Duke of Omnium](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prime_minister_se/chapters/lxxiii-only-the-duke-of-omnium)

Leads the attack on the Duke, accusing him of autocratic rule and withdrawing his support.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prime_minister_se/characters/sir_orlando_drought
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prime_minister_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prime_minister_se/characters