Aberdeen ministry
After the collapse of Lord Derby's minority government, the Whigs and Peelites formed a coalition under the Peelite leader Lord Aberdeen. The government resigned in early 1855 after a large parliamentary majority voted for a select committee to enquire into the incompetent management of the Crimean War. The former Home Secretary, Lord Palmerston, then formed his first government.
Cabinet
December 1852 – February 1855
† After June 1854 office became Secretary of State for War.Changes
- February 1853: Lord John Russell becomes Minister without Portfolio, remaining Leader of the Commons. Lord Clarendon succeeds him as Foreign Secretary.
- June 1854: Lord Granville becomes Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Lord John Russell succeeds him as Lord President, remaining also Leader of the Commons. The Secretaryship of State for War and the Colonies is split up. The Duke of Newcastle stays on as Secretary of State for War, while Sir George Grey becomes Secretary of State for the Colonies.
List of Ministers
| Office | Name | Party | Date | Notes |
| Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Leader of the House of Lords | The Earl of Aberdeen | Peelite | 19 December 1852 – 30 January 1855 | |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer | William Ewart Gladstone | Peelite | 30 December 1852 | |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | William Goodenough Hayter | Whig | 5 January 1853 | |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | James Wilson | Whig | 5 January 1853 | |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Lord Alfred Hervey | Peelite | 1 January 1853 – 7 March 1855 | |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Lord Elcho | 1 January 1853 – 7 March 1855 | ||
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | John Sadleir | 1 January 1853 – 6 March 1854 | ||
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Chichester Fortescue | 6 March 1854 – 16 April 1855 | ||
| Lord Chancellor | The Lord Cranworth | Whig | 28 December 1852 | |
| Lord President of the Council | The Earl Granville | Whig | 28 December 1852 | |
| Lord President of the Council | Lord John Russell | Whig | 12 June 1854 | also Leader of the House of Commons |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Duke of Argyll | 4 January 1853 | ||
| Secretary of State for the Home Department | The Viscount Palmerston | Whig | 28 December 1852 | |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department | Henry Fitzroy | Peelite | 28 December 1852 | |
| Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | Lord John Russell | Whig | 28 December 1852 | also Leader of the House of Commons |
| Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | The Earl of Clarendon | Whig | 21 February 1853 | |
| Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | The Lord Wodehouse | 28 December 1852 | ||
| Secretary of State for War and the Colonies | The Duke of Newcastle | Peelite | 28 December 1852 | department abolished 10 June 1854 |
| Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies | Frederick Peel | Peelite | 28 December 1852 | department abolished 10 June 1854 |
| Secretary of State for War | The Duke of Newcastle | Peelite | 12 June 1854 | |
| Under-Secretary of State for War | Henry Roberts | 12 June 1854 | ||
| Secretary of State for the Colonies | Sir George Grey, Bt | Whig | 12 June 1854 | |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies | Frederick Peel | Whig | 12 June 1854 | |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | Sir James Graham, Bt | Peelite | 30 December 1852 | |
| First Secretary of the Admiralty | Ralph Bernal Osborne | 6 January 1853 | ||
| Civil Lord of the Admiralty | William Francis Cowper | Whig | 30 December 1852 | |
| President of the Board of Control | Sir Charles Wood, Bt | Whig | 30 December 1852 | |
| Joint Secretaries to the Board of Control | Robert Lowe | 30 December 1852 | ||
| Joint Secretaries to the Board of Control | Sir Thomas Redington | 30 December 1852 | ||
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Edward Strutt | Radical | 3 January 1853 | |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | The Earl Granville | Whig | 21 June 1854 | |
| Minister without Portfolio | The Marquess of Lansdowne | Whig | 28 December 1852 – 21 February 1858 | |
| Minister without Portfolio | Lord John Russell | Whig | 26 February 1853 – 8 June 1854 | also Leader of the House of Commons |
| Secretary at War | Sidney Herbert | Peelite | 30 December 1852 | |
| First Commissioner of Works | Sir William Molesworth, Bt | Radical | 5 January 1853 | |
| President of the Board of Health | Sir Benjamin Hall, Bt | Whig | 14 January 1854 | |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | Sir John Young, Bt | Peelite | 6 January 1853 | |
| Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | The Earl of St Germans | Peelite | 5 January 1853 | |
| Master-General of the Ordnance | The Lord Raglan | non-party | 30 September 1852 | continued in office |
| Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance | Sir Hew Dalrymple Ross | non-party | 6 May 1854 | |
| Surveyor-General of the Ordnance | Lauderdale Maule | Whig | 5 January 1853 | died 1 August 1854 |
| Clerk of the Ordnance | William Monsell | Whig | 13 January 1853 | |
| Storekeeper of the Ordnance | Sir Thomas Hastings | non-party | 25 July 1845 | continued in office |
| Paymaster-General | The Lord Stanley of Alderley | Whig | 5 January 1853 | |
| Postmaster-General | The Viscount Canning | Peelite | 5 January 1853 | |
| President of the Poor Law Board | Matthew Talbot Baines | Whig | 30 December 1852 | |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Poor Law Board | Grenville Berkeley | 7 January 1853 | ||
| President of the Board of Trade | Edward Cardwell | Peelite | 28 December 1852 | |
| Vice-President of the Board of Trade | The Lord Stanley of Alderley | Whig | 4 January 1853 | |
| Attorney General | Sir Alexander Cockburn, Bt | Whig | 28 December 1852 | |
| Solicitor General | Sir Richard Bethell | 28 December 1852 | ||
| Judge Advocate General | Charles Pelham Villiers | 30 December 1852 | ||
| Lord Advocate | James Moncreiff | 30 December 1852 | ||
| Solicitor General for Scotland | Robert Handyside | 17 January 1853 | ||
| Solicitor General for Scotland | James Craufurd | 16 November 1853 | ||
| Solicitor General for Scotland | Thomas Mackenzie | 11 January 1855 | ||
| Attorney General for Ireland | Abraham Brewster | Peelite | April 1853 | |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | William Keogh | April 1853 | ||
| Lord Steward of the Household | The Duke of Norfolk | Whig | 4 January 1853 | |
| Lord Steward of the Household | The Earl Spencer | Whig | 10 January 1854 | |
| Lord Chamberlain of the Household | The Marquess of Breadalbane | Whig | 15 January 1853 | |
| Vice-Chamberlain of the Household | Lord Ernest Bruce | Peelite | 30 December 1852 | |
| Master of the Horse | The Duke of Wellington | 21 January 1853 | ||
| Treasurer of the Household | Earl of Mulgrave | Whig | 4 January 1853 | |
| Comptroller of the Household | Viscount Drumlanrig | 4 January 1853 | ||
| Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms | The Lord Foley | Whig | 30 December 1852 | |
| Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard | The Viscount Sydney | 30 December 1852 | ||
| Master of the Buckhounds | The Earl of Bessborough | Whig | 30 December 1852 | |
| Chief Equerry and Clerk Marshal | Lord Alfred Paget | Whig | 30 December 1852 | |
| Mistress of the Robes | The Duchess of Sutherland | Whig | 15 January 1853 | |
| Lords in Waiting | The Marquess of Ormonde | Whig | 11 January 1853 – 25 September 1854 | |
| Lords in Waiting | The Earl Somers | 13 January 1853 – 22 February 1857 | ||
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord Camoys | Whig | 13 January 1853 – 21 February 1858 | |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord Elphinstone | Whig | 13 January 1853 – 1 October 1853 | |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord Rivers | Peelite | 13 January 1853 – 21 February 1858 | |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord Waterpark | Whig | 13 January 1853 – 21 February 1858 | |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord de Tabley | 13 January 1853 – 21 February 1858 | ||
| Lords in Waiting | The Earl of Listowel | Whig | 1 October 1853 – 21 February 1856 | |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord Dufferin and Clandeboye | Whig | 28 November 1854 – 21 February 1858 |