HM King Charles III confirmed as Royal Patron for the RVC
His Majesty King Charles III has been confirmed as the Royal Patron for the Royal Veterinary College (RVC). This announcement follows a review of the royal patronages which was shared as part of wider celebrations to mark the first anniversary of Their Majesties’ Coronation.
This continues the RVC’s honour of royal patronage which was first acquired from King George V. The RVC’s royal patronage was most recently held by the late Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh.
The RVC’s connection to the Royal Family was established in 1875, when it received its first Royal Charter from Queen Victoria. Since then, it has enjoyed several visits to its Hawkshead campus including, the attendance of HRH The Princess Royal at the RVC’s 1994 graduation ceremony; the opening of the Large Animal Clinical Centre and Eclipse Building in 2003, by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Philip; and the official opening of the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals by Her Majesty The Queen (then Duchess of Cornwall).
Professor Stuart Reid CBE, President & Principal of the RVC, said:
“We are honoured that His Majesty has graciously agreed to be our Patron, continuing the long association between the Royal Family and the RVC. We look forward to welcoming His Majesty to our campuses and sharing the achievements of our staff and students.”
Baroness Young of Old Scone, Member and Chair of the RVC Council, said:
“The Royal Family has supported the RVC since 1875, so we are incredibly fortunate and grateful that His Majesty has agreed to continue this association and support of our world-leading research, teaching and clinical services with his patronage.”
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About the RVC
- The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) is the UK's largest and longest established independent veterinary school and is a Member Institution of the University of London.
- It is one of the few veterinary schools in the world that hold accreditations from the RCVS in the UK (with reciprocal recognition from the AVBC for Australasia, the VCI for Ireland and the SAVC for South Africa), the EAEVE in the EU, and the AVMA in the USA and Canada.
- The RVC is ranked as the top veterinary school in the world in the QS World University Rankings by subject, 2024.
- The RVC offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in veterinary medicine, veterinary nursing and biological sciences.
- The RVC is a research-led institution, with 88% of its research rated as internationally excellent or world class in the Research Excellence Framework 2021.
- The RVC provides animal owners and the veterinary profession with access to expert veterinary care and advice through its teaching hospitals and first opinion practices in London and Hertfordshire.