This month London experienced the historic ceremony of the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, a magnificent and splendid occasion watched by millions around the world. To celebrate this momentous and extraordinary Royal event we have been looking at the numerous long standing connections our member venues have with the Monarchy. Throughout the years many of our venues have had the pleasure of hosting Royal visits and events and for some this has included welcoming their Royal Patrons, Presidents and Honorary Fellows. For others their Royal connections date back centuries and can be experienced today through their grand buildings and legacies.
Image credit: BAFTA/Michael Barrett
BAFTA has long standing Royal connections that date back to the 1950s when HRH Prince Phillip was appointed the first President of BAFTA.
During the 1970s Her Majesty The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh gifted the royalties from Richard Cawston’s Documentary ‘Royal Family’ to the then named Society of Film and Television Arts. This donation allowed the society to move from Great Portland street to 195 Piccadilly which has been BAFTA’s home ever since.
Apart from the late Richard Attenborough (in which our Members space is named after) all previous and current Presidents of BAFTA have been of Royal heritage. HRH Princess Anne held the position of President for around 30 years and her involvement helped increase the stature of the organisation in the UK and internationally.
The main theatre at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly has been named The Princess Anne Theatre in honour of her support. HRH Prince William holds the current title where he continues to support the industry through attendance of the Awards and engaging in our learning and new talent activity.
We recently saw the attendance of the Prince and Princess of Wales at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly for a pre-launch event by The Royal Foundation Centre for Childhood that is headed by The Princess of Wales.
For further information and venue hire enquiries at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly please contact baftapiccadilly@bafta.org or 020 7734 0022
Greenwich has been the home of the monarchy for centuries, from the original medieval palace of Placentia to the Tudor Greenwich Palace, birthplace of Henry VIII, Mary I and Gloriana, Elizabeth I.
Elizabeth I is still present, in the form of the Armada Portrait, on display in the Queen’s House, former royal palace of Queen Anne of Denmark and Queen Henrietta Maria.
Enjoy events in the majestic Great Hall at the Queen’s House, feasting like royalty, or perhaps enjoy something more intimate at the Royal Observatory, built in 1675 for the Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed on the site of a former Tudor castle.
For more information on how you can replicate royalty and host an event in one of Royal Museums Greenwich’s five world famous venues, contact the team today on events@rmg.co.uk or call 0208 312 6517.
Image credit: Harrow School Archives
In celebration of the Coronation this month we’re looking back to the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Harrow School in 1957. Here she’s pictured outside Druries boarding house walking through a guard of honour made by the Boys with Head Master Dr Robert James in the direction of the War Memorial Building which houses the beautiful Old Harrovian Room and Alex Fitch Room, amongst others.
You can find out more about some of Harrow School’s beautiful venues by visiting the Harrow School Enterprises’ website:
https://www.harrowschoolenterprises.com/events/venues/
The story of today’s Royal Hospital Chelsea begins over 300 years ago during the reign of King Charles II, whose vision for a home for veteran soldiers was brought to life by Sir Christopher Wren. Until the 17th Century, the state made no specific provision for old and injured soldiers and care for the poor and sick was provided by religious foundations.
In 1681, responding to the need to care for soldiers 'broken by age or war', King Charles II issued a Royal Warrant authorising the building of the Royal Hospital Chelsea with the first Chelsea Pensioners admitted in February 1692. While Charles II never saw the completed Hospital, it is visited each year by a Reviewing Officer, who is often a member of the Royal Family.
To learn all about its rich history, you can book a tour of the grounds led by a Chelsea Pensioner: https://www.chelsea-pensioners.co.uk/tours
Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales became Patron of the Foundling Museum in March 2019. The patronage recognises the Museum’s unique work to transform the wellbeing and life chances of vulnerable children and young adults, through creative collaboration with artists.
The Museum brings its historic story of children in care to life in ways that are meaningful for young people today, by working with outstanding artists from all creative disciplines. In doing so, it enables disadvantaged young people to see the world differently and to imagine new possibilities for themselves. In this way, the Museum continues the legacy established by William Hogarth and George Frideric Handel in the 1740s, also told in its displays.
All income from events hosted at the Foundling Museum enable us to keep our doors open, deliver our learning programmes for vulnerable and marginalised young people, and realise our vibrant programme of exhibitions each year.
For further information on the Foundling Museum please contact: events@foundlingmuseum.org.uk
Image credit: Tate
In line with the recent royal celebrations for our new monarchs, Tate reflects on the gratitude they owe the late Queen Elizabeth II. Her Majesty extended her generosity to Tate for the duration of her reign. She indicated her support of the artworld by loaning pieces of art from The Royal Collection, including Isaac Oliver’s Princess Elizabeth, later Queen of Bohemia, Anthony Van Dyck’s Lords George and Francis Villiers 1635, are a few examples.
Her Majesty visited Tate on a number of occasions. Most significantly in 2000, Queen Elizabeth II opened the brand-new Tate Modern, space for contemporary art to be displayed in London. Tate was incredibly honoured, and she left a wonderful impression on both the staff and volunteers.
As well as loaning to the Tate exhibitions, she was also the inspiration behind some of the most iconic modern artworks in the Tate Collection. Andy Warhol’s Reigning Queens, series includes a colourful portrait of Her Majesty, based on a photograph taken of her Silver Jubilee in 1977. William Roberts’ Trooping the Colour, painted in 1958-9 displaying the military parade which took place on her Official Birthday. She is seen on a chestnut horse, beside her late husband HRH Prince Philip.
For further information on the Tate please contact: private.events@tate.org.uk
Image credit: HRH Duke of Edinburgh portrait by Chen Yan Ning
The current Master of the Corporation of Trinity House is the Princess Royal, a position she has held since May 2011, succeeding her father, HRH the late Duke of Edinburgh.
The late Duke was Master (taking over from the Duke of Gloucester) of the Corporation of Trinity House from 1969 until he stepped down in 2011.
King Henry VIII granted the original charter to the Corporation in 1514 and this was later extended in 1566 by Queen Elizabeth I. Since 1866 the role of ‘Master’ of the Corporation of Trinity House has been an honorary one bestowed on a member of the royal family who is ritually elected to the post.
For further information on Trinity House please contact: venue.enquiries@trinityhouse.co.uk
Queen Victoria opened the Royal Albert Hall in 1871 as a tribute to her late husband, Prince Albert, and to fulfil his dream of promoting understanding and appreciation of the Arts and Sciences in the heart of South Kensington.
The union between Queen Victoria and Prince Albert is one of the greatest love stories in history, memorialised in the Royal Albert Hall.
Queen Victoria announced that the building was to be called the Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences, in memory of her beloved ‘Bertie’, deviating from its original name, The Central Hall of Arts and Sciences.
In more recent years Prince Charles, His Majesty The King attended 92 events at the Hall between 1968-2021. As Prince of Wales, he made 14 speeches here between 1970-2020. As sovereign, he has already visited the Hall twice and we look forward to welcoming him again in the future.
For further information on Royal Albert Hall please contact: meetingsandevents@royalalberthall.com
Image credit: Matt Chung Photography
Being just a stone’s throw away from Buckingham Palace, OBW has a rich history and strong connections to the British monarchy, making it the perfect location to add a touch of royal elegance to your next event.
One Birdcage Walk is the home of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers of which the Queen was a patron.
But that's not all! The Honorary Fellows Book at OBW contains the names of distinguished individuals who have contributed to the field of engineering. Amongst those names is King Charles III, whose signature is in the book because he was elected an Honorary Fellow in 1977.
Whether you're hosting a corporate event, or private celebration, OBW offers a range of impressive event spaces to choose from. Experience the prestige and elegance of One Birdcage Walk by booking your next event at this iconic venue. enquiries@onebirdcagewalk.com
Hampton Court Palace, home to Henry VIII will be hosting the inaugural Queen’s Reading Room Festival on 11th June 2023.
Guests can explore the Palace on literary themed tours and tread the floors where Shakespeare once performed with his King’s Men; wander the sumptuous gardens bursting with life in summer; listen to poetry read by some of our country’s finest actors, and of course enjoy shows from our headliners, including Dame Judi Dench, Gyles Brandreth, David Olusoga, Ben Macintyre and many more…
Get your tickets now: The Queen's Reading Room Festival: Tickets Now On Sale - Reading Room (royalreadingroom.uk)
In addition this June Hampton Court Palace, will host its annual music festival with partners IMG. In what will be a unique evening to remember – guests can dine like royalty in the stunning great hall then enjoy premium concert seats.
Experience at Hampton Court Palace Festival
VIP & Hospitality packages still available for:
@softcellhq
@gracejonesofficial
@msgladysknight
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Enquire with the team today: https://hamptoncourtpalacefestival.com/kings-vip-dining-experience
Image title and credit: George Jones RA ‘The Coronation of William IV and Queen Adelaide’ 1831,
Photo: © Sir John Soane’s Museum, London
Nearly two centuries ago, Soane’s London witnessed another Coronation: that of William IV and Queen Adelaide in September 1831.
Soane received his knighthood later the same month on 21 September 1831, and he naturally would have been interested in acquiring these two sketches by George Jones RA (1786 - 1869) as a memory of an important day.
Image credit: Grayson Catering, Allans Furniture Hire, TDC Cordless Lighting and Sam Lane Photography
At the heart of the British Library’s building stands a glass tower housing the collections of King George III. The King’s Library contains nearly 64,000 books and 14,000 pamphlets, along with manuscripts and maps. Alongside copies of the Gutenberg Bible and the first edition of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, you can find a copy of Robert Hooke’s Micrographia, one of the earliest scientific books in English. So vast is the collection that if someone read one book a day, it would take 219 years to finish every book!
George IV insisted that his father’s collection should be displayed ‘entire, and separate… in a repository exclusively for that purpose’ – and so, the King’s Library stands tall in the middle of the Library building. This jewel in the crown of the British Library is available for evening hire, providing a stunning backdrop in an atmosphere like nowhere else. The King’s Library is the perfect location for a show-stopping dinner, networking event or drinks reception.
Get in touch with centraleventsteam@bl.uk to hire the King’s Library.
Image credit: Picture of HM Queen Elizabeth II at Somerset House in 2012, pictured with the Duke of Wellington, then Chairman of King’s College London Council. Photo by Aniela Murphy
Following the Coronation of King Charles III, Somerset House looks back at royal moments over the years.
The Queen visited in 2012 to open the newly renovated East Wing, as pictured here. Her visit was a very special occasion.
Somerset House, originally built as a royal palace for the Duke of Somerset, is today the home of cultural innovators, the UK’s largest creative community, connecting creativity and the arts with wider society. When the East Wing is not occupied by ones of Somerset House’s in-house curated exhibitions or live events, the space is available for bespoke event hires.
For further information please contact: events@somersethouse.org.uk
Image credit: Matt Chung Photography
Did you know the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) boasts a long tradition of royal connections? Off the back of the fabulous Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III earlier this month, we take a look at some of the most interesting ones, starting over 500 years ago when we were founded by a Royal Charter from King Henry VIII. This was followed in 1565, when Elizabeth I signed our charter for anatomies.
We’ve since had a long relationship of RCP members being physicians in ordinary or extraordinary
circumstances to the various kings and queens of England. Some examples for famous monarchs include:
● Sir Theodore de Mayerne (1573 – 1654) - the first physician to James I and Queen Anne, who knighted him. On the accession of Charles I, he was appointed first physician to the king and queen.
● Sir Charles Scarburgh (1614-1693) - during the English civil warshe went on to become the first physician to Charles II, by whom he was knighted in 1669.
● Robert Ferguson (1799–1865) - Queen Victoria’s obstetrician, who was present at the birth of all nine of her children.
In more recent years, we’ve enjoyed various Royal visits including in 1964 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II opened our building and in 2018 for the RCP’s 500th anniversary. On 20 March 2002, we were also delighted to welcome newly-crowned King Charles III, back then HRH Prince of Wales, for the opening of the Jerwood Medical Education Centre, which rises in Peto Place.
For further information please contact: events@rcp.ac.uk
The Royals have had a deep connection with the Horticultural Society long before it’s patronage. The suggestion to build a permanent hall – the Lindley Hall - for the society was put forward by Edward VII, the then Prince of Wales in 1890. Architect Edwin J Stubbs was briefed to create a venue with maximum flexibility and compliance with music and dancing regulations so it could be used for all types of events. In 1904 the hall was opened by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra with Princess Victoria in accompaniment.
Indeed, the Royals have been consistent visitors over the years originally being asked to open exhibitions from cookery, nursing, medicine and industries from overseas. In more recent times it is charity or business events attended by royalty. King Charles III – then the Prince of Wales - was last in attendance for an event with the Soil Association and most recently Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit from the Norwegian Royal Family attended the Norway Night Reception at the Lindley Hall.
Please note the Lindley Hall will be closed throughout August this year for more upgrades including refurbished rest room facilities. The Lawrence Hall will be unaffected during this time and available for hire.
For further information please contact: horthalls@rhs.org.uk
The Royal Institution of Great Britain
Image credit: The Royal Institution
The Royal Institution has had a strong connection with the Royal Family since being awarded our Royal Charter in 1799 by His Majesty George III. From then until 2016, when the former Prince of Wales took over as our Royal Patron, the reigning monarch had become Patron of the Ri upon his or her succession.
The late Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh enjoyed numerous visits to the Ri throughout her reign, including opening the Faraday Museum in 1973, for the bicentenary of the Ri’s founding in 1999, and to reopen the building after refurbishment in 2008. The two former visits both involved Her Majesty using Faraday’s original electro-magnetic induction ring to unveil the plaques – as pictured above!
Come and join us in our Theatre, and sit where Prince Albert once sat to watch Michael Faraday’s CHRISTMAS LECTURES in 1856.
For further details please contact: mkeay@ri.ac.uk
The Royal College of Music was established by royal charter in 1883 by the then Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII. His Majesty King Charles III has a longstanding relationship with the RCM, and has been President since 1993, taking over from Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. King Charles III has visited the RCM on many occasions meeting students and staff, conferring honours to musicians, and in 2021 he officially opened the RCM’s new facilities created by the More Music redevelopment, which almost doubled the footprint of the iconic South Kensington site.
As part of this special royal relationship, RCM performers and composers, students and alumni featured in the Coronation of King Charles III, making artistic contributions across the weekend both as part of the Westminster Abbey service and the celebratory concert at Windsor Castle.
RCM students presented a unique, collaborative performance at Windsor Castle , which was broadcast to a global audience. They joined members of the Royal Ballet, The Royal Opera, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the Royal College of Art in a specially created one-off performance that combined music, dance, art and theatre in celebration of King Charles III’s Royal Patronages.
To enquire about hosting an event at the Royal College of Music, contact the team: venuehire@rcm.ac.uk / 020 7591 4320
Image credit: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth at the RIBA Gold Medal Ceremony in December 1975
John Donat / RIBA Collections
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has a long-standing connection with the British royal family. RIBA was granted a Royal Charter by King Edward VII in 1837, which gave the organisation formal recognition and status.
One of the most significant royal connections to RIBA is the Royal Gold Medal, which is awarded annually to an individual or group of architects for their significant contribution to the field of architecture. The award was first established in 1848 and has been awarded to many prominent architects, including Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, and Zaha Hadid. The medal, where possible, is presented by a member of the royal family at a special ceremony held at 66 Portland Place, RIBA’s headquarters, and organised in collaboration with the events team.
To book an event at RIBA at 66 Portland Place, email venues@riba.org or call 020 7307 3888.
The Museum of London Docklands
The Museum of London Docklands was opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II back in June 2003 and is commemorated with a special plaque in the gift shop.
Twenty years after its royal opening, the museum is hosting the big Docklands street party on Saturday 10th June 2023, 7pm – 10pm. Drag Race Royalty Vanity Milan will help lead the celebrations for the 20th birthday bash with the street party and museum late including live performances, street food, pop-up bars, talks and tours, workshops, film screenings, a makers market, pub quiz and after hours gallery access.
The street party is one of many events for the museum’s year-round anniversary programme celebrating and exploring London’s East End, which will also include a small display in the Muscovado Hall that will feature a desk and visitors book that the Queen signed when she opened the museum in 2003.
For more information on the street party and how you can enhance your events during this special anniversary year at the museum, contact the team by emailing venuehire@museumoflondon.org.uk or calling 020 7814 5789
Image credit: copyright City of London Corporation
Guildhall is brimming with royal connections, from the historic to the present day. While construction began in 1411 during Henry IV’s reign, the arms of Edward the Confessor to be found in the vaulted ceiling of the atmospheric Crypts date it to even earlier. Since then, Guildhall has played host to countless royal visitors and marked many royal occasions, including a ‘royal’ state trial – Lady Jane Grey, the 16-year-old de facto Queen for 9 days in 1553, was found guilty and sentenced to death in Great Hall.
From Queen Victoria’s procession to a banquet honouring her 1837 accession; as the backdrop for Queen Elizabeth’s famous ‘annus horribilis’ speech at a banquet marking her 40th anniversary on the throne in 1992, up to more recent royal celebrations for her 90th birthday and Platinum Jubilee, Guildhall continues to take centre stage for royal, national and international occasions. With its unique history as an enduring symbol of London’s past and present, guests will never be short of talking points.
For further information please contact: Guildhall.events@cityoflondon.gov.uk