King Charles III has agreed to become the new patron of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS).
On 13 May 2024, the RPS said that Buckingham Palace confirmed the news to mark the first anniversary of the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, which took place on 6 May 2023.
It follows an analysis by Buckingham Palace of more than 1,000 patronages of the late Queen Elizabeth II, the former Prince of Wales and the former Duchess of Cornwall.
The RPS has a long association with the royal family. Queen Elizabeth II was patron of the RPS from 1953 until her death in 2022 and her father, King George VI, was patron from 1937 until his death in 1952.
The Society was founded in 1841 and granted a Royal Charter of Incorporation by Queen Victoria in 1843.
Claire Anderson, president of the RPS, said: “We are hugely proud that His Majesty The King has chosen to be our patron, following in the footsteps of the late Queen Elizabeth II and her father, George VI. We are grateful to the royal family for their ongoing support.”
Paul Bennett, chief executive of the RPS, said: “It is an honour to have His Majesty The King as our new royal patron. We look forward to continuing our work to highlight the vital contribution pharmacy teams make to patient care across Great Britain with the patronage of His Majesty.”