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For the ship of the same name, see Royal Charter (ship).

Charter granted by King George IV in 1827, establishing King's College, Toronto, now the
University of Toronto

Coloured engraving by H. D. Smith, commemorating the grant of a charter to King's

College London in 1829

A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent,

granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and
are still, used to establish significant organisations such as cities (with
municipal charters) or universities and learned societies. Charters should be
distinguished from warrants and letters of appointment, as they have
perpetual effect. Typically, a Royal Charter is produced as a high-quality work
of calligraphy on vellum. The British monarchy has issued over 980 royal
charters.[1] Of these about 750 remain in existence. The earliest was to the
town of Tain in 1066, making it the oldest Royal Burgh in Scotland, followed
by the University of Cambridge in 1231. Charters continue to be issued by the
British Crown, a recent example being that awarded to the Chartered Institute
for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity, on 7 April 2011.
Charters have been used in Europe since medieval times to create cities (that
is, localities with recognised legal rights and privileges). The date that such a
charter is granted is considered to be when a city is 'founded', regardless of
when the locality originally began to be settled (which is often impossible to
determine).
At one time, a royal charter was the sole means by which an incorporated
body could be formed, but other means (such as the registration process for
limited companies) are generally used nowadays instead.
Among the past and present groups formed by royal charter are the Company
of Merchants of the Staple of England [3] (13th Century), the British East
India Company (1600), the Hudson's Bay Company, Standard Chartered, the
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O), the British South
Africa Company, and some of the former British colonies on the North
American mainland, City livery companies, the Bank of England and the
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).[2]
Contents [hide]
1
Australia
1.1
Universities and colleges
1.2
Companies
1.3
Professional organisations
1.4
Other organisations
2
Belgium

3
Canada
3.1
Companies and societies
3.2
Territories and communities
3.3
Universities and colleges
3.4
Other educational institutions
4
Gibraltar
5
Hong Kong
6
India
7
Ireland
8
Italy
9
South Africa
10
Sri Lanka
11
United Kingdom
12
United States
13
See also
14
References
15
External links

Australia[edit]

Universities and colleges[edit]

The University of Sydney obtained a Royal Charter in 1858[3] (3

February 1858)
The University of Tasmania obtained a Royal Charter (Letters Patent) in
1915[4] (30 August 1915)
The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

Companies[edit]

Australian Gas Light Company received a royal charter in 1837

Van Diemen's Land Company received a royal charter in 1825[3]

Professional organisations[edit]

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

Australian Institute of Building
Engineers Australia
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia
Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers
Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia
Incorporated
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and
Gynaecologists
Royal Australian Chemical Institute
Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

Other organisations[edit]

Australian Red Cross 28 June 1941

Royal Automobile Club of Queensland
Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland
Royal Queensland Art Society
Royal Queensland Golf Club
Royal Queensland Show
The Scout Association of Australia (23 August 1967)

Belgium[edit]

The royal decree is the equivalent in Belgium of a Royal Charter. In the period
before 1958, 32 higher education institutes had been created by royal charter.
These were typically engineering or technical institutions rather than
universities.[5]
However, several non-technical higher education institutions have been
founded, or refounded, under royal decree:
Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique, National Fund for Scientific
Research, 1928[6]
Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie van Belgi voor Wetenschappen en
Kunsten, 1938[7]
International Institute for Research and Education, 1982
Since the Belgian state reform of 19881989, competency over education
was transferred to the federated entities of Belgium. Royal decrees can
therefore no longer grant higher education institution status or university
status.[8]

Canada[edit]

The Hudson's Bay Company building in Montreal

A Royal Charter is granted by Order in Council, either creating an

incorporated body, or giving an existent one special status.[9] This is an
exercise of the Royal Prerogative, and, in Canada, there are hundreds of
organisations under Royal Charters. Such organisations include charities,
businesses, colleges, universities, and cities. Today, it is mostly charities and
professional institutions who receive Royal Charters.
Application for a charter is a petition to the Queen-in-Council. To receive a
Royal Charter, the organisation must have corporate members who have at
least first degree level in a relevant field, consist of 5,000 members or more,
be financially sound, and it must be in the public interest to regulate the
institution under a charter. However, meeting these benchmarks does not
guarantee the issuance of a Royal Charter.[10]

Companies and societies[edit]

Companies, corporations, and societies in Canada founded under or
augmented by a Royal Charter include:
The Canada Company incorporated by Act of Parliament in June 1825.
Royal Charter was issued in August 1826 to purchase and develop
lands. Purchased the Crown Reserve of 1,384,413 acres and a special
grant of 1,100,000 acres in the Huron County area.[11]
The Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, founded in 1824 as the
first learned society in Canada, received its Royal Charter in 1831[12]
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (Royal
College), French: Collge royal des mdecins et chirurgiens du
Canada, is a national, nonprofit organisation organization established in
1929 by a special Act of Parliament to oversee the medical education of
specialists in Canada.
The Royal Society of Canada; founded by a Royal Charter issued in
1883 by Queen Victoria
The Royal Kennebecasis Yacht Club; founded by a Royal Charter
issued in 1898 by Queen Victoria[13]

The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada; founded by a Royal Charter

issued in 1903 by King Edward VII[14]
The Royal Conservatory of Music; founded in 1886 as the Toronto
Conservatory of Music; reconstituted by a Royal Charter issued in 1947
by King George VI[15]
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet; founded by a Royal Charter issued in 1953
by Queen Elizabeth II[16]
The Royal Life Saving Society of Canada; founded by a Royal Charter
issued in 1960 by Queen Elizabeth II[17]
The Royal Hamilton College of Music; founded in 1897 as the Hamilton
Conservatory of Music; reconstituted by a Royal Charter issued in 1965
by Queen Elizabeth II[18]
The Royal Western Nova Scotia Yacht Club; founded in 1898 as the
Digby Yacht Club; reconstituted by a Royal Charter issued in 1969 by
Queen Elizabeth II[19]
Royal Canadian Yacht Club created by Royal Charter 1854
The Royal Heraldry Society of Canada; founded in 1966 as the
Heraldry Society of Canada; reconstituted by a Royal Charter issued in
2002 by Queen Elizabeth II[20][dubious discuss][full citation needed]
British royal chartered corporations operating in Canada
The East India Company; granted Royal Charter in 1600 issued by
Queen Elizabeth I (tea sales in North America)[11]
The Hudson's Bay Company; founded by a Royal Charter issued in
1670 by King Charles II (administration of parts of current Quebec,
Northern Ontario & North West Territories (including Manitoba,
Saskatchewan and Alberta) & Judicial connections with Upper Canada)
[21]

The Bank of British North America capital raised in Britain, founded by

Royal Charter issued in 1836 (Amalgamated with Bank of Montreal
1918)[21]
The Royal Commonwealth Society; founded by a Royal Charter issued
in 1882 by Queen Victoria[22]
The Royal Academy of Dance; founded in 1920 as the Association of
Teachers of Operatic Dancing; reconstituted by a Royal Charter issued
in 1936 by King George V[23]
The Boy Scouts Association founded in 1910; incorporated by royal
charter in 1912; Canadian General Council, now called Scouts Canada,
formed in 1914 and incorporated by Act of the Canadian Parliament in
1914.

Territories and communities[edit]

Cities under Royal Charter are not subject to municipal Acts of Parliament
applied generally to other municipalities, and instead are governed by

legislation applicable to each city individually. The Royal Charter codifies the
laws applied to the particular city, and lays out the powers and responsibilities
not given to other municipalities in the province concerned.
St. John's; claimed as England's first oversea colony by Royal Charter
issued in 1583 by Queen Elizabeth I
Nova Scotia; founded by a Royal Charter issued in 1621 by King James
I[24]
Saint John; founded by a Royal Charter issued in 1785 by King George
III[25]
Vancouver
Winnipeg
Montreal[26]

Universities and colleges[edit]

A number of Canadian universities and colleges were founded or
reconstituted under Royal Charter.
University of King's College; founded by a Royal Charter issued in 1802
by King George III
McGill University; founded as the Royal Institution for the Advancement
of Learning by a Royal Charter issued in 1821 by King George IV;
reconstituted by a Royal Charter issued in 1852 by Queen Victoria[27]
University of New Brunswick, founded in 1785 as the Academy of
Liberal Arts and Sciences, received a provincial charter in 1800, and
Royal Charter in 1827.[28]
University of Toronto; founded as King's College by a Royal
Proclamation of King George IV issued 15 March 1827[11][29]
Victoria University founded by Royal Charter issued on 12
October 1836 by Queen Victoria, federated with the University of
Toronto in 1890.[11]
Trinity College founded as the University of Trinity College by a
Royal Charter issued in 1852 by Queen Victoria, federated with
the University of Toronto in 1904[30]
Queen's University; founded by a Royal Charter issued in 1841 by
Queen Victoria[31]
Laval University; founded by a Royal Charter issued in 1852 by Queen
Victoria[32]
Bishop's University; founded by a Royal Charter issued in 1853 by
Queen Victoria[33]
University of Ottawa; granted a Royal Charter in 1866 by Queen
Victoria, eighteen years after its founding. The University's Pontifical
Charter was granted by Pope Leo XIII in 1889.[34]

Other educational institutions[edit]

Several Canadian private schools were founded or reconstituted under Royal

Charter.
King's-Edgehill School; founded as King's Collegiate School by Royal
Assent in 1788 and granted a Royal Charter in 1802 by King George III
Upper Canada College; founded by a Royal Charter issued in 1829 by
King George IV

Gibraltar[edit]

The Royal Gibraltar Police was granted Royal Charter in 1992.

The Royal Gibraltar Post Office was granted Royal Charter in 2005.

Hong Kong[edit]

The emblem of the Royal Observatory, Hong Kong

Between 1842 and 1997, a number of organisations had received Royal

Charter:
The Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) was granted Royal
Charter in 1951 and disbanded in 1995
The Royal Hong Kong Police Force was granted Royal Charter in 1969
by Queen Elizabeth II, now Hong Kong Police Force (since 1997).
The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club obtained Royal Charter in 1959,
now Hong Kong Jockey Club (since 1996).
The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club obtained Royal Charter in 1894
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals now the
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (since 1997)
The Royal Observatory, Hong Kong was granted Royal Charter in 1912
by King George V now Hong Kong Observatory (since 1997)[35]
The Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force was granted Royal Charter in
1951 by King George VI now Government Flying Service (since 1993)
The Royal Hong Kong Golf Club was granted Royal Charter in 1889
now Hong Kong Golf Club (since 1996)
The Standard Chartered Bank was granted Royal Charter in 1853. It is
one of the three banknote-issuing banks in Hong Kong.

The Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch Chartered originally in

1847, disbanded 1859, reorganised 1959.

India[edit]

The Institution of Engineers was incorporated by royal charter in 1935.[36]

Ireland[edit]

A number of Irish institutions retain the "Royal" prefix, even though Republic
of Ireland severed all remaining connections between the state and the British
monarch in 1949.
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (1784)
Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (1667)
Royal Black Institution (1797)
Royal Irish Academy charter granted 1785
Royal Cork Yacht Club (1720)
Royal Irish Academy of Music - (1872)
A more detailed list of current Irish institutions with Royal patronage is
available here
A list of former Royal institutions with ties to Ireland, but they were mostly
British institutions created in Ireland during British rule:
Royal Irish Regiment (16841922) disbanded
Royal Irish Constabulary 18681922 disbanded and replaced by
Garda Sochna
Royal Irish Artillery disbanded 1801
Royal Irish Rifles disbanded 1763
Royal Ulster Rifles 17931881 renamed Royal Irish Rifles and
retained name until 1921 (renamed as Royal Ulster Rifles until 1947
when it merged with Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and Royal Irish Fusiliers
to form North Irish Brigade
Royal Irish Fusiliers 18271947
Royal University of Ireland 18801908
Royal Irish Fisheries Company
Trinity College, Dublin 1592 present

Italy[edit]

The British Institute of Florence was granted a Royal Charter in 1923.[37]

South Africa[edit]

The University of South Africa received a Royal Charter in 1877. The Natal
Carbineers regiment received a Royal Charter in 1935, becoming known as
the Royal Natal Carbineers until South Africa became a republic in 1961.
The Royal Natal National Park's name remained unchanged, as did that of
the Royal Society of South Africa, which received its Royal Charter in 1908.[38]

Sri Lanka[edit]

Royal College, Colombo

Royal Colombo Golf Cub

United Kingdom[edit]

Main article: List of organisations in the United Kingdom with a royal charter
Among the 750 or so organisations with Royal Charters are cities; the Bank of
England; the BBC; theatres such as the Royal Opera House and the Theatre
Royal, Drury Lane; Livery Companies; universities (mostly those founded
before 1993) and learned societies; professional institutions, such as the
Institution of Royal Engineers and charities.[39]
A Royal Charter is the mechanism by which a British town is raised to the
status of city. Most recently Chelmsford in Essex was granted a Royal
Charter in celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
Inverness, Brighton & Hove and Wolverhampton were given their charters to
celebrate the Millennium, and Preston, Stirling, Newport, Lisburn and Newry
to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2002.
Most British universities operate under Royal Charters, giving them the
authority to award degrees. The most recent generation of UK universities
were granted the power to award degrees by the Further and Higher
Education Act 1992 instead of by Royal Charter, while some other universities
operate under Acts of Parliament. The University of Buckingham, The
University of Law and Malvern College are the only private education
institutions to have received a Royal Charter.[40]
Almost without exception, the longstanding learned societies, such as the
Royal Society, Royal Society of Literature, etc. have Royal Charters.
Most new grants of Royal Charters these days are reserved for eminent
professional institutions, learned societies, or charities, who have a solid
record of achievement and are financially stable.[39] Though a royal charter is
not necessary for them to incorporate or operate, it is often sought as
recognition of "pre-eminence, stability and permanence" in representing their
field of activity. For example, the six accountancy institutes which make up
the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies each have a Royal
Charter which allows their qualified members to style themselves Chartered
Accountants.
The BBC operates under a Royal Charter which lasts for a period of ten
years, after which it is renewed.
A Royal Charter changes a body from a collection of individuals into a single
legal entity. Once incorporated by Royal Charter, amendments to the Charter
and by-laws require government approval.[39]
In January 2007, the UK Trade Marks Registry refused to grant protection to
the American Chartered Financial Analyst trademark, as the word "chartered"
in the UK is associated with royal charters.[41]
A list of UK chartered professional associations can be found here

United States[edit]
This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by
adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged
and removed. (November 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this template
message)

Although several American universities which predate the American

Revolution purport to hold royal charters, in a number of cases they were in
fact created by a grant from a local council such as a colonial legislature.
Colleges created by royal charter from King William III and Queen Mary II of
England:
The College of William & Mary 1693 (created by Letters Patent)
Colleges created by King George II of Great Britain:
Columbia University 1754 as King's College (probably created by
Letters Patent)
American colleges popularly believed to have been established by Royal
Charter, but actually by some other type of grant:
Harvard College 1639 By Act of the Great and General Court of the
Massachusetts Bay Colony
Yale University 1701 as Collegiate School by Act of the General
Assembly of Connecticut
Princeton University 1746 as College of New Jersey by the letters
patent from King George II via the Governor of the Province of New
Jersey
Brown University 1764 as College of Rhode Island by an Act of the
Governor and General Assembly of the English Colony of Rhode Island
Rutgers University 1766 as Queen's College by letters patent from
King George II via Governor William Franklin of the Province of New
Jersey
Dartmouth College 1769 by Letters Patent from King George III via
the Governor of the province of New Hampshire.
The distinction between the Letters Patent forming Dartmouth, Princeton, and
Rutgers versus those documents founding William & Mary or King's College
(Columbia University) is that the seal of the Province of New Hampshire
appears on Dartmouth College's charter and that the seal of the Province of
New Jersey appears on Princeton University's and Rutgers University's
charters while the Great Seal of the Realm appears on the College of William
and Mary|William & Mary and King's College documents.

See also[edit]

Koninklijk in the Netherlands and Belgium

Congressional charter, equivalent document in the United States

Jump up
^ Chartered bodies | Privy Council. Privycouncil.independent.gov.uk.
Retrieved 2 May 2012.
Jump up
^ BBC Trust | Charter and Agreement.
^ Jump up to:
a b http://fmweb01.ucc.usyd.edu.au/FMPro?-db=POL_Main.fp5&-lay=www&format=/pol/pol_summary.html&DocID=404&-find
Jump up
^ [1]
Jump up
^ Non-University Higher Technical Education in Belgium Gilbert Van Vaek
and Henk Van Daele
Jump up
^ Gilbert Van Vaek and Henk Van Daele Archived 23 July 2008 at the
Wayback Machine.The template Wayback is being considered for merging.
Jump up
^ Belgium Royal Historical Commission Archived 13 February 2009 at the
Wayback Machine.The template Wayback is being considered for merging.
Jump up
^ [2] When is an institution considered a recognised higher education
institution or a university?
Jump up
^ Privy Council Office: Royal Charter
Jump up
^ Privy Council: Royal Charter
^ Jump up to:
a b c d Handbook of Upper Canadian Chronology: Revised Edition By
Frederick H. Armstrong 1841. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
Jump up
^ "The Canadian Encyclopedia: Literary and Historical Society of Quebec".
Retrieved 11 December 2014.
Jump up
^ New Brunswick; reprint of: Kurley, Daniel; Times Globe: Elusive Oak; 11
June 1998. New-brunswick.net. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
Jump up
^ Royal Astronomical Society of Canada: Going Royal: A History of Public
Service. Rasc.ca. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
Jump up
^ Royal Conservatory of Music: The RCM: History of The Royal Conservatory
of Music. Rcmusic.ca. Retrieved 2 May 2012.

References[edit]
2
3

4
5

9
10
11

12

13

14

15

16 Jump up
^ Canada Council for the Arts: Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Canadacouncil.ca (27
March 2004). Retrieved 2 May 2012.
17 Jump up
^ The Royal Life Saving Society of Canada Saskatchewan Branch, Inc.;
Constitution Archived 24 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine.The template
Wayback is being considered for merging.
18 Jump up
^ Royal Hamilton College of Music. The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2
May 2012.
19 Jump up
^ Royal Western Nova Scotia Yacht Club: Annapolis Basin Archived 18 April
2009 at the Wayback Machine.The template Wayback is being considered for merging.
20 Jump up
^ The Royal Heraldry Society of Canada: Ottawa, Ontario. Heraldry.ca.
Retrieved 2 May 2012.
21 ^ Jump up to:
a b "Corporate Collections > Reference > The Charter". Hudson's Bay
Company. Retrieved 14 June 2007.
22 Jump up
^ The Royal Commonwealth Society: Values of the Royal Commonwealth
Society. Rcs.ca (4 January 2007). Retrieved 2 May 2012.
23 Jump up
^ Royal Academy of Dance Canada: About us. Radcanada.org. Retrieved 2
May 2012.
24 Jump up
^ Canada4Life; Nova Scotia. Canada4life.ca. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
25 Jump up
^ City Solicitor (June 2000), "Powers of Canadian Cities: The legal
framework", Canada's Cities: Unleash our Potential, Toronto: City of Toronto,
retrieved 23 May 2009
26 Jump up
^ Canada's Cities: Unleash our Potential. Canadascities.ca (1 September
2001). Retrieved 2 May 2012.
27 Jump up
^ Victoria (6 July 1852), "Royal Charter of McGill University", written at
Westminster, in McGill University, Admin and Governance > University
Secretariat, Montreal: Queen's Printer, retrieved 23 May 2009
28 Jump up
^ "Our History | UNB". www.unb.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
29 Jump up
^ Trinity College: About Trinity: History. Trinity.utoronto.ca (13 March 2005).
Retrieved 2 May 2012.
30 Jump up
^ Colleges. Utoronto.ca (29 March 2010). Retrieved 2 May 2012.

31 Jump up
^ Queen's University: Queen's University Royal Charter Archived 6 June
2011 at the Wayback Machine.The template Wayback is being considered for merging.
32 Jump up
^ Le Bas Canada 17631867. Republiquelibre.org. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
33 Jump up
^ Canada Post: Canada Post confers stamp on Bishop's University; 20
January 2003
34 Jump up
^ "About the History of the University of Ottawa". University of Ottawa
Archives. Retrieved 30 April 2008.
35 Jump up
^ History of the Hong Kong Observatory. Hko.gov.hk. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
36 Jump up
^ Text of letters patent (royal charter) of incorporation, dated 9 September
1935. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
37 Jump up
^ Brief history of the British Institute of Florence Retrieved 13 March 2013.
38 Jump up
^ Royal Society of South Africa Brief History
39 ^ Jump up to:
a b c Privy Council Office Chartered Bodies.
Privycouncil.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
40 Jump up
^ BPP University College appears on the Department for Business,
Innovation and Skills List of Recognised Bodies (those institutions or bodies,
including universities, which have their own UK degree awarding powers (see
BIS Recognised Bodies) but does not appear among the 987 bodies listed on
the Privy Council's website as holders of Royal Charters (see Privy Council
Office Chartered Bodies).
41 Jump up
^ http://www.patent.gov.uk/tm/t-decisionmaking/t-challenge/t-challengedecision-results/o31506.pdf

External links[edit]

Privy Council website

Royal Charter of the BBC
Royal Charter of the Australian Academy of the Humanities
Charter of the University of Birmingham
Royal Charter of Rhode Island (1663)
[4]
[show]

vte

Monarchy in Canada

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Categories: British monarchyMonarchy in CanadaMonarchy in
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