His Majesty King Charles III has become the new patron of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) it has been announced.
They were among over 1,000 organisations to undergo a ‘thorough analysis’ by Buckingham Palace before the decision was made.
The announcement marks the first anniversary of King Charles’ coronation and follows a review of his patronages.
The late Queen had been patron of the RPS from 1953 until her death in 2022. Her father, George VI, was also patron of RPS from 1937-1952.
And the previous Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip was RCGP president from 1972-73 to mark its 20th anniversary and then became patron until his death in 2021.
President of RPS Professor Claire Anderson said the society was ‘hugely proud that His Majesty the King has chosen to be our patron’.
‘We are grateful to the Royal Family for their ongoing support,’ she said.
RCGP chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne described it as ‘an honour’.
‘We are delighted that His Majesty The King has chosen to be our patron and look forward to working with him to highlight the excellent contribution that general practice makes to the NHS.
‘As well as being an honour for the college, this is a testament to the hard work of our GP members and their teams and the care they deliver to their patients.’
