His Majesty The King Becomes Patron of Goodenough College

We are proud and deeply honoured to announce that His Majesty King Charles III has accepted the role of Patron of Goodenough College.

The King will be the College’s second royal Patron, succeeding his mother, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who was our Patron for nearly seventy years.

College Director the Hon. Alice Walpole said: “We are delighted that His Majesty has chosen to continue the monarchy’s relationship with the College by accepting to become our Patron. Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II engaged warmly throughout her reign with the College’s young residents from across the Commonwealth and the wider international community. I hope that we will enjoy a similarly close relationship with His Majesty The King, whom we know takes a particular interest in youth, education and the Commonwealth.”

The monarchy’s association with Goodenough College dates from March 1950, when the 23-year-old Princess Elizabeth spoke at the launch of the Lord Mayor’s Thanksgiving Fund appeal which raised funds for the construction of William Goodenough House. Over the following six decades, the College welcomed Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth on many further visits, often to celebrate key developments in our history. The Queen’s last visit was in December 2016, when she met Goodenough Members and Fellows and unveiled a plaque to mark the approaching 60th anniversary of her opening of William Goodenough House. A further visit scheduled for March 2020 was unfortunately unable to go ahead, owing to the Covid pandemic. Meanwhile, some Alumni may recall meeting the King when, as Prince of Wales, he paid a visit to the College in 1989.

His Majesty The King’s acceptance of the role of Patron of Goodenough College comes on the first anniversary of Their Majesties’ Coronation. We look forward to welcoming our new Patron to the College in due course.