Queen Victoria opened the Founders’ Building in 1886, giving us use of the title ‘Royal’ in our name, and royal visitors and patrons play a role to this day.
In 1904 Her Majesty Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII, became the first Royal Patron of Bedford College, which was awarded Royal Assent in 1909.
There have been a number of royal alumni too – for example the Duchess of Kent, King George V’s daughter-in-law, was awarded international nursing certificates at Bedford College in 1935. And her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, was awarded an Honorary Degree from the University of London (DLit) in 1937.
In 1986 HM Queen Elizabeth II visited our Egham campus to open the new Earth Sciences building (Queen’s Building), marking Royal Holloway’s centenary, and in 2014 returned with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee Regius Professorship of Music. Musicians performed in the Chapel, before the Royal couple met students and staff in the Picture Gallery.
In 2017, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal officially opened the latest addition to our campus, the Emily Wilding Davison Building in 2017.
