Science Museum Group awards fellowship to King Charles

London’s Buckingham Palace recently hosted a joint audience that brought together prominent figures from the UK’s cultural and scientific sectors.

During the gathering, His Majesty King Charles III accepted a Fellowship of the Science Museum Group. The honour was presented by the organisation’s chair, Sir Tim Laurence, and its director, Sir Ian Blatchford. The award recognises the King’s decades of public work in promoting sustainability, environmental awareness, and careers within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

The event also featured an archival milestone for the Royal Society, attended by its president, Sir Paul Nurse, and executive director, Dame Julie Maxton. In his role as the society’s Royal Patron, the King signed a new page of the historic Charter Book. This specific volume was first signed by King Charles II in 1665, and the ceremony marks the first time a new royal page has been added to the book in more than 70 years.

A history of cultural backing

The Science Museum Group Fellows Programme was first introduced in 2009 during the centenary of the Science Museum. It serves to recognise individuals who have delivered outstanding contributions to research, design, technology, philanthropy, and science communication.

Speaking on the presentation, Sir Tim Laurence said:

“It is an honour to present His Majesty The King with the Science Museum Group Fellowship. Through decades of advocacy and public engagement, His Majesty has helped deepen awareness of some of the most important issues facing our world today, while also encouraging discussion about the choices that lie ahead.

“His work has left a lasting impact both in the United Kingdom and internationally. We are immensely appreciative of his continuing support of the Science Museum Group and are delighted to recognise his achievements with this Fellowship.”

The relationship between the King and the museum group extends across more than four decades. His earliest formal visits include a trip to the National Railway Museum in York in 1981, followed by opening the Telecommunications gallery at the London Science Museum in 1983. Over the years, his involvement has encompassed opening the Atmosphere climate science gallery in 2010 and launching the Engineer Your Future exhibition in 2014. More recently, in 2023, he marked the centenary of the Flying Scotsman by travelling behind the locomotive on the Royal Train.

Institutional footprint

Other members of the Royal Family have previously joined the fellowship programme, including Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, in 2014, alongside The Princess Royal in 2018.

The Charter Book itself remains a vital historical document, traditionally signed by almost every British monarch with dedicated pages featuring detailed borders. The newest page was executed by the artist and calligrapher Neil Bromley, who incorporated design elements reflecting the King’s personal interest in biodiversity.

The Science Museum Group represents one of the world’s leading museum bodies, welcoming more than five million visitors each year across its five distinct regional sites. The portfolio includes its primary London hub, the National Railway Museum in York, the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford, and Locomotion in Shildon. Collectively, the group cares for an estimated 7.3 million items spanning the history of medicine, science, and industrial engineering.