Royal Fellow of the Royal Society
A Royal Fellow of the Royal Society is elected to the Fellowship and Foreign Membership of the British Royal Society. The council of the Royal Society recommends members of the British Royal Family to be elected and then the existing Fellows vote by a secret ballot whether to accept them. The ballots have only a box to tick supporting the measure; those opposing have to write "no" or otherwise mark or spoil the paper.[1] As of 2016 the Patron was Queen Elizabeth II, and Royal Fellows were:[2]
The British Monarch is always the Patron of the Royal Society, regardless of whether he/she has been previously elected a Royal Fellow. Queen Elizabeth II was elected a Royal Fellow in 1947 before she acceded to the throne in 1952.
Criticism of Royal Fellows
When Prince Andrew was elected in 2013 his suitability was questioned following criticism of his past business activities. Some members asked whether it was time for an institution based on science to end the practice of honouring people on the basis of heredity; Professor David Colquhoun FRS said "The objects of the Royal Society are nothing to do with the monarchy, and the monarchy, on the whole, has shown absolutely no interest in science".[9][1]
In the past members of foreign royal families have also been elected Royal Fellows.
Royal Fellows of the Royal Society since 1660
- Ferdinand Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg[10]
- Albert, Prince Consort
- Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
- Prince Andrew, Duke of York
- Anne, Princess Royal
- Prince Arthur of Connaught
- Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
- Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex
- Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden
- Charles, Prince of Wales
- Christian VII of Denmark
- Christian VIII of Denmark
- Edward VII
- Edward VIII
- Prince Edward, Duke of York and Albany
- Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
- Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
- Elizabeth II
- Ernest Augustus I of Hanover
- Frederick Augustus II of Saxony
- Frederick, Prince of Wales
- Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany
- Frederick William IV of Prussia
- George I of Great Britain
- George II of Great Britain
- George III of the United Kingdom
- George IV of the United Kingdom[11]
- George V
- George VI
- Prince George of Denmark
- Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden
- Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn
- Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
- Archduke John of Austria
- Leopold I of Belgium
- Archduke Louis of Austria
- Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria
- Archduke Maximilian of Austria–Este
- Oscar I of Sweden
- Pedro II of Brazil
- Michał Jerzy Poniatowski
- Stanisław August Poniatowski
- Prince Rupert of the Rhine
- Queen Victoria
- William IV of the United Kingdom
- William IV, Prince of Orange
- Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
- Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
- Prince William, Duke of Cumberland
- Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
References
- 1 2 "Royal Society scientists angered by Prince Andrew's election as fellow". The Guardian. 2013-05-05.
- ↑ "Royal Fellows of the Royal Society". The Royal Society. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
- ↑ "His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh KG Kt OM GBE FRS Statute 12". London: Royal Society. Archived from the original on 2015-11-24.
- ↑ "His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales KG KT GCB OM FRS Royal Fellow". London: Royal Society. Archived from the original on 2015-11-17.
- ↑ "Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal Princess Anne KG KT GCVO GCStJ QSO GCL FRS Royal Fellow". London: Royal Society. Archived from the original on 2015-11-17.
- ↑ "His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Duke of Kent KG GCMG GCVO ADC(P) FRS Royal Fellow". London: Royal Society. Archived from the original on 2015-11-17.
- ↑ "His Royal Highness Prince William, Duke of Cambridge KG KT ADC(P) FRS Royal Fellow". London: Royal Society. Archived from the original on 2015-11-17.
- ↑ "His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO FRS Royal Fellow". London: Royal Society. Archived from the original on 2015-11-17.
- ↑ "A right Royal cock-up. Prince Andrew elected to the Royal Society". dcscience.net. Archived from the original on 2015-04-13.
- ↑ "Fellow Details (Ferdinand Albert (1636 - 1687); Duke of Brunswick)". Library Collection. The Royal Society.
- ↑ "Fellow Details (George IV (1762 - 1830); King of Great Britain and Ireland )". Library Collection. The Royal Society.