His Majesty King Charles III announced as Patron of The Royal Ballet School

The Royal Ballet School is delighted to announce that His Majesty King Charles III is to be the Patron of the School. This follows the review of Royal Patronages conducted by the Royal Household and is announced to mark one year since His Majesty’s coronation.

The Royal Ballet School has been honoured with Royal Patronage from the reigning monarch since 1956, when the School, The Royal Ballet and the Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet (later renamed Birmingham Royal Ballet following its move there in 1990), were granted a Royal Charter.

The Charter secured the essential unity between the two Companies and the School and established them as a three-fold institution, with her Late Majesty The Queen as its Patron and her sister, Princess Margaret, as its President.

His Majesty King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, became President of the School in 2003 following Princess Margaret’s death. He has since visited a number of times to meet and speak to students and staff, watch classes and attend performances. Students of the School were honoured to perform for His Majesty at Buckingham Palace in 2012, and at a special gala performance at the Royal Opera House to celebrate his 70th birthday in 2019. 

On the announcement of the continued Royal Patronage, The School’s Interim Chairman Anna Birkett said:

‘The Royal Ballet School is delighted and greatly honoured to receive this news. We are deeply grateful to His Majesty The King for his continued recognition and support of our work. We particularly value our continued close association ahead of the School’s historic centenary in 2026, which we look forward to celebrating with His Majesty.’