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HM The Queen and the University of London

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Following the death of Her Majesty The Queen last week, Senate House Library staff and colleagues across the University assembled a selection of moments in history that illustrate the close relationship we had with the Queen and continue to have with the Royal Family.

Visits to Senate House as a Princess

Princess Elizabeth paid a memorable visit to Senate House on 11 December 1951 accompanied by her husband the Duke of Edinburgh. She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from our then-Chancellor, the Earl of Athlone, who was accompanied by Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone. This was a family affair, as the Earl of Athlone was the brother of Queen Mary, Princess Elizabeth's grandmother. The Duke of Edinburgh also received an honorary Doctor of Laws during the visit.

During a previous visit to Senate House in 1946, Princess Elizabeth received an honorary Bachelor of Music. 

Despite receiving two honorary awards from the University of London, Princess Elizabeth did not sign the Founder’s Book, even though other members of the Royal Family, including our former Chancellor, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and our current Chancellor, HRH The Princess Royal, have. We have no record of why this might be.

The Countess of Athlone, the Earl of Athlone and Princess Elizabeth
The Countess of Athlone, the Earl of Athlone and Princess Elizabeth

The Countess of Athlone, the Earl of Athlone, and Princess Elizabeth
(Image courtesy of the Sir Douglas William Logan papers)

Engagement with the University after the Coronation

Following the coronation in 1953, an official souvenir programme, bound in red leather with white silk linings, was deposited at Senate House Library alongside a Form and Order of Service for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

The University's archives also hold a series of Loyal Addresses. These are formal documents and include a Reply by Queen Elizabeth II to the University's address on her accession to the throne.

In addition to her two University of London degrees, the Queen held the position of 'Visitor' of the University. Her daughter, HRH The Princess Royal, has been the University's Chancellor since 1981.

Earl of Athlone, HRH Princess Elizabeth, HRH Duke of Edinburgh meeting guests in Chancellor's Hall - December 1951
The Earl of Athlone, HRH Princess Elizabeth, HRH Duke of Edinburgh meeting guests in Chancellor's Hall - December 1951

The Earl of Athlone, HRH Princess Elizabeth, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh meeting guests in Chancellor's Hall - December 1951 [MS926]
(Image courtesy of the Sir Douglas William Logan papers)

The Commonwealth

The Institute of Commonwealth Studies' 'Commonwealth Oral History Project' includes reflections from more than 20 former Commonwealth leaders, ministers, and diplomats on the Queen's contribution to the modern Commonwealth.

Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy: the first portrait painted of the Queen by an African artist

The Institute of Commonwealth Studies owns a copy of Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy's official Golden Jubilee portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, commissioned by the Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon on Commonwealth Day 2002. 

HRH Princess Alice, HRH Princess Elizabeth, the Earl of Athlone in Senate House, Summer 1946
HRH Princess Alice, HRH Princess Elizabeth, the Earl of Athlone in Senate House, Summer 1946

HRH Princess Alice, HRH Princess Elizabeth, the Earl of Athlone in Senate House, Summer 1946 [WIN20220915]
(Image courtesy of the Sir Douglas William Logan papers)

All images used are courtesy of the Sir Douglas William Logan papers

This page was last updated on 21 September 2022