Royal Liverymen

Illustrious Members of the Company

Five members of the Royal family have honoured the Company by accepting membership and office. In 1873, the Duke of Edinburgh (later the reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha) was presented with the Freedom and Livery and elected to the Court of Assistants and in 1927 HRH Prince Arthur of Connaught accepted the Freedom and Livery and was subsequently elected an Assistant. To commemorate this, Arthur Hungerford Pollen, who was then master of the Company, presented a silver gilt cup, known as the Prince Arthur Cup to be competed for annually as a golfing trophy by the Livery Companies of the City. Prince Arthur’s continued interest in the Company was shown when in 1932 he served the office of Master. A third member of the Royal family to honour the Company by being sworn to the Livery was HRH the Duchess of Kent, who was presented with the Freedom and Livery by the Master, JA Williams, at a special meeting of the Court held at Tallow Chandlers’ Hall on 9th December 1980.

HRH Prince Michael of Kent, who has always shown great interest in all aspects of motoring, was sworn to the Freedom and Livery at a Court meeting in Stationers’ Hall on 20th November 1985. The last member of the Royal family to honour the company was HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh KG, who was sworn to the Freedom and Livery in Tallow Chandlers’ Hall on 15th July 1987. The Prince signed his name in the same Book of Admissions which the previous Duke of Edinburgh had signed 114 years before. To mark this occasion the Master, Wardens and Clerk subscribed to an engraved tankard to be used whenever His Royal Highness visits the Company.