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King Charles confirmed as RVC Royal Patron
The review of royal patronages marked the anniversary of the King's coronation.
The patronage was last held by Prince Philip.

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has officially confirmed King Charles III as its Royal Patron.

The announcement follows a review of royal patronages, shared as part of wider celebrations which marked the first anniversary of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation.

King Charles’ patronage of the RVC continues a royal tradition, with the first patronage acquired by King George V. Most recently, royal patronage of the RVC was held by Prince Philip.

However, the veterinary school’s royal history reaches further than this, with Queen Victoria giving it its first Royal Charter in 1875.

Since then there have been a number of royal visits to RVC’s Hawkshead campus. This includes Princess Anne’s attendance of the 1994 graduation ceremony, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip opening the Large Animal Clinical Centre and Eclipse Building in 2003, and the official opening of an extension of the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals by Queen Camilla (then Duchess of Cornwall).

Queen Camilla remains a Patron of The Royal Veterinary College Animal Care Trust.

Now, as a Royal Patron of RVC, King Charles will support the work and research of the veterinary school.

Stuart Reid CBE, president and principal of the RVC, said: “We are honoured that His Majesty has graciously agreed to be our Patron, continuing the long association between the Royal Family and the RVC.

“We look forward to welcoming His Majesty to our campuses and sharing the achievements of our staff and students.”

Baroness Young of Old Scone, member and chair of the RVC Council, said: “The Royal Family has supported the RVC since 1875, so we are incredibly fortunate and grateful that His Majesty has agreed to continue this association and support of our world-leading research, teaching and clinical services with his patronage.”

Image © RVC

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.