The arms of the Royal Society
The President of the Royal Society (PRS) is the elected director of the Royal Society of London who presides over meetings of the society's council.
After informal meetings at Gresham College, the Royal Society was officially founded on 28 November 1660 when a group of academics decided to found "a Colledge for the Promoting of Physico-Mathematicall Experimentall Learning",[1] acquiring a Royal Charter on 15 July 1662.[2] The Royal Charter nominated William Brouncker as president, and stipulated that future presidents should be elected by the Council and Fellows of the society at anniversary meetings each year on St. Andrew's Day (30 November).
The details of the presidency were described by the second Royal Charter, which did not set any limit on how long a president could serve. There were considerable fluctuations in the president's term of office until well into the 19th century. By then, sentiment had turned against electing wealthy amateurs solely because they might become patrons of the society, and in 1847 the society decided that Fellows would be elected solely on scientific merit. Since the 1870s it has been usual (with a few exceptions) for each President to serve for exactly five years. Under the current statutes, a president cannot serve for more than five years.[3]
The current President is Venkatraman Ramakrishnan who began his 5 year tenure in 2015.[4] Historically, the duties of the president have been both formal and social. Under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876, the President was one of only a few people authorised to certify that a particular experiment on an animal was justified, and in addition he acted as the government's chief (albeit informal) advisor for scientific matters. At the same time, the President was tasked with entertaining distinguished foreign guests and scientists.[5]
The changeover of presidents occurs on the Royal Society Anniversary Day, the weekday on or nearest to 30 November, after the departing President's Anniversary Address.[6]
Presidents of the Royal Society
Years |
President |
Profession |
1662–1677 |
![William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker by Sir Peter Lely.jpg](/w/images/thumb/d/de/William_Brouncker%2C_2nd_Viscount_Brouncker_by_Sir_Peter_Lely.jpg/75px-William_Brouncker%2C_2nd_Viscount_Brouncker_by_Sir_Peter_Lely.jpg) |
The Viscount Brouncker |
Mathematician |
1677–1680 |
![SirJosephWilliamson.jpg](/w/images/thumb/f/f1/SirJosephWilliamson.jpg/75px-SirJosephWilliamson.jpg) |
Sir Joseph Williamson |
Civil servant and politician |
1680–1682 |
![Christopher Wren by Godfrey Kneller 1711.jpg](/w/images/thumb/4/4d/Christopher_Wren_by_Godfrey_Kneller_1711.jpg/75px-Christopher_Wren_by_Godfrey_Kneller_1711.jpg) |
Sir Christopher Wren |
Architect, astronomer and physicist |
1682–1683 |
![John Hoskins PRS.jpg](/w/images/thumb/c/ca/John_Hoskins_PRS.jpg/75px-John_Hoskins_PRS.jpg) |
Sir John Hoskyns, Bt |
Lawyer |
1683–1684 |
![SirCyrilWyche.jpg](/w/images/thumb/3/35/SirCyrilWyche.jpg/75px-SirCyrilWyche.jpg) |
Cyril Wyche |
Lawyer and politician |
1684–1686 |
![Samuel Pepys.jpg](/w/images/thumb/2/21/Samuel_Pepys.jpg/75px-Samuel_Pepys.jpg) |
Samuel Pepys |
Naval administrator and Member of Parliament |
1686–1689 |
![John Vaughan, 3rd Earl of Carbery by Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt.jpg](/w/images/thumb/b/bf/John_Vaughan%2C_3rd_Earl_of_Carbery_by_Sir_Godfrey_Kneller%2C_Bt.jpg/75px-John_Vaughan%2C_3rd_Earl_of_Carbery_by_Sir_Godfrey_Kneller%2C_Bt.jpg) |
The Earl of Carbery |
Politician |
1689–1690 |
![Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke by John Greenhill.jpg](/w/images/thumb/6/6e/Thomas_Herbert%2C_8th_Earl_of_Pembroke_by_John_Greenhill.jpg/75px-Thomas_Herbert%2C_8th_Earl_of_Pembroke_by_John_Greenhill.jpg) |
The Earl of Pembroke |
Politician |
1690–1695 |
![SirRobertSouthwell.jpg](/w/images/thumb/e/ec/SirRobertSouthwell.jpg/75px-SirRobertSouthwell.jpg) |
Sir Robert Southwell |
Diplomat |
1695–1698 |
![1stEarlOfHalifax.jpg](/w/images/thumb/7/7f/1stEarlOfHalifax.jpg/75px-1stEarlOfHalifax.jpg) |
Charles Montagu |
Poet and statesman |
1698–1703 |
![John Somers, Baron Somers by Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt lowres color.jpg](/w/images/thumb/8/88/John_Somers%2C_Baron_Somers_by_Sir_Godfrey_Kneller%2C_Bt_lowres_color.jpg/75px-John_Somers%2C_Baron_Somers_by_Sir_Godfrey_Kneller%2C_Bt_lowres_color.jpg) |
The Lord Somers |
Jurist and statesman |
1703–1727 |
![Sir Isaac Newton by Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt.jpg](/w/images/thumb/5/50/Sir_Isaac_Newton_by_Sir_Godfrey_Kneller%2C_Bt.jpg/75px-Sir_Isaac_Newton_by_Sir_Godfrey_Kneller%2C_Bt.jpg) |
Sir Isaac Newton |
Physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian |
1727–1741 |
![Hans Sloane.jpg](/w/images/thumb/8/89/Hans_Sloane.jpg/75px-Hans_Sloane.jpg) |
Sir Hans Sloane, Bt |
Physician and collector |
1741–1752 |
![Martin Folkes.jpg](/w/images/thumb/0/03/Martin_Folkes.jpg/75px-Martin_Folkes.jpg) |
Martin Folkes |
Antiquarian |
1752–1764 |
![George Parker, 2nd Earl of Macclesfield.jpg](/w/images/thumb/a/a4/George_Parker%2C_2nd_Earl_of_Macclesfield.jpg/75px-George_Parker%2C_2nd_Earl_of_Macclesfield.jpg) |
The Earl of Macclesfield |
Astronomer |
1764–1768 |
![James Douglas Davison crop.jpg](/w/images/thumb/5/5d/James_Douglas_Davison_crop.jpg/75px-James_Douglas_Davison_crop.jpg) |
The Earl of Morton |
Astronomer and representative peer |
1768-1768 |
![Sir James Burrow.jpg](/w/images/thumb/b/b0/Sir_James_Burrow.jpg/75px-Sir_James_Burrow.jpg) |
James Burrow |
Legal reporter |
1768–1772 |
![James West 1703-1772.jpg](/w/images/thumb/0/0c/James_West_1703-1772.jpg/75px-James_West_1703-1772.jpg) |
James West |
Politician and antiquarian |
1772-1772 |
![Sir James Burrow.jpg](/w/images/thumb/b/b0/Sir_James_Burrow.jpg/75px-Sir_James_Burrow.jpg) |
James Burrow |
Legal reporter |
1772–1778 |
![John Pringle.jpg](/w/images/thumb/4/41/John_Pringle.jpg/75px-John_Pringle.jpg) |
Sir John Pringle |
Physician |
1778–1820 |
![Joseph Banks 1773 Reynolds.jpg](/w/images/thumb/6/6e/Joseph_Banks_1773_Reynolds.jpg/75px-Joseph_Banks_1773_Reynolds.jpg) |
Sir Joseph Banks |
Naturalist and botanist |
1820-1820 |
![Wollaston William Hyde Jackson color.jpg](/w/images/thumb/7/7d/Wollaston_William_Hyde_Jackson_color.jpg/75px-Wollaston_William_Hyde_Jackson_color.jpg) |
William Hyde Wollaston |
Chemist |
1820–1827 |
![Davy Humphry desk color Howard.jpg](/w/images/thumb/2/2c/Davy_Humphry_desk_color_Howard.jpg/75px-Davy_Humphry_desk_color_Howard.jpg) |
Sir Humphry Davy, Bt |
Chemist and inventor |
1827–1830 |
![Davies-gilbert.jpg](/w/images/thumb/0/03/Davies-gilbert.jpg/75px-Davies-gilbert.jpg) |
Davies Gilbert |
Engineer, author and politician |
1830–1838 |
![Knight of the Order of the Thistle.jpg](/w/images/thumb/d/d5/Knight_of_the_Order_of_the_Thistle.jpg/75px-Knight_of_the_Order_of_the_Thistle.jpg) |
HRH The Duke of Sussex |
Sixth son of George III of the United Kingdom |
1838–1848 |
![2nd Marquess of Northampton, by Henry Raeburn.jpg](/w/images/thumb/e/e0/2nd_Marquess_of_Northampton%2C_by_Henry_Raeburn.jpg/75px-2nd_Marquess_of_Northampton%2C_by_Henry_Raeburn.jpg) |
The Marquess of Northampton |
Nobleman |
1848–1854 |
![William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse photo.jpg](/w/images/thumb/b/b5/William_Parsons%2C_3rd_Earl_of_Rosse_photo.jpg/75px-William_Parsons%2C_3rd_Earl_of_Rosse_photo.jpg) |
The Earl of Rosse |
Astronomer |
1854–1858 |
![John Wrottesley, 2nd Baron Wrottesley 1860s.jpg](/w/images/thumb/5/5d/John_Wrottesley%2C_2nd_Baron_Wrottesley_1860s.jpg/75px-John_Wrottesley%2C_2nd_Baron_Wrottesley_1860s.jpg) |
The Lord Wrottesley |
Astronomer |
1858–1861 |
![Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie, 1st Bt 1856.jpg](/w/images/thumb/0/0f/Sir_Benjamin_Collins_Brodie%2C_1st_Bt_1856.jpg/75px-Sir_Benjamin_Collins_Brodie%2C_1st_Bt_1856.jpg) |
Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie, Bt |
Physiologist and surgeon |
1861–1871 |
![Edward Sabine 1860s.jpg](/w/images/thumb/f/f3/Edward_Sabine_1860s.jpg/75px-Edward_Sabine_1860s.jpg) |
Sir Edward Sabine |
Astronomer, geophysicist, ornithologist and explorer |
1871–1873 |
![George Biddell Airy.jpg](/w/images/thumb/2/23/George_Biddell_Airy.jpg/75px-George_Biddell_Airy.jpg) |
Sir George Biddell Airy |
Mathematician and astronomer |
1873–1878 |
![Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker.jpg](/w/images/thumb/7/79/Sir_Joseph_Dalton_Hooker.jpg/75px-Sir_Joseph_Dalton_Hooker.jpg) |
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Botanist and explorer |
1878–1883 |
![William Spottiswoode.jpg](/w/images/thumb/a/a6/William_Spottiswoode.jpg/75px-William_Spottiswoode.jpg) |
William H. Spottiswoode |
Mathematician and physicist |
1883–1885 |
![T.H.Huxley(Woodburytype).jpg](/w/images/thumb/2/2e/T.H.Huxley%28Woodburytype%29.jpg/75px-T.H.Huxley%28Woodburytype%29.jpg) |
Thomas Henry Huxley |
Biologist |
1885–1890 |
![Ggstokes.jpg](/w/images/thumb/a/ad/Ggstokes.jpg/75px-Ggstokes.jpg) |
Sir George Stokes |
Mathematician and physicist |
1890–1895 |
![Lord Kelvin photograph.jpg](/w/images/thumb/a/a0/Lord_Kelvin_photograph.jpg/75px-Lord_Kelvin_photograph.jpg) |
Sir William Thomson |
Mathematical physicist |
1895–1900 |
![Joseph Lister 1902.jpg](/w/images/thumb/a/a1/Joseph_Lister_1902.jpg/75px-Joseph_Lister_1902.jpg) |
The Lord Lister |
Surgeon |
1900–1905 |
![Sir William Huggins by John Collier.jpg](/w/images/thumb/c/c7/Sir_William_Huggins_by_John_Collier.jpg/75px-Sir_William_Huggins_by_John_Collier.jpg) |
Sir William Huggins |
Astronomer |
1905–1908 |
![John William Strutt.jpg](/w/images/thumb/2/28/John_William_Strutt.jpg/75px-John_William_Strutt.jpg) |
The Lord Rayleigh |
Physicist |
1908–1913 |
![Sir Archibald Geikie.jpg](/w/images/thumb/0/08/Sir_Archibald_Geikie.jpg/75px-Sir_Archibald_Geikie.jpg) |
Sir Archibald Geikie |
Geologist and writer |
1913–1915 |
![PSM V10 D660 William Crookes.jpg](/w/images/thumb/1/1e/PSM_V10_D660_William_Crookes.jpg/75px-PSM_V10_D660_William_Crookes.jpg) |
Sir William Crookes |
Chemist and physicist |
1915–1920 |
![J.J Thomson.jpg](/w/images/thumb/c/c1/J.J_Thomson.jpg/75px-J.J_Thomson.jpg) |
Sir Joseph John Thomson |
Physicist |
1920–1925 |
![Prof. Charles Scott Sherrington.jpg](/w/images/thumb/a/a6/Prof._Charles_Scott_Sherrington.jpg/75px-Prof._Charles_Scott_Sherrington.jpg) |
Sir Charles Scott Sherrington |
Neurophysiologist, histologist, bacteriologist, and pathologist |
1925–1930 |
![Ernest Rutherford LOC.jpg](/w/images/thumb/6/6e/Ernest_Rutherford_LOC.jpg/75px-Ernest_Rutherford_LOC.jpg) |
Sir Ernest Rutherford |
Physicist and chemist |
1930–1935 |
![Frederick Gowland Hopkins nobel.jpg](/w/images/thumb/7/75/Frederick_Gowland_Hopkins_nobel.jpg/75px-Frederick_Gowland_Hopkins_nobel.jpg) |
Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins |
Biophysicist |
1935–1940 |
![Wh-bragg.jpg](/w/images/thumb/2/26/Wh-bragg.jpg/75px-Wh-bragg.jpg) |
Sir William Henry Bragg |
Physicist, chemist and mathematician |
1940–1945 |
![Henry Dale nobel.jpg](/w/images/thumb/8/86/Henry_Dale_nobel.jpg/75px-Henry_Dale_nobel.jpg) |
Sir Henry Hallett Dale |
Pharmacologist and physiologist |
1945–1950 |
![Robert Robinson organic chemist.jpg](/w/images/thumb/9/93/Robert_Robinson_organic_chemist.jpg/75px-Robert_Robinson_organic_chemist.jpg) |
Sir Robert Robinson |
Organic chemist |
1950–1955 |
![Edgar Douglas Adrian nobel.jpg](/w/images/thumb/5/51/Edgar_Douglas_Adrian_nobel.jpg/75px-Edgar_Douglas_Adrian_nobel.jpg) |
Edgar Adrian |
Electrophysiologist |
1955–1960 |
![Cyril Norman Hinshelwood Nobel.jpg](/w/images/thumb/7/7d/Cyril_Norman_Hinshelwood_Nobel.jpg/75px-Cyril_Norman_Hinshelwood_Nobel.jpg) |
Sir Cyril Norman Hinshelwood |
Physical chemist |
1960–1965 |
![Howard Walter Florey 1945.jpg](/w/images/thumb/d/d2/Howard_Walter_Florey_1945.jpg/75px-Howard_Walter_Florey_1945.jpg) |
Sir Howard Florey |
Pharmacologist and pathologist |
1965–1970 |
![Blackett-large.jpg](/w/images/thumb/c/c3/Blackett-large.jpg/75px-Blackett-large.jpg) |
Patrick Blackett |
Physicist |
1970–1975 |
![Alan Lloyd Hodgkin nobel.jpg](/w/images/thumb/0/07/Alan_Lloyd_Hodgkin_nobel.jpg/75px-Alan_Lloyd_Hodgkin_nobel.jpg) |
Sir Alan Lloyd Hodgkin |
Physiologist and Biophysicist |
1975–1980 |
![Alexander Todd Nobel.jpg](/w/images/thumb/5/59/Alexander_Todd_Nobel.jpg/75px-Alexander_Todd_Nobel.jpg) |
The Lord Todd |
Biochemist |
1980–1985 |
![Andrew huxley trinity.png](/w/images/thumb/9/95/Andrew_huxley_trinity.png/75px-Andrew_huxley_trinity.png) |
Sir Andrew Huxley |
Physiologist and biophysicist |
1985–1990 |
![George Porter Nobel.jpg](/w/images/thumb/4/43/George_Porter_Nobel.jpg/75px-George_Porter_Nobel.jpg) |
Sir George Porter |
Chemist |
1990–1995 |
![Michael Francis Atiyah.jpg](/w/images/thumb/a/af/Michael_Francis_Atiyah.jpg/75px-Michael_Francis_Atiyah.jpg) |
Sir Michael Atiyah |
Mathematician |
1995–2000 |
![Aaron Klug 1979.jpg](/w/images/thumb/a/a5/Aaron_Klug_1979.jpg/75px-Aaron_Klug_1979.jpg) |
Sir Aaron Klug |
Chemist and biophysicist |
2000–2005 |
![BobMayHarvard.jpg](/w/images/thumb/e/ed/BobMayHarvard.jpg/75px-BobMayHarvard.jpg) |
Sir Robert May |
Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government |
2005–2010 |
![Martin Rees at Jodrell Bank in 2007.jpg](/w/images/thumb/9/9c/Martin_Rees_at_Jodrell_Bank_in_2007.jpg/75px-Martin_Rees_at_Jodrell_Bank_in_2007.jpg) |
The Lord Rees of Ludlow |
Cosmologist and astrophysicist |
2010–2015 |
![Paul Nurse portrait.jpg](/w/images/thumb/a/ac/Paul_Nurse_portrait.jpg/75px-Paul_Nurse_portrait.jpg) |
Sir Paul Nurse |
Geneticist and cell biologist |
2015–present |
![Nobel Prize 2009-Press Conference KVA-08.jpg](/w/images/thumb/4/45/Nobel_Prize_2009-Press_Conference_KVA-08.jpg/75px-Nobel_Prize_2009-Press_Conference_KVA-08.jpg) |
Sir Venkatraman Ramakrishnan |
Biophysicist |
References
- General
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- Specific
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/theroyalsociety/posts/1061665430532658
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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17th century |
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18th century |
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19th century |
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20th century |
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21st century |
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