William and Mary’s Royal Relationship

“Their Majesties’ Royall Colledge”

The College of William and Mary’s 314-year history is peppered with tales of partnership with Great Britain. Born of a royal British charter, the College has never forgotten its heritage. The relationship between the College and Great Britain began when, on Feb. 8, 1693, King William III and Queen Mary II granted a royal charter to establish “what shall forever be known as the College of William and Mary in Virginia.” Soon after, the institution was issued a coat of arms, granted by the College of Arms in London. Today, William and Mary is the only public institution of higher education in the U.S. with an official coat of arms. Once the College was established, the monarchy remained involved in its development even after the College building burned in 1705, providing £1,000 to rebuild it.

The influence of Great Britain started to be felt on campus again when, in 1935, the Sunken Garden was laid out on the mall directly west of the Wren Building. The garden had been planned by Dr. J.A.C. Chandler, based on a similar treatment of grounds adjacent to Chelsea Hospital in London.

In 1957, the College joined in the commemoration of the 350th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. The celebration included a visit by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, to Williamsburg on Oct. 16, 1957. During the visit, Queen Elizabeth spoke to the College community from the balcony of the Sir Christopher Wren Building. This was the first visit to the College by a reigning British sovereign.

Modern History

• Feb. 8, 1968 - a yearlong observance of the 275th anniversary of the granting of the College's Ancient Royal Charter began. Three days later, the 275th anniversary Charter Day Convocation was held, at which addresses were delivered by the Right Reverend and Right Honorable Robert Wright Stopford, the incumbent Bishop of London and successor to the College's first chancellor; and Sir Patrick Henry Dean, Her Britannic Majesty's Ambassador to the United States.

• May 1981 - Charles, Prince of Wales and heir to the English throne, visited William and Mary and received the College's first honorary fellowship. During his visit, Prince Charles dedicated the Earl Gregg Swem Library’s one-millionth volume, titled “Windsor Castle, Picturesque and Descriptive.”

• July 1988 - A William and Mary delegation headed by President Paul R. Verkuil, Rector Hays T. Watkins and Chancellor Warren E. Burger visited England joining English dignitaries in Westminster Hall in London to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the accession of King William III and Queen Mary II to the throne of England.

• 1993 - William and Mary celebrated the 300th anniversary of the College's founding.

• As part of the celebration, the College observed Charter Day in William and Mary Hall where Prince Charles, making his second visit to the campus, brought greetings to the College from his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

• Queen Elizabeth met with a William and Mary delegation of 300, led by President Sullivan, at a special reception in Drapers' Hall in London.

• Margaret, The Lady Thatcher, former prime minister of Great Britain, was elected the College's 21st chancellor by the Board of Visitors. Thatcher made her last  of six visits as chancellor on Feb. 5, 2000, when she addressed an overflow crowd in William and Mary Hall on Charter Day.

Other Connections

In addition to its royal connections, the College has shared enjoyed academic exchange with Great Britain, beginning in 1946 when the College and the University of Exeter in England agreed to begin a regular exchange of students. Academic exchange continued when, in 1958, the Drapers' Company of London, one of the city's ancient livery companies, provided support for the Drapers' Exchange Program. In 1967 the William and Mary Law School, the oldest law school in the U.S., began its Summer Law School Abroad Program on the campus of the University of Exeter in England. The College still participates in study-abroad programs with several British universities, including Hertford College at Oxford University, The University of Exeter, The University of Manchester, The University of Nottingham, Cambridge, and St. Andrews University in Scotland.

Since receiving its royal charter, William and Mary has continued its ties to Great Britain by maintaining a relationship with the country’s leadership and promoting mutual understanding and academic growth through exchange programs. The relationship has fostered a deep and mutual respect, which both the College and Great Britain expect to benefit from for continue for years to come. As Prince Charles stated in a message to the College: “All I can say is – Long may ‘Their Majesties’ Royall Colledge’ continue to flourish!”