King Charles has approved changes to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s (RPS) Royal Charter.
The King’s decision, which came after a meeting of the Privy Council on 10 March, marks another step towards the RPS becoming a royal college.
The RPS will become the Royal College of Pharmacy on 15 April, almost a year after an ‘historic’ vote by members on changes to its the Royal Charter.
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In March last year 71.1% of the RPS’s members voted in favour of changes to the charter, including the intention to register as a charity and a move to become a royal college.
A wholly-owned limited subsidiary for publishing activities is also being created, the RPS said.
Its application to become a registered charity is still with the charity regulators in England and Wales (the Charity Commission) and in Scotland (the Office of Scottish Charity Regulator), it added.
The RPS said: ‘We are hopeful of positive news on this matter in the near future.’
Voting also closed yesterday for the inaugural Royal College of Pharmacy national pharmacy advisory council elections, with results to be announced tomorrow [Friday 13 March].
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Meanwhile, the process of changing the structure and governance of the RPS is ‘underway’ and includes the appointment of a Chair of Trustees and Shadow Board, the RPS said.
RPS president Prof Claire Anderson said: ‘Today’s approval by the Privy Council of the proposed changes to our Royal Charter means that we will become the Royal College of Pharmacy on 15 April 2026 as planned.
‘Now, working together, we have the opportunity to build a royal college that supports excellence in practice, advances the safe and effective use of medicines and leverages the prestige of royal colleges to engage more impactfully with policymakers, the public, and fellow healthcare professionals.’
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RPS chief executive, Paul Bennett, added: ‘The launch of the new royal college in April will be the culmination of a complex and rigorous set of legal and governance processes that will ensure the new royal college is compliant, well-regulated, and properly established.
‘It will also be the first step on the new journey towards an inclusive and influential royal college for pharmacy.’
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