HM King Charles becomes IMechE Patron, building on links with the Institution

We are honoured to announce that His Majesty King Charles III has become Patron of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

King Charles was elected an Honorary Fellow of the Institution in 1977 and has been actively involved with IMechE over the years, attending events and writing the foreword to the publication celebrating our 150th anniversary in 1997.

Well known for his support for the environment, King Charles has championed the role of engineering in promoting sustainability and combating global warming, both of which are policy priorities of the Institution. IMechE President Clive Hickman OBE said:

“We are very proud that His Majesty has become our Patron. His commitment to the environment is well known and he has often spoken about the importance of innovation and engineering to encourage sustainability and tackle climate change. It is notable that his first official visit after his coronation was to a pioneering research centre within the engineering sector.”

To mark our 150th anniversary in 1997, King Charles wrote the foreword to “Progress through mechanical engineering: the first 150 years of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers” which was published to mark the event. In it, he noted the importance of engineers in solving the global challenges we face, writing:

“Progress is the very spirit of engineering and the mechanical engineers of the last 150 years have been responsible for innovations which have transformed standards of living and ways of life throughout the world.... But today’s increasing pace of technological change puts even greater pressure on the problem-solving and innovative capabilities of mechanical engineers."

The Royal Family has a long tradition of supporting engineering, with the Institution receiving its Royal Charter in 1930. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth was our Patron throughout her reign and her husband HRH Prince Philip was an Honorary Fellow.

The King has attended a number of IMechE events including Annual Dinners in 1979 and 1981, where he gave a speech, and the James Clayton lecture “Engineering for Humanity” by M W Thring which took place in 1982.