The RCN's Royal Charter

Elizabeth the Second by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith:

  • To all whom these presents
    shall come, greeting

Whereas His Majesty King George the Fifth in the year of our Lord One thousand nine hundred and twenty-eight by Royal Charter (hereinafter called "the Original Charter") dated the twenty-eighth day of July in the nineteenth year of His Reign and granted upon the Petition of the College of Nursing Limited (therein referred to as "the said Company") constituted a Body Corporate by the name of "The College of Nursing" with perpetual succession and with power to sue and be sued by the said name and to use a Common Seal:

And whereas by an Order of His Majesty King George the Sixth in Council dated the fourth day of September One thousand nine hundred and forty the name of the said Body Corporate was changed to "The Royal College of Nursing":

And whereas upon the Petition of the said Royal College of Nursing We did on the thirteenth day of May in the twelfth year of Our Reign by Royal Charter revoke the Original Charter save and except in so far as it constituted the President and other Members for the time being of the College of Nursing as one Body Corporate and continue and confirm the said President and other Members for the time being of the Royal College of Nursing and confirm them as one Body Corporate with the name of "The Royal College of Nursing and National Council of Nurses of the United Kingdom":

And whereas by an Order of Ourself in Council dated the twentieth day of November One thousand nine hundred and seventy-four the name of the said Body Corporate was changed to "The Royal College of Nursing of the United Kingdom":

And whereas by its humble Petition the said Royal College of Nursing of the United Kingdom has represented unto Us that it is expedient for the better execution of the purposes thereof that the provisions of the said Supplemental Charter should be amended and that this may best be done by the grant of a new Charter replacing the said Supplemental Charter:

And therefore know ye that We have taken the said Petition into Our Royal consideration and by virtue of Our Royal Prerogative in that behalf and of all other powers enabling Us so to do have of Our especial grace, certain knowledge and mere motion granted and declared and do by these Presents for Us, Our Heirs and Successors grant and declare as follows:

  1. Except in so far as it continued and confirmed as one Body Corporate the President and other Members for the time being of the Royal College of Nursing, the said Supplemental Charter shall be and the same is hereby revoked, but nothing in this revocation shall affect the legality or validity of any act, deed or thing lawfully done or executed under the provisions of the said Supplemental Charter.

  2. The President and other Members for the time being of the Royal College of Nursing of the United Kingdom shall for ever hereafter be continued and confirmed as one Body Corporate with the name of "The Royal College of Nursing of the United Kingdom" (hereinafter called "the College") and by the same name shall continue to have perpetual succession and a Common Seal and with full power by and in such name to sue and be sued and to take, hold, grant, demise, exchange or otherwise dispose of real or personal property and to do all other lawful acts whatsoever.

  3. The purposes for which the College is established and incorporated are as follows:
    a) To promote the science and art of nursing and the better education and training of nurses and their efficiency in the profession of nursing.

    b) To promote the advance of nursing as a profession in all or any of its branches.

    c) To promote the professional standing and interests of Members of the nursing profession.

    d) To promote through the medium of international agencies and otherwise the foregoing purposes in other countries as well as in Our United Kingdom.

    e) To assist nurses who by reason of adversity, ill-health or otherwise are in need of assistance of any nature.

    f) To institute and conduct examinations in all branches of work conducive to the efficient conduct of the nursing profession and to grant Certificates and Diplomas to those who satisfy the requirements laid down by the Council: Provided that no Certificate or Diploma shall confer any right to the privilege of a nurse registered in pursuance of any Act of Parliament.

    g) To make such arrangements with any University or other educational institution as may from time to time be considered desirable for association with or admission as a school or college of such University or other institution.

    h) To solicit and receive, accept or refuse subscriptions and gifts of all kinds whether absolute or conditional for the purposes of the College or for any specific object connected with the science and art of nursing, and to undertake and execute any charitable trusts which may be considered expedient or desirable in the interests of the College.

    i) To sell, dispose of, exchange, mortgage, charge, let, deal with or turn to account any of the property and rights of the College as may from time to time be considered expedient or desirable in the interests of the College.

    j) To provide legal representation, advice and assistance as a provident benefit as defined in Section 467 Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 and HMRC Statement of Practice 1/84.

    k) To apply the funds of the College for the payment of provident benefits as determined by the College's Bye-Laws.

    l) To do all such other lawful things as may from time to time be conducive or incidental to any of the purposes aforesaid.

  4. The income and property of the College shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the College's objects as stated in Article 3 of this our Charter: Provided that no portion of the income and property of the College shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend or bonus, or otherwise howsoever by way of profit, to the Members of the College: Provided further that nothing herein contained shall prevent the repayment of out-of-pocket expenses or the payment in good faith of reasonable and proper remuneration lawfully due to any Officers or servants of the College, or to any Members of the College or any other person in return for services rendered to the College, or the payment of pensions to former employees of the College whether Members of the College or not, nor prevent the payment in good faith of interest at a rate not exceeding the Bank of England minimum lending rate current at the time on money borrowed for the purposes of this Our Charter from any Member of the College.

  5. a) The members of the College shall be those persons who under the terms of the Original Charter and of the said Supplemental Charter were Members of the College immediately prior to the grant of this Our Charter and such persons as are admitted to Membership by the Council in its discretion from among persons whose names are on any Register, or Roll of Nurses established by Act of the Parliament of Our United Kingdom or of Northern Ireland or who may be admitted by the Council to membership on the grounds of distinction in nursing. The Council shall also have power to establish a Student Membership as hereinafter provided.

    b) The names of all the Members of the College shall be entered upon a Roll of Members and if the name of any person shall be removed from the Roll that person shall forthwith cease to be a Member of the College.

    c) The terms and conditions of admission to Membership of the College shall be as laid down in the Bye-Laws and any person applying for Membership of the College shall be deemed to have agreed to be bound by the provisions of this Our Charter and by the Bye-Laws.

    d) Every Member (other than Members of the said Company who became Members prior to the 20th November 1920) shall pay an annual subscription of £50 or such larger sum as shall from time to time be determined by the College in General Meeting on the recommendation of the Council.

    e) The Council shall have power to admit to Associate Membership such classes of persons as the Council shall think fit and upon such terms as the Council shall from time to time determine in respect of all or any of such classes. The names of any Associate Member shall be entered in a separate part of the Roll of Members and the Council may limit the privileges of such Associate Members or any class of Associate Members as it shall from time to time in its discretion think fit but no Associate Members shall have the right to nominate or be nominated for election to the Council.

    f) The Council shall on establishing a Student Membership as aforesaid have power to admit to Student Membership such persons as it shall think fit from among persons who are studying to acquire any of the qualifications necessary to enable them to become Members of the College and to grant to such Student Members such rights and privileges upon such terms and conditions and subject to such regulations as the Council shall from time to time determine: Provided that no Student Member of the College shall have the right to be nominated for election to the Council or to vote in the election of Members to the Council (other than in the election of President and Deputy President) except to fill those places on the Council allocated to elected Student Members. The names of any Student Members shall be entered in a separate Roll of Student Members.

  6. a) Subject to the provisions of this Our Charter the management of the property and affairs of the College shall be vested in a Council (in this Our Charter and in the Bye-Laws referred to as "the Council") which shall consist of twenty-nine Members comprising the President, Deputy President, twenty-six Members nominated and elected in the manner prescribed in Bye-Laws and the Chair of the representative body known as the RCN Congress who shall be non-voting Member of the Council ex-officio.

    b) One half of the members elected to the Council shall retire from membership at the Annual General Meeting in each year in which an election takes place with the exception of the elected Student Members who shall retire and be subject to election as provided in the Bye-Laws. The retiring members other than the elected Student Members shall be eligible for re-election for a further consecutive term of four years but no more and thereafter shall not be eligible to stand for election to the Council until after a period of four years has elapsed.

    c) The office of a member of the Council shall ipso facto be vacated;
    a if such member ceases for any reason to be a member of the College;
    b if such member is adjudicated bankrupt suspends payment or compounds with creditors;
    c if such member is found by reason of mental disorder to be incapable of managing his or her own affairs;
    d if such member by notice in writing to the Secretary of the College resigns as a Member of the Council;
    e if such member attends less than four meetings of the Council in any period in which six consecutive meetings of the Council are held during that member's term of office provided that where such member's failure to attend meetings is due to illness the Council may in its discretion allow that member to continue in office;
    f if such member is removed by resolution of the College in General Meeting before the expiry of his or her term of office provided that no such resolution shall be put to any General Meeting of the College unless at least twenty-eight days notice of the intention to propose the same shall have been given to all Members of the College and the member of the Council whom it is proposed to remove shall be entitled to be heard on the resolution at the meeting. Where notice is given of an intended resolution to remove a member of the Council and such member makes with respect thereto any representations in writing and requests their notification to Members of the College, the Council shall so far as is practicable send a copy of the representation to every Member of the College to whom notice of the meeting is sent;
    g if such Member ceases to be a member of the Council by reason of any of the Bye-Laws.

    d) Every casual vacancy on the Council caused by death, resignation or otherwise shall be filled by the Council in the manner prescribed in the Bye-Laws but the person appointed to fill such vacancy shall hold office only for the remainder of the term for which the predecessor of that person was elected or appointed.

  7. There shall be a Patron or Patrons of the College. The Patron or Patrons shall be such person or persons as shall on request of the President and Council from time to time accept that office.

  8. There shall be a President of the College who shall be a Member of the College nominated and elected in the manner prescribed in the Bye-Laws. The term of office of the President shall be as provided in the Bye-Laws. The President shall serve as a full Member of Council ex-officio.

  9. There shall be a Deputy President of the College who shall be a Member of the College nominated and elected in the manner prescribed in the Bye-Laws. The term of office of the Deputy President shall be as provided in the Bye-Laws. The Deputy President shall serve as a full Member of the Council ex-officio.

  10. The Council may appoint such Honorary Vice-Presidents in such manner and for such term as it shall in its discretion think fit.

  11. There shall be not more than two Honorary Treasurers, one of whom shall be nominated and elected every two years by and from among the Members of the Council in accordance with the Bye-Laws.

    The Honorary Treasurer shall be eligible for re-election or re-appointment.

  12. a) A General Meeting of the Members of the College shall be held once at least in every calendar year at such time and place as shall be prescribed by the Council and shall be termed the Annual General Meeting. Not more than fifteen months shall elapse between Annual General Meetings. All other General Meetings of the College shall be termed Extraordinary General Meetings.

    b) All General Meetings of the College shall be convened and conducted in the manner laid down in the Bye-Laws and subject thereto in such a manner as the Council may from time to time prescribe.

  13. a) The Council may meet for despatch of business, adjourn and otherwise regulate its meetings and proceedings as it shall think fit. Ten Members of the Council shall form a quorum.

    b) The Council or a meeting thereof duly convened and at which a quorum is present shall be competent to exercise all the powers of the College which are not hereby or by the Bye-Laws directed or required to be exercised or done by the College in General Meeting.

    c) Questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a majority of votes, and in the case of an equality of votes, the Chair shall have a second or casting vote.

    d) The Council may delegate any of its powers to Committees consisting of such Members or Members of the Council or such other persons as the Council may think fit and may make regulations for the conduct of such Committees as it may think fit provided that the majority of members of every such Committee shall be Members of the College.

    e) The Council may from time to time provide for the management and transaction of the affairs of the College in any specified area in such a manner as it shall think fit subject to the provisions of this Our Charter and to the Bye-Laws.

    f) All acts done at any meeting of the Council or of a Committee of the Council or by any person acting as a Member of the Council shall notwithstanding that it is afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any Member or Members of the Council or person acting as aforesaid be as valid and effectual as if any such person had been duly appointed, and was qualified to be a Member of the Council.

    g) A resolution in writing signed by all the Members of the Council shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a Meeting of the Council duly called and constituted.

    h) The Council may provide for the election of Members of the College to the Fellowship of the College and from time to time prescribe the qualifications for, and conditions and mode of admission to, Fellowship and the rights and privileges to be attached thereto and the conditions and mode of the removal of persons therefrom. The Council may also make provision for the conferment of Honorary Fellowships. A person admitted as a Fellow shall have the right to be styled "a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing" and such style may be indicated by the use of the letters "F.R.C.N." after the Fellow's name and statutory qualifications.

  14. The College shall have a Common Seal which shall be provided by the Council and shall bear such device as the Council may from time to time determine. The Council shall provide for the safe custody of the Seal and the Seal shall never be used save by the authority of the Council or of a Committee of the Council and in the presence of a Member of the Council and the Secretary or some other person appointed by the Council for the purpose and both such persons shall sign every instrument to which the Seal is affixed.

  15. Moneys available for investment by the College may be invested in the purchase or upon mortgage of, freehold or leasehold property or in or upon such shares, stocks, funds, securities, units of unit trusts and other investments whatsoever and wheresoever and whether involving liability or not as the Council (or any committee to which the Council may delegate the matter) shall in its absolute discretion think fit and whether in the name of the College or of trustees or nominees for the College as the Council (or such committee) shall decide in its absolute discretion to the intent that the Council (or such committee) shall have the same full and unrestricted powers of investing and transposing investments in all respects as if it was absolutely entitled thereto beneficially and no member of the Council (or such committee) shall be responsible or accountable for any loss occasioned by reason of the exercise of such powers unless the same shall happen through the dishonesty or wilful default of such member.

  16. There shall be within the College an educational institution (known as the Royal College of Nursing Institute or such other name as the Council shall decide) for the purposes of furthering the better education of nurses, and the government and structure of such Institute or other body shall be set out in the Bye-Laws and in Regulations made thereunder.

  17. The Bye-Laws in the Schedule hereto shall be the Bye-Laws of the College until they have been revoked altered or added to in the manner hereinafter described. The said Bye-Laws (in this Our Charter referred to as "the Bye-Laws") or any of them may from time to time be made, revoked altered or added to by the Council with approval of a General Meeting by resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the Members of the College present in person or by proxy and voting thereon. No Bye-Law or any such revocation, alteration or addition shall come into operation until the same shall have been approved by the Lords of Our Most Honourable Privy Council and a Certificate under the hand of the Clerk of Our said Privy Council shall be conclusive evidence of such approval.

  18. No Member of the Council, Officer of the College or member of the staff of the College shall be liable for the acts, neglects or defaults of any other Member, Officer or member of the staff, or for any loss or expense happening to the College through the deficiency of title to any property acquired by the direction of the Council on behalf of the College neither for any loss or deficiency or damages arising out of the negligence, bankruptcy or tortious act of any person to whom any money, security or property shall be entrusted nor for any loss or damage occasioned by any error or misfortune whatever which shall happen in the execution of the duties of the office of the Member of the Council, Officer of the College or member of the staff of the College or in relation thereto unless the same shall happen through the dishonesty or wilful default of such Member or Officer or member of the staff.

  19. The Council may by resolution passed at two meetings of the Council and confirmed by a General Meeting of the College by resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the Members of the College present in person or by proxy and voting thereon alter, amend or add to this Our Charter and such alterations, amendment or addition shall, when allowed by Us, Our Heirs or Successors in Council, become effectual so that this Our Charter shall thenceforward continue and operate as though it had been originally granted and made accordingly. This provision shall apply to this Our Charter as altered, amended and added to in manner aforesaid.

  20. a) The College may upon the recommendation of the Council and by a resolution passed by not less than three-fourths of the Members of the College present and voting at an Extraordinary General Meeting surrender this Our Charter subject to the consent of Us, Our Heirs or Successors in Council and upon such terms as We or They may consider fit and to wind up or otherwise deal with the affairs of the College in such manner as shall be directed by such Extraordinary General Meeting or in default of such directions as the Council shall think expedient having regard to the liabilities of the College for the time being.

    b) If, upon the dissolution of the College, there shall remain after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to or distributed among the Members of the College but shall be given or transferred to such other institution or institutions (which shall have the same or similar objects as the College and which shall prohibit the distribution of its or their income and property among its or their members to an extent at least as great as is imposed on the College under Article IV hereof) as the Council may determine.

  21. Unless the context otherwise requires, in construing the provisions of this Our Charter the Interpretation Act 1889 shall apply to the interpretation thereof as it applies to an Act of Parliament, but so, however, that this Our Charter shall always be construed and adjudged in the most favourable and beneficial sense for the best advantages of the College and the promotion of the objects of this Our Charter as well in all Our Courts as elsewhere, any non-recital, mis-recital, uncertainty or imperfection notwithstanding.

  22. All acts, deeds and things done or executed by the Council or Officers of the College relating to the Membership or General Meetings of the College or to the election of the President, the Deputy President and Members of the Council of the College, which have been done or executed since the ninth day of March One thousand nine hundred and seventy-eight being the date on which the humble Petition for the grant of this Our Charter was sealed by the College and which are in accordance with the terms of this Our Charter or the Bye-Laws shall be lawful, valid and effective notwithstanding that the same may have been so done or executed before the date of this Our Charter and as if they had been done or executed by the Council or Officers of the College.

In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent.

Witness Ourself at Westminster the fifth day of February in the twenty-seventh year of Our Reign.

  • By warrant under
    The Queen's sign manual