King Charles has accepted the patronage of Gordon’s School in West End, continuing the tradition of the reigning sovereign’s patronage since Queen Victoria became its first Patron in 1885.

The school was chosen after an analysis of more than 1,000 patronages held by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Gordon’s School begun as Gordon’s Boys’ Home and was built by public subscription after Queen Victoria demanded a fitting tribute to General Gordon following his death in 1885 in Khartoum.

The boys’ home evolved into a school for boys before admitting girls in 1990. It was recently awarded a seventh “Outstanding” OFSTED inspection. 

The late Queen Elizabeth II and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh attended the school’s centenary celebrations in 1985 and unveiled a plaque to commemorate the visit and together with Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, generously donated to the Centenary Appeal Fund, which raised over £300,000 to modernise school buildings.

While King Charles has not visited Gordon’s, his brother the Duke of Edinburgh last came to the school in January 2023 to open the new Sports Hub.

Every year the students, led by the school’s Pipes and Drums Band, honours their sovereign patron with the patron’s parade in June and the National Anthem is sung at whole school gatherings.

Gordon’s Headmaster Andrew Moss said: “We are honoured and delighted that His Majesty King Charles has accepted the patronage of Gordon’s and is continuing this historical tradition. We look forward to welcoming our new sovereign patron to the school in the future”.