The Hendon-based Royal Air Force Museum has unveiled its official Royal Charter as part of its 50th birthday celebrations

On December 12 the Representative Deputy Lieutenant for the London Borough of Barnet, Martin Russell and the RAF Museum Chair, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, formally unveiled the museum’s latest accolade - the Royal Charter. It’s now on public display in the attraction’s newly refurbished entrance to its Hangar 3 at London.

The Royal Charter was granted by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who also officially opened the museum in 1972.

The attraction’s chief executive officer Maggie Appleton said: “It is a great honour to have been granted a Royal Charter by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. All the museum team – Trustees, staff and volunteers - are incredibly grateful for this recognition. We are inspired even further to fulfil our dual role as a national museum and community resource and partner, collecting and sharing globally significant stories for and with everyone.”

A Royal Charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch which “confers an independent legal personality on an organisation and defines its objectives, constitution and powers to govern its own affairs.” Only pre-eminent leaders in their field are granted this honour. Charter status is an affirmation of the national importance of the museum. Other famous chartered bodies include the BBC, the British Red Cross and the Honourable Company of Air Pilots.

Applications for a Royal Charter come via a formal petition to The Sovereign in Council. The museum’s own petition included signatures from five previous RAF Chiefs of Air Staff: ACM Sir Richard Johns (1997-2000); ACM Sir Glenn Torpy (2006-2009); ACM Sir Andy Pulford (2013 – 2016); ACM Sir Stephen Hillier (2016-2019) and ACM Mike Wigston - Chief of the Air Staff incumbent. Original support was given by the museum’s former Royal Patron, His Late Royal Highness Prince Philip.