Royal Philatelic Society London

The Royal Philatelic Society London stands in the City of Westminster. It was founded in 1869 as the Philatelic Society, London, making it the oldest philatelic society in the world. The society runs a postal museum, the Spear Museum of Philatelic History, at its headquarters. Prince George, later King George V, served as honorary vice-president from 1893 to 1910. The society’s royal patron was Queen Elizabeth II, who attended a special meeting each September to view part of the Royal Philatelic Collection. The organisation celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2019 with a visit from the Queen. The society is worth the journey for its long history and royal connections. King Edward VII granted the prefix ‘Royal’ in 1906. The Royal Philatelic Collection, begun by King Edward VII and expanded by King George V and King George VI, remains a key part of the society’s work. The society has 2,200 members worldwide, with the highest numbers in the UK and the US. Fellows of the society use the post-nominals FRPSL after their names. Visitors find a library and collections of stamps, designs, proofs and essays maintained by the society. The society publishes The London Philatelist, a journal with articles, book reviews and society news. It also awards medals such as the Crawford Medal and the Tilleard, Lee and Tapling Medals for philatelic research and displays. The Spear Museum of Philatelic History showcases the history of stamp collecting. Meetings, lectures and displays offer chances to learn about philately.