We are deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty the Queen. Our thoughts are with the royal family, including our patron, HRH the Duke of Kent.
On 8 September 2022, HRH Queen Elizabeth II passed away. In reaction to the sad news, BCS President – Mayank Prakash – issued the following statement:
‘We are deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty the Queen. Our thoughts are with the royal family, including our patron, HRH the Duke of Kent.’
Over the coming days and weeks, BCS - an organisation awarded its royal charter by Her Majesty in 1984 - will add to this page as we reflect on Queen Elizabeth II’s legacy and what her memory means for BCS.
What is a royal charter?
Royal charters have been issued since the thirteenth century to establish significant organisations and learned societies.
Our charter recognises our organisation as an independent professional body and grants us the power to award chartered status to information technology professionals.
What does the royal charter mean to BCS?
Our royal charter defines our purpose of setting and maintaining standards of competence, conduct and ethical practice within the IT profession.
It means we're responsible for ensuring technology shapes a safe and positive future for everyone. Our commitment is not just to the people working in the industry but to society as a whole.
When was BCS awarded a royal charter?
BCS’ royal charter for computing was awarded on 31 July 1984. In the 1985 Computer Bulletin, then Secretary General D W Harding, wrote:
‘On 31 July 1984, Her Majesty the Queen was pleased, by and with the advice of her Privy Council... to accede to the humble Petition of the Company praying that 'We should constitute a Corporation incorporated by our Royal Charter...’’
Since then, as the holders of the royal charter for computing, we’ve worked with organisations, government and individuals to raise standards address the challenges facing our profession.
