The oldest person to ever accede the British throne has joined the oldest golf club in the world. King Charles III has accepted patronage of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews following in the footsteps of his mother, her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Patronage has been accepted by reigning monarchs dating back to the 1830s.
"Her late Majesty's 70-year patronage of the Club was an immense source of pride for its Members," said Martin Slumbers, secretary of The R&A. "We are delighted and deeply honored to have been advised by Buckingham Palace that His Majesty, The King has accepted patronage of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. We now look forward to His Majesty's support for the work of the Club and our commitment to the sport of golf across the world."
Founded in 1754, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has evolved from a small society into a worldwide club consisting of roughly 2,500 members, of which the king is now one.
Today, the club has five objectives:
- To be a members' golf club, having a clubhouse with high-quality facilities and access to first-class golfing facilities for play, including competitions and matches, and for two Meetings of the members in the Spring and Autumn
- To maintain the position of St Andrews as the home of golf and to assist the Trustees and the Management Committee of the St Andrews Links Trust in the development of appropriate golfing facilities
- To provide temporary accommodation for members of the Club and others
- To acquire and preserve records and artefacts relating to the history of golf, either directly or indirectly
- To contribute through its members to the work of The R&A in its Governance, Championship and Golf Development roles
