RUSI Records with Profound Regret the Passing of HM The Queen, Our Patron

MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCE

From

THE CHAIR, TRUSTEES, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, STAFF AND MEMBERS

Of

THE ROYAL UNITED SERVICES INSTITUTE FOR DEFENCE AND SECURITY STUDIES

To

HIS MAJESTY THE KING

May It Please Your Majesty,

We, the Chair, Trustees, Director-General, Staff and Members of the Royal United Services Institute, beg leave to offer our deepest regrets and sympathy to Your Majesty and all Members of the Royal Family on the passing of Her Late Majesty of blessed memory.

We recall with pride the fact that during Her Late Majesty’s many decades as our Patron, the Institute grew from strength to strength, expanding the scope and nature of its activities, as well as the size of its staff and headquarters in Whitehall. In that, we believe, we mirrored what will be the hallmark of Her Majesty’s long and glorious reign: progress and adaptation to new circumstances, while remaining truthful to our heritage and traditions.

We reiterate our gratitude for Her Late Majesty’s decision to follow the example of all Her illustrious predecessors as far back as William IV by becoming the Patron of our Institute at the time of Her Accession to the Throne.

And we record our deep appreciation for Her Late Majesty’s visits to the Institute, for her approval of changes and amendments in the Institute’s Royal Charter and Byelaws and for her support for the establishment of an annual Prince Philip Memorial Lecture on Military Education.

We are determined to remain one of the United Kingdom’s leading security think-tanks, and beg to affirm our devotion to Your Majesty.

The Rt Hon Sir David Lidington KCB CBE

The King’s Most Excellent Majesty

London, 8th September 2022