ROYAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY — Charity Commission profile

01 Identity

Registration and reporting

Registration status: Registered
Reporting status: Submission Received
Charity type: Other
Registered: 22 September 1962
Removed: Not supplied
Financial period: 1 July 2024 – 30 June 2025
Latest income: £683,784
Latest expenditure: £789,698
Gift Aid: Yes
Owns or uses land: No
In administration: No
Insolvent: No
CIO: No

Public contact address: UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON, GOWER STREET, LONDON, WC1E 6BT

Website recorded by the regulator: https://royalhistsoc.org (displayed as text)

02 Activities

What the charity does

The Royal Historical Society promotes and defends the scholarly study of the past through its lectures and publications, and speaks for the interests of history and historians. It offers grants to support research training and prizes for historical publications.

03 Official extract

Charity Annual Return History

Fin Period Start Date: 1 July 2024
Fin Period End Date: 30 June 2025
Ar Cycle Reference: AR25
Reporting Due Date: 30 April 2026
Date Annual Return Received: 31 March 2026
Date Accounts Received: 31 March 2026
Total Gross Income: £683,784
Total Gross Expenditure: £789,698

Fin Period Start Date: 1 July 2023
Fin Period End Date: 30 June 2024
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Reporting Due Date: 30 April 2025
Date Annual Return Received: 4 June 2025
Date Accounts Received: 4 June 2025
Total Gross Income: £610,496
Total Gross Expenditure: £669,456

Fin Period Start Date: 1 July 2022
Fin Period End Date: 30 June 2023
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Reporting Due Date: 30 April 2024
Date Annual Return Received: 20 March 2024
Date Accounts Received: 20 March 2024
Total Gross Income: £579,957
Total Gross Expenditure: £574,529

Fin Period Start Date: 1 July 2021
Fin Period End Date: 30 June 2022
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Reporting Due Date: 30 April 2023
Date Annual Return Received: 14 February 2023
Date Accounts Received: 14 February 2023
Total Gross Income: £562,795
Total Gross Expenditure: £482,488

Fin Period Start Date: 1 July 2020
Fin Period End Date: 30 June 2021
Ar Cycle Reference: AR21
Reporting Due Date: 30 April 2022
Date Annual Return Received: 25 February 2022
Date Accounts Received: 25 February 2022
Total Gross Income: £506,172
Total Gross Expenditure: £427,493

04 Official extract

Charity Annual Return Parta

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: Yes
Fin Period Order Number: 1
Ar Cycle Reference: AR25
Fin Period Start Date: 1 July 2024
Fin Period End Date: 30 June 2025
Ar Due Date: 30 April 2026
Ar Received Date: 31 March 2026
Total Gross Income: £683,784
Total Gross Expenditure: £789,698
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £0
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: No
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: Yes
Count Salary Band 60001 70000: 1
Count Salary Band 70001 80000: 1
Count Volunteers: 0

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 2
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Fin Period Start Date: 1 July 2023
Fin Period End Date: 30 June 2024
Ar Due Date: 30 April 2025
Ar Received Date: 4 June 2025
Total Gross Income: £610,496
Total Gross Expenditure: £669,456
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £0
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: No
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: Yes
Count Salary Band 60001 70000: 2
Count Volunteers: 15

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 3
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Fin Period Start Date: 1 July 2022
Fin Period End Date: 30 June 2023
Ar Due Date: 30 April 2024
Ar Received Date: 20 March 2024
Total Gross Income: £579,957
Total Gross Expenditure: £574,529
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £0
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: No
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: Yes
Count Salary Band 60001 70000: 2
Count Volunteers: 0

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 4
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Fin Period Start Date: 1 July 2021
Fin Period End Date: 30 June 2022
Ar Due Date: 30 April 2023
Ar Received Date: 14 February 2023
Total Gross Income: £562,795
Total Gross Expenditure: £482,488
Charity Raises Funds From Public: Yes
Charity Professional Fundraiser: No
Charity Commercial Participator: No
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Contracts: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Grants: No
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 0

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 5
Ar Cycle Reference: AR21
Fin Period Start Date: 1 July 2020
Fin Period End Date: 30 June 2021
Ar Due Date: 30 April 2022
Ar Received Date: 25 February 2022
Total Gross Income: £506,172
Total Gross Expenditure: £427,493
Charity Raises Funds From Public: Yes
Charity Professional Fundraiser: No
Charity Commercial Participator: No
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Contracts: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Grants: No
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 0

05 Official extract

Charity Annual Return Partb

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: Yes
Fin Period Order Number: 1
Ar Cycle Reference: AR25
Fin Period Start Date: 1 July 2024
Fin Period End Date: 30 June 2025
Ar Due Date: 30 April 2026
Ar Received Date: 31 March 2026
Income Donations And Legacies: 9617
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 487930
Income Investments: 186237
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 683784
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £10,733
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £778,965
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 789698
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 37000
Expenditure Support Costs: 444585
Expenditure Depreciation: 2594
Gain Loss Investment: -64403
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £4,402,720
Assets Total Fixed: 4432182
Assets Own Use: 2724
Assets Long Term Investment: 4429458
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £264,471
Assets Total Liabilities: £129,591
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £4,567,062
Creditors One Year Total Current: 129591
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £225,374
Funds Endowment: 127702
Funds Unrestricted: 4402720
Funds Restricted: 36640
Funds Total: 4567062
Count Employees: 5
Charity Only Accounts: Yes

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 2
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Fin Period Start Date: 1 July 2023
Fin Period End Date: 30 June 2024
Ar Due Date: 30 April 2025
Ar Received Date: 4 June 2025
Income Donations And Legacies: 10162
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 423608
Income Investments: 176726
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 610496
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £10,300
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £659,156
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 669456
Expenditure Investment Management: 10300
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 10200
Expenditure Support Costs: 16992
Expenditure Depreciation: 2594
Gain Loss Investment: 289516
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £4,562,713
Assets Total Fixed: 4384107
Assets Own Use: 5318
Assets Long Term Investment: 4378789
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £402,282
Assets Total Liabilities: £49,010
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £4,737,379
Creditors One Year Total Current: 49010
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £300,859
Funds Endowment: 129578
Funds Unrestricted: 4562713
Funds Restricted: 45088
Funds Total: 4737379
Count Employees: 5
Charity Only Accounts: Yes

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 3
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Fin Period Start Date: 1 July 2022
Fin Period End Date: 30 June 2023
Ar Due Date: 30 April 2024
Ar Received Date: 20 March 2024
Income Donations And Legacies: 7798
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 403417
Income Investments: 168742
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 579957
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £9,066
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £565,463
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 574529
Expenditure Investment Management: 9066
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 7200
Expenditure Support Costs: 9099
Expenditure Depreciation: 1899
Gain Loss Investment: 34645
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £4,371,000
Assets Total Fixed: 3850779
Assets Own Use: 7912
Assets Long Term Investment: 3842867
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £711,387
Assets Total Liabilities: £55,343
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £4,506,823
Creditors One Year Total Current: 55343
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £467,679
Funds Endowment: 116400
Funds Unrestricted: 4371166
Funds Restricted: 19257
Funds Total: 4506823
Count Employees: 5
Charity Only Accounts: Yes

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 4
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Fin Period Start Date: 1 July 2021
Fin Period End Date: 30 June 2022
Ar Due Date: 30 April 2023
Ar Received Date: 14 February 2023
Income Donations And Legacies: 22999
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 381038
Income Investments: 158758
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 562795
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £10,068
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £472,420
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 482488
Expenditure Investment Management: 10068
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 4800
Expenditure Support Costs: 5365
Expenditure Depreciation: 565
Gain Loss Investment: -286243
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £4,337,000
Assets Total Fixed: 3816141
Assets Own Use: 5550
Assets Long Term Investment: 3810591
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £721,618
Assets Total Liabilities: £71,009
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £4,466,750
Creditors One Year Total Current: 71009
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £585,779
Funds Endowment: 113534
Funds Unrestricted: 4336766
Funds Restricted: 16450
Funds Total: 4466750
Count Employees: 4
Charity Only Accounts: Yes

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 5
Ar Cycle Reference: AR21
Fin Period Start Date: 1 July 2020
Fin Period End Date: 30 June 2021
Ar Due Date: 30 April 2022
Ar Received Date: 25 February 2022
Income Donations And Legacies: 75720
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 309280
Income Investments: 121172
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 506172
Income Legacies: 62253
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £9,856
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £417,637
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 427493
Expenditure Investment Management: 9856
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 4800
Expenditure Support Costs: 218370
Expenditure Depreciation: 34358
Gain Loss Investment: 597429
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £4,534,000
Assets Total Fixed: 4096834
Assets Own Use: 0
Assets Long Term Investment: 4096834
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £626,667
Assets Total Liabilities: £50,815
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £4,672,686
Creditors One Year Total Current: 50815
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £451,200
Funds Endowment: 122064
Funds Unrestricted: 4534346
Funds Restricted: 16276
Funds Total: 4672686
Count Employees: 4
Charity Only Accounts: Yes

06 Official extract

Charity Area Of Operation

Geographic Area Type: Region
Geographic Area Description: Throughout England And Wales
Welsh Ind: No

07 Official extract

Charity Classification

Classification Code: 301
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Makes Grants To Individuals

Classification Code: 109
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: Arts/culture/heritage/science

Classification Code: 102
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: Education/training

Classification Code: 308
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Sponsors Or Undertakes Research

Classification Code: 309
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Acts As An Umbrella Or Resource Body

Classification Code: 302
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Makes Grants To Organisations

Classification Code: 207
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: The General Public/mankind

Classification Code: 307
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Provides Advocacy/advice/information

Classification Code: 206
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: Other Defined Groups

08 Official extract

Charity Event History

Charity Name: ROYAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Charity Event Order: 1
Event Type: Standard registration
Date Of Event: 1962-09-22T00:00:00

09 Official extract

Charity Governing Document

Governing Document Description: INCORPORATED BY ROYAL CHARTER 1889
Charitable Objects: TO PROMOTE AND FOSTER THE STUDY OF HISTORY BY ASSISTING IN THE PUBLICATION OF RARE AND VALUABLE DOCUMENTS, AND BY THE PUBLICATION FROM TIME TO TIME OF VOLUMES OF TRANSACTIONS, AND OF SCHOLARLY HANDBOOKS.
Area Of Benefit: NATIONAL

10 Official extract

Charity Policy

Policy Name: Serious incident reporting policy and procedures

Policy Name: Risk management

Policy Name: Safeguarding policy and procedures

Policy Name: Investing charity funds policy and procedures

Policy Name: Campaigns and political activity policy and procedures

Policy Name: Engaging external speakers at charity events policy and procedures

Policy Name: Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries

Policy Name: Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures

Policy Name: Complaints policy and procedures

Policy Name: Social media policy and procedures

Policy Name: Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures

Policy Name: Investment

Policy Name: Conflicting interests

Policy Name: Complaints handling

Policy Name: Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Policy Name: Bullying and harassment policy and procedures

Policy Name: Paying staff

Policy Name: Financial reserves policy and procedures

Policy Name: Internal risk management policy and procedures