The Royal Society of Literature is the "senior literary organisation in Britain". It was founded in 1820 by King George IV, in order to "reward literary merit and excite literary talent". The Society's first president was Thomas Burgess, who later became the Bishop of Salisbury. There are 450 Fellows of the Royal Society of Literature (generally 14 new Fellows are named annually), who earn the privilege of using the post-nominal letters FRSL.
Past Fellows include Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Butler Yeats, Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Hardy, George Bernard Shaw, Arthur Koestler etc. Present fellows include Chinua Achebe, Antonia Fraser, Athol Fugard, Doris Lessing, V.S. Naipaul, Peter Dickinson, and Tom Stoppard. A newly created Fellow inscribes his or her name on the official roll using either Byron's pen or Dickens' quill.
The Society has an annual magazine, RSL, and administers a number of literary prizes and awards, including the Ondaatje Prize, the Jerwood Awards, and the V. S. Pritchett Memorial Prize. It can confer the honour of Companion of the Royal Society of Literature for writers of particular note. It also awards the Benson Medal for lifetime service in the field of literature.
The Society is based at Somerset House in London.
Presidents
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This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
- 1820–1832 Thomas Burgess
- 1832–1833 Lord Dover
- 1834–1845 The Earl of Ripon
- 1845–1849 Henry Hallam
- 1849–1851 Lord Northampton
- 1851-1856 Earl of Carlisle
- 1856-1874 Lord Bishop of St. David's
- 1874-1876 Bishop of Thirlwall
- 1876-1885 His Royal Highness, Prince Leopold
- 1885-1893 Sir Patrick de Colquhoun
- 1893-1920 Lord Halsbury
- 1921-1946 Marquess of Crewe
- 1946-1947 Earl of Lytton
- 1947-1982 Lord R. A. Butler, MP
- 1983-1988 Sir Angus Wilson
- 1988-2003 Lord Jenkins
- 2003-Present Sir Michael Holroyd
Current Fellows
| Fellow | Year of election |
|---|---|
| *Julia Abel Smith | 2008 |
| Dannie Abse | 1983 |
| Chinua Achebe | 1983 |
| Peter Ackroyd CBE | 1984 |
| Richard Adams | 1975 |
| Donald Adamson | 1983 |
| Fleur Adcock OBE | 1984 |
| Diran Adebayo | 2006 |
| John Agard | 2007 |
| Brian Aldiss OBE | 1990 |
| Keith Alldritt | 1978 |
| Fergus Allen CB | 2000 |
| *David Altaras | 1996 |
| Martin Amis | 1983 |
| Mark Amory | 1996 |
| Carole Angier | 2002 |
| The Marquess of Anglesey DL FSA FRHistS Hon FRIBA | 1969 |
| John Arden | 2000 |
| Simon Armitage | 2004 |
| Karen Armstrong | 2005 |
| Bruce Arnold OBE | 1994 |
| Geoffrey Ashe | 1963 |
| Michael Asher | 1996 |
| Rosemary Ashton OBE FBA | 1999 |
| Diana Athill OBE | 2001 |
| Sir Alan Ayckbourn CBE | 1991 |
| Paul Bailey | 1999 |
| Dame Beryl Bainbridge | 1978 |
| Michael Baldwin | 1984 |
| John Banville | 2007 |
| Richard Barber | 1971 |
| Juliet Barker | 2001 |
| Sebastian Barker | 1997 |
| Pat Barker CBE | 1995 |
| Frank Barlow CBE FBA FRHistS | 1971 |
| Correlli Barnett CBE | 1964 |
| Stan Barstow | 1999 |
| Jacques Barzun | 1994 |
| Susan Bassnett | 2007 |
| Jonathan Bate CBE FBA | 2004 |
| Nina Bawden CBE | 1970 |
| Martin Bax | 2002 |
| 1967 | |
| Sir Christopher Alan Bayly FBA FRHistS | 2005 |
| Dame Gillian Beer FBA | 2006 |
| Antony Beevor | 1999 |
| Rosalind Belben | 1999 |
| Anne Olivier Bell | 1984 |
| Bernard Bergonzi | 1984 |
| Elizabeth Berridge | 1997 |
| Christopher Bigsby | 2000 |
| *Robert Binyon | 2000 |
| Dea Birkett | 2000 |
| Julia Blackburn | 2002 |
| Ronald Blythe, Benson Medallist | 1970 |
| James T. Boulton FBA | 1969 |
| William BoydCBE | 1982 |
| Melvyn Bragg (Baron Bragg) | 1971 |
| Raymond Briggs | 1993 |
| Robin Briggs | 1999 |
| Michael Brock CBE FRHistS | 1983 |
| Hugh Brogan | 1987 |
| Anita Brookner CBE | 1982 |
| Alan Brownjohn | 1999 |
| James Buchan | 2001 |
| Brian Burland | 1999 |
| John Burnside | 1999 |
| Marilyn Butler FBA | 1989 |
| A.S. Byatt (Dame Antonia Duffy) | 1983 |
| David Cairns | 2001 |
| Sir David Cannadine FBA FRHistS | 1999 |
| John Carey FBA | 1982 |
| Peter Carey | 1989 |
| Sir Raymond Carr FBA FRHistS | 1977 |
| Justin Cartwright | 2002 |
| David Caute | 1998 |
| Glen Cavaliero | 1986 |
| Hugh Cecil | 1997 |
| Tracy Chevalier | 2008 |
| Anne Chisholm | 1989 |
| Rupert Christiansen | 1997 |
| Gillian Clarke | 2000 |
| John Clay | 1998 |
| Morton N. Cohen | 1996 |
| Isabel Colegate | 1981 |
| Linda Colley CBE FRHistS FBA | 2004 |
| Tony Connor | 1972 |
| Robert Conquest CMG OBE | 1972 |
| P.J. Conrad | 1974 |
| David Constantine | 2007 |
| Wendy Cope | 1992 |
| John Cornwell | 1985 |
| Jim Crace | 1999 |
| Kevin Crossley-Holland | 1998 |
| Tony Curtis | 2000 |
| David Dabydeen | 2000 |
| William Dalrymple | 1995 |
| Richard Davenport-Hines | 2003 |
| Lionel Davidson | 1997 |
| Andrew Davies | 1996 |
| Paul Davies | 1999 |
| Stevie Davies | 1998 |
| Dick Davis | 1981 |
| Richard Dawkins FRS | 1997 |
| *Jill Balcon (Mrs C. Day-Lewis) | 1972 |
| Louis de Bernières | 2006 |
| Shelagh Delaney | 1985 |
| Anita Desai, Benson Medallist | 1978 |
| Peter Dickinson | 1999 |
| David Dilks FRHistS | 1986 |
| Jenny Diski | 1999 |
| Maura Dooley | 2006 |
| Roddy Doyle | 2003 |
| Dame Margaret Drabble CBE | 1973 |
| Carol Ann Duffy CBE | 1999 |
| Maureen Duffy | 1985 |
| Ian Duhig | 2006 |
| Katherine Duncan-Jones | 1991 |
| Helen Dunmore | 1997 |
| Jane Dunn | 1999 |
| Douglas Dunn OBE | 1981 |
| Nell Dunn | 2004 |
| Geoff Dyer | 2005 |
| *Umberto Eco | 1992 |
| David Edgar | 1985 |
| Max Egremont (Lord Egremont DL) | 2001 |
| Anne Enright | 2008 |
| Richard J. Evans FBA | 1999 |
| Bernardine Evaristo | 2004 |
| Ruth Fainlight | 2007 |
| Julian Fane | 1974 |
| U.A. Fanthorpe CBE | 1988 |
| Moris Farhi MBE | 2001 |
| Sebastian Faulks CBE | 1994 |
| Elaine Feinstein | 1981 |
| James Fenton | 1983 |
| Maggie Fergusson | 2007 |
| Orlando Figes | 2003 |
| Anne Fine OBE | 2003 |
| Tibor Fischer | 2003 |
| Roy Fisher | 2005 |
| Michael Foot | 1988 |
| Margaret Forster | 1974 |
| Roy Foster FBA FRHistS | 1992 |
| Dick Francis CBE | 1999 |
| Lady Antonia Fraser CBE | 2003 |
| Robert Fraser | 2007 |
| Michael Frayn C Lit | 1969 |
| Brian Friel | 1998 |
| Athol Fugard | 1986 |
| John Fuller | 1980 |
| P.N. Furbank | 1992 |
| Paul Fussell | 1977 |
| Mavis Gallant CC | 1989 |
| Jane Gardam OBE | 2005 |
| *Anthony Gardner | 2004 |
| Philip Gardner | 1986 |
| Timothy Garton Ash CMG | 2005 |
| Bamber Gascoigne | 1976 |
| Norman Gash CBE FBA FRHistS | 1973 |
| *Lord Gavron CBE | 1996 |
| Maggie Gee, Vice-President | 1994 |
| Sir Martin Gilbert CBE | 1977 |
| Sir David Gilmour Bt | 1990 |
| Lesley Glaister | 1994 |
| Victoria Glendinning CBE, Vice-President | 1982 |
| Julian Gloag | 1970 |
| *Martyn Goff CBE | 2002 |
| Magdalen Goffin | 1980 |
| Nadine Gordimer, Benson Medallist | 1975 |
| Lyndall Gordon | 2002 |
| Warwick Gould | 1997 |
| Grey Gowrie (The Earl of Gowrie) | 2003 |
| *Gunter Grass | 1993 |
| A.C. Grayling | 2006 |
| Peter Green | 1956 |
| Lavinia Greenlaw | 2004 |
| John Gribbin | 1999 |
| John Gross | 1992 |
| Romesh Gunesekera | 2004 |
| Abdulrazak Gurnah | 2006 |
| John Haffenden FBA | 1986 |
| John Halperin | 1985 |
| Georgina Hammick | 2001 |
| Christopher Hampton CBE | 1976 |
| Barbara Hardy FBA | 1997 |
| Sir David Hare | 1985 |
| Claire Harman | 2006 |
| Richard Harries (The Rt Rev Lord Harries of Pentregarth) | 1996 |
| Robert Harris | 1996 |
| Wilson Harris | 2007 |
| Tony Harrison | 1984 |
| David Harsent | 1999 |
| Ronald Harwood CBE, Vice-President | 1974 |
| Sir Max Hastings | 1996 |
| Lady Selina Hastings | 1994 |
| Roy Hattersley (Lord Hattersley) | 2003 |
| *Václav Havel | 1993 |
| Cameron Hazlehurst | 1973 |
| Shirley Hazzard | 1998 |
| Tim Heald | 2000 |
| Edna Healey (Lady Healey) | 1993 |
| Denis Healey (Lord Healey CH MBE) | 1993 |
| *Seamus Heaney C Lit | 1991 |
| *Drue Heinz DBE | 2002 |
| Philip Hensher | 1998 |
| Dominic Hibberd | 2002 |
| Geoffrey Hill | 1972 |
| Reginald Hill | 1999 |
| Bevis Hillier | 1997 |
| Tim Hilton | 1993 |
| Barry Hines | 1977 |
| Russell Hoban | 1988 |
| Eric Hobsbawm CH FBA | 2006 |
| Mary Hocking | 1977 |
| Eva Hoffman | 2007 |
| Richard Hoggart | 2003 |
| Alan Hollinghurst | 1995 |
| Richard Holmes OBE FBA | 1975 |
| Sir Michael Holroyd CBE C Lit FRHistS, President | 1968 |
| Park Honan | 1998 |
| Hugh Honour FBA | 1972 |
| Christopher Hope | 1990 |
| Nick Hornby | 1996 |
| Sir Alistair Horne CBE | 1968 |
| Elizabeth Jane Howard CBE | 1991 |
| Philip Howard | 1987 |
| Kathryn Hughes FRHistS | 2006 |
| Shirley Hughes OBE | 2000 |
| Roland Huntford | 2001 |
| Aamer Hussein | 2004 |
| Angela Huth | 1978 |
| Samuel Hynes | 1978 |
| Robert Irwin | 2001 |
| Kazuo Ishiguro OBE | 1989 |
| Dan Jacobson | 2007 |
| P.D. James (Baroness James of Holland Park OBE JP), Vice-President | 1987 |
| Deborah Jay | 2005 |
| Alan Jenkins | 2002 |
| Elizabeth Jenkins OBE | 1970 |
| Sir Simon Jenkins | 2003 |
| Liz Jensen | 2005 |
| Ruth Prawer Jhabvala CBE | 1974 |
| *Paula Johnson | 2008 |
| Jenny Joseph | 1999 |
| Gabriel Josipovici FBA | 1997 |
| Alan Judd | 1990 |
| P.J. Kavanagh | 1986 |
| Jackie Kay | 2002 |
| Jonathan Keates | 1992 |
| H.R.F. Keating | 1990 |
| Sir John Keegan OBE FRHistS | 1986 |
| Laurence Kelly | 2003 |
| Linda Kelly | 2003 |
| Thomas Keneally | 1973 |
| A.L. Kennedy | 1999 |
| Sir Ludovic Kennedy | 1998 |
| *HRH The Duke of Kent | 1978 |
| Sir Frank Kermode FBA | 1958 |
| Thomas Kilroy | 1972 |
| Francis King CBE | 1952 |
| Matthew Kneale | 2003 |
| Shiv K. Kumar | 1978 |
| Hanif Kureishi CBE | 2008 |
| John Lanchester | 2002 |
| Robin Lane Fox | 1974 |
| Lee Langley | 1996 |
| Bryony Lavery | 2002 |
| Zachary Leader | 2007 |
| Hermione Lee CBE FBA | 1992 |
| Brendan Lehane | 1999 |
| Mike Leigh OBE | 2008 |
| *Sir Patrick Leigh Fermor DSO OBE C Lit | 1991 |
| Laurence Lerner | 1984 |
| *Doris Lessing CH C Lit | 2001 |
| Andrea Levy | 2005 |
| Paul Levy | 1980 |
| Gwyneth Lewis | 1999 |
| Jeremy Lewis | 1992 |
| Naomi Lewis | 1981 |
| R.P. Lister | 1970 |
| Penelope Lively CBE | 1985 |
| Samuel Lock | 2001 |
| David Lodge CBE | 1976 |
| Michael Longley | 1988 |
| Roger Lonsdale FBA | 1989 |
| Edward Lucie-Smith | 1964 |
| Fiona MacCarthy | 1997 |
| Ian McDonald AA | 1970 |
| Ian McEwan CBE | 1983 |
| Roger McGough CBE | 2004 |
| Patrick McGrath | 2002 |
| Denis Mack Smith CBE FBA | 1977 |
| Shena Mackay | 1999 |
| Rory MacLean | 2007 |
| Margaret MacMillan | 2003 |
| Candia McWilliam | 1994 |
| Brenda Maddox | 1999 |
| Noel Malcolm FBA | 1997 |
| David Malouf | 2008 |
| Hilary Mantel CBE | 1990 |
| Patrick Marber | 2002 |
| Patrick Marnham | 1988 |
| Philip Marsden | 1996 |
| Rosalind Marshall | 1974 |
| Adam Mars-Jones | 2007 |
| Allan Massie | 1982 |
| Douglas Matthews FCLIP, Benson Medallist | 1998 |
| Glyn Maxwell | 1999 |
| Derwent May | 1996 |
| Ernest Mehew | 1999 |
| Edward Mendelson | 2003 |
| Jeffrey Meyers | 1983 |
| Stanley Middleton | 1999 |
| Mary Midgley | 2007 |
| Karl Miller | 1992 |
| Michael Millgate | 1983 |
| Pankaj Mishra | 2008 |
| Julian Mitchell | 1985 |
| Deborah Moggach | 1999 |
| Caroline Moorehead OBE | 1993 |
| Geoffrey Moorhouse | 1982 |
| Edwin Morgan OBE | 2004 |
| Michael Morpurgo OBE | 2004 |
| Jan Morris CBE | 1961 |
| Blake Morrison | 1988 |
| Nicholas Mosley (Lord Ravensdale MC) | 1980 |
| Andrew Motion | 1984 |
| Ferdinand Mount | 1991 |
| Paul Muldoon | 1981 |
| Alice Munro | 2002 |
| Richard Murphy | 1968 |
| V.S. Naipaul (Sir Vidia Naipaul C Lit) | 1962 |
| Venetia Newall FSA | 1980 |
| Charles Nicholl | 2005 |
| Grace Nichols | 2007 |
| Peter Nichols | 1983 |
| William Nicholson | 1999 |
| Adam Nicolson | 2005 |
| Vivien Noakes | 1996 |
| Gerard Noel | 1999 |
| David Nokes | 1994 |
| Leslie Norris | 1974 |
| John Julius Norwich (Viscount Norwich CVO FSA) | 1970 |
| Robert Nye | 1977 |
| Sean O'Brien | 2007 |
| Kathleen Odell | 1979 |
| Bernard O'Donoghue | 1999 |
| Julia O'Faolain | 1998 |
| Redmond O'Hanlon | 1993 |
| Ben Okri OBE | 1997 |
| *Sir Christopher Ondaatje CBE | 2003 |
| Charles Osborne | 1996 |
| Ewald Osers | 1984 |
| Ruth Padel | 1998 |
| Alan Palmer | 1980 |
| Peter Parker | 1997 |
| Don Paterson | 2004 |
| Jill Paton Walsh | 1996 |
| Brian Patten | 2003 |
| Catherine Peters | 1992 |
| Humphrey Phelps | 1977 |
| Caryl Phillips | 2000 |
| Mike Phillips | 2000 |
| David Plante | 2002 |
| Alan Plater CBE | 1985 |
| Piers Plowright | 1998 |
| Stephen Poliakoff CBE | 1985 |
| Peter Porter C Lit | 1983 |
| David Pownall | 1976 |
| David Profumo | 1995 |
| David Pryce-Jones | 1980 |
| Philip Pullman CBE | 2001 |
| Isabel Quigly | 1989 |
| Craig Raine | 1984 |
| Frederic Raphael | 1964 |
| Piers Paul Read | 1972 |
| Anne Redmon | 1980 |
| Joan Rees | 1982 |
| Christopher Reid | 1999 |
| Ruth Rendell (Baroness Rendell of Babergh CBE) | 1988 |
| Christopher Ricks FBA | 1970 |
| Jane Ridley | 2007 |
| Matt Ridley DL FMedSci | 1999 |
| William Rivière | 2000 |
| Graham Robb | 1999 |
| Andrew Roberts | 2001 |
| Michèle Roberts | 1999 |
| Jane Rogers | 1994 |
| Kenneth Rose CBE | 1976 |
| Jacob Ross | 2006 |
| J.K. Rowling OBE | 2002 |
| Anthony Rudolf | 2005 |
| Carol Rumens | 1984 |
| Sir Salman Rushdie | 1983 |
| Lawrence Sail | 1998 |
| Giles St Aubyn LVO | 1964 |
| William St Clair FBA | 1973 |
| Norman St John-Stevas (Lord St John of Fawsley) | 1966 |
| *John Saumarez Smith, Benson Medallist | 1996 |
| J.J. Scarisbrick | 1969 |
| Ann Schlee | 1997 |
| Michael Schmidt | 1993 |
| *Patricia Schute | 1991 |
| The Rev Professor M.A. Screech FBA | 1989 |
| Roger Scruton FBA | 2003 |
| Peter Scupham | 1990 |
| Simon Sebag-Montefiore | 2003 |
| Elisa Segrave | 2001 |
| Richard Sennett | 1999 |
| Vikram Seth CBE | 1994 |
| Miranda Seymour | 1996 |
| Sir Peter Shaffer CBE | 1978 |
| Nicholas Shakespeare | 1999 |
| Jo Shapcott | 1999 |
| Norman Sherry | 1985 |
| Alan Sillitoe | 2007 |
| Posy Simmonds MBE | 2004 |
| Helen Simpson | 1996 |
| Andrew Sinclair | 1972 |
| Clive Sinclair | 1983 |
| Robert Skidelsky (Lord Skidelsky of Tilton FRHistS) | 1978 |
| Ali Smith | 2007 |
| Godfrey Smith | 1995 |
| Lacey Baldwin Smith FRHistS | 1972 |
| Zadie Smith | 2002 |
| Mary Soames (Lady Soames DBE) | 2000 |
| *Ben Sonnenberg | 1994 |
| Ahdaf Soueif | 2002 |
| *Wole Soyinka, Benson Medallist | 1983 |
| Frances Spalding CBE | 1984 |
| Francis Spufford | 2007 |
| Hilary Spurling CBE | 2005 |
| Tom Stacey | 1977 |
| Jon Stallworthy FBA | 1971 |
| Martin Stannard | 1999 |
| C.K. Stead ONZ CBE | 1995 |
| George Steiner FBA | 1962 |
| Stanley Stewart | 2001 |
| Sir Tom Stoppard OM CBE C Lit | 1972 |
| Sir Roy Strong FSA | 1999 |
| Virginia Surtees | 1978 |
| John Sutherland | 1990 |
| Graham Swift | 1984 |
| George Szirtes | 1982 |
| D.J. Taylor | 1997 |
| Emma Tennant | 1982 |
| Hugh Thomas (Lord Thomas of Swynnerton FRHistS) | 1997 |
| Ian Thomson | 2003 |
| Colin Thubron CBE, Vice-President | 1969 |
| Ann Thwaite | 1987 |
| Anthony Thwaite OBE | 1978 |
| Gillian Tindall | 1983 |
| Colm Tóibín | 2007 |
| A.T. Tolley | 1998 |
| Nikolai Tolstoy | 1979 |
| Claire Tomalin, Vice-President | 1976 |
| Sue Townsend | 1993 |
| Jeremy Treglown | 1989 |
| Rose Tremain CBE | 1983 |
| Raleigh Trevelyan | 1973 |
| William Trevor KBE C Lit | 1976 |
| Lynne Truss | 2004 |
| Jenny Uglow CBE | 1998 |
| Barry Unsworth | 1974 |
| Edward Upward, Benson Medallist | 2005 |
| James Walvin OBE | 2006 |
| Marina Warner CBE FBA | 1984 |
| Val Warner | 1998 |
| Keith Waterhouse CBE | 1986 |
| Daniel Weissbort | 2008 |
| Fay Weldon CBE | 1986 |
| Robert Wells | 1994 |
| Timberlake Wertenbaker | 1999 |
| Sir Arnold Wesker | 1985 |
| Sara Wheeler | 1999 |
| Hugh Whitemore | 1998 |
| Helen Wilcox | 1999 |
| Hugo Williams | 1988 |
| Nigel Williams | 1994 |
| The Most Rev Rowan Williams | 2003 |
| A.N. Wilson | 1982 |
| Frances Wilson | 2008 |
| Dame Jacqueline Wilson | 2005 |
| Lewis Wolpert CBE FRS | 1999 |
| Charles Wood | 1985 |
| Michael Wood | 1992 |
| Gerard Woodward | 2005 |
| Pamela Woof | 1999 |
| Andrew Wright | 1971 |
| Kit Wright | 1997 |
| Ann Wroe FRHistS | 2007 |
| Francis Wyndham | 1999 |
| Adam Zamoyski | 2006 |
| Theodore Zeldin OBE FBA FRHistS | 1999 |
| Philip Ziegler CVO | 1972 |
The * before the name denotes an honorary Fellow.
External links
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