STAFF, trustees and volunteers at the Licensed Trade Charity and its schools have paid tribute to its patron, Her Majesty The Queen, Elizabeth II, after she died on Thursday, September 8.
Her Majesty the Queen was patron of the LVS family of schools for 70 years, having become patron of Licensed Victuallers’ School in 1952 when she ascended to the throne.
LVS Ascot principal, Christine Cunniffe, representing all three LVS Schools, said: “It has been a privilege to enjoy the patronage of The Queen for the past 70 years and we look forward to continuing to deliver the best possible independent education to our students with the support and patronage of the Royal Family”.
The charity and its schools have a historic relationship with the Royal family going back over 180 years.
The Licensed Trade Charity, or Society of Licensed Victuallers as it was then, was granted a Royal Charter in 1836, with King William IV becoming the first royal patron of the Licensed Victuallers’ School.
The royal connection has continued ever since, with Prince Philip patron of the Licensed Trade Charity and Her Majesty the Queen patron of the charity’s LVS Schools (formerly known as Licensed Victuallers School) since she ascended to the throne in 1952.
Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh visited the Licensed Victuallers School then in Slough, in 1978 to mark the 175th anniversary of its foundation.
The Queen visited again in 1994 after the school had moved to its current site in Ascot and unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion which has pride of place in the school reception.
The charity and schools celebrated with pride all Her Majesty the Queen’s milestones during her reign as the country’s longest-serving monarch.
These included the Silver Jubilee in 1977 and being represented by students from the junior school, senior school and sixth form at The Patron’s Lunch on The Mall in 2016 to commemorate the service she had given to the country over her reign.
This year the schools planted oak trees at each site as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy Project to commemorate her 70 years of reign.
Chief Executive of the Licensed Trade Charity, James Brewster said, “Our whole Licensed Trade Charity community is saddened by the loss of Her Majesty the Queen.
“We are proud to have held royal patronage for over 180 years.
“Our thoughts are with Her Majesty’s family and friends.”
The flags at the charity offices and LVS Ascot School, outside the Sussex Centre of LVS Hassocks and on the chapel roof at LVS Oxford are being flown at half mast, as a mark of respect.
