King's English Society
The King's English Society is a charity that aims to keep the English language safe from perceived declining standards. The Chairman is Peter Tompkins, a Chartered Actuary, and the President is Dr Bernard Lamb, a former reader in genetics at Imperial College. Its Patrons are Gyles Brandreth, Simon Heffer and Quentin Letts.
The Society was known as the Queen's English Society during the reign of Elizabeth II.
History
The Queen's English Society was founded in 1972 by Joe Clifton, an Oxford graduate and schoolteacher. The objectives of the Society, as expressed in its constitution, are "to promote the maintenance, knowledge, understanding, development and appreciation of the English language as used both colloquially and in literature; to educate the public in its correct and elegant usage; and to discourage the intrusion of anything detrimental to clarity or euphony."Following the accession of King Charles III in 2022, the Society reconsidered its name. At the Annual General Meeting on 24 September 2024, the name was changed to The King's English Society.