List of presidents of the Royal Society

The President of the Royal Society is like the captain of a ship filled with brilliant scientists! They lead meetings and help make sure everyone is working together to discover amazing new things about the world. It all started a super long time ago, back in 1660, when a group of smart people wanted to share their ideas and learn by doing experiments.

They even got a special letter from the King to make it official!

At first, presidents didn't have to be scientists, and they could stay president for a really, really long time. One president, Sir Joseph Banks, was in charge for 42 years! That’s longer than you’ve been alive, and probably longer than your parents have been alive too! Now, presidents usually lead for about five years, and they are chosen because they are super good at science.

These presidents are important because they help guide all the important science discoveries. Sometimes, they even had to decide if experiments on animals were okay, which is a big responsibility. They also met important scientists from other countries and made sure everyone felt welcome. Being president means helping science move forward for everyone!

Every year, on November 30th, the scientists who are part of the Royal Society vote for their new president. It’s like choosing a class president, but for grown-up scientists! The new president starts their job right after the old one gives a big speech. It’s a special day to celebrate science and pick the next leader.