Royal Society of Literature
 | |
| Abbreviation | RSL |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1820 |
| Type | Learned society |
| Headquarters | Somerset House, London, England, United Kingdom |
President | Dame Marina Warner DBE |
Patron | Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall |
| Website | rsliterature |
The Royal Society of Literature (RSL) is a learned society founded in 1820, by King George IV, to "reward literary merit and excite literary talent". A charity that represents the voice of literature in the UK, the RSL has about 600 Fellows, elected from among the best writers in any genre currently at work. Additionally, Honorary Fellows are chosen from those who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of literature, including publishers, agents, librarians, booksellers or producers. The society is a cultural tenant at London's Somerset House.
History[]
The Royal Society of Literature (RSL) was founded in 1820, with the patronage of George IV, to "reward literary merit and excite literary talent",[1] and its first president was Thomas Burgess, Bishop of St David's (who was later translated as Bishop of Salisbury).
At the heart of the RSL is its Fellowship, "which encompasses the most distinguished writers working today", with the RSL Council, Chair and President, who are responsible for its direction and management, being drawn from the Fellowship. As an independent charity, the RSL receives no regular public or government funding, relying on the support of its Members, Patrons, Fellows and friends to continue its work. The RSL has about 600 Fellows, elected from among the best writers in any genre currently at work. Additionally, Honorary Fellows are chosen from those who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of literature, including publishers, agents, librarians, booksellers or producers, or who have rendered special service to the RSL.[2] Paid membership is open to all and offers a variety of benefits.[3][4]
The society publishes an annual magazine, The Royal Society of Literature Review,[5] and administers a number of literary prizes and awards, including the RSL Ondaatje Prize, the RSL Jerwood Awards for Non-Fiction, the RSL Encore Award for best second novel of the year and the V. S. Pritchett Memorial Prize for short stories.
In 2020, the RSL celebrated its 200th anniversary with the announcement of RSL 200, "a five-year festival launched with a series of major new initiatives and 60 new appointments championing the great diversity of writing and writers in the UK".[6] Initiatives included RSL Open (electing new Fellows from communities, backgrounds and experiences currently under-represented in UK literary culture), RSL International Writers (recognising the contribution of writers across the globe to literature in English)[6] and Sky Arts RSL Writers Awards.[7]
In 2021, the RSL launched "Literature Matters: Reading Together", a project aiming to make recreational reading accessible to young people across the UK.[8]
Fellowship[]
The society maintains its current level of about 600 Fellows of the Royal Society of Literature: generally 14 new fellows are elected annually, who are accorded the privilege of using the post-nominal letters FRSL.
Past fellows include Samuel Taylor Coleridge, J. R. R. Tolkien, W. B. Yeats, Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Hardy, George Bernard Shaw, Arthur Koestler, Chinua Achebe, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Robert Ardrey, Sybille Bedford, Muriel Spark, P. J. Kavanagh, and Sir Roger Scruton. Present Fellows include Margaret Atwood, Bernardine Evaristo, David Hare, Kazuo Ishiguro, Hilary Mantel, Andrew Motion, Paul Muldoon, Zadie Smith, Nadeem Aslam, Sarah Waters, Geoffrey Ashe and J. K. Rowling. A newly created fellow inscribes his or her name on the society's official roll using either Byron's pen, T. S. Eliot's fountain pen, which replaced Dickens's quill in 2013,[9] or (as of 2018) George Eliot's pen.[10]
From time to time the RSL confers the honour and title of Companion of Literature to writers of particular note. Additionally the RSL can bestow its award of the Benson Medal for lifetime service in the field of literature.
Membership[]
The RSL runs a membership programme offering a variety of events to members and the general public. Membership of the RSL is open to all.[11]
The RSL also runs an outreach programme, currently for young people and those in prison.
Awards and prizes[]
The RSL administers two annual prizes, two awards, and two honours. Through its prize programmes, the RSL supports new and established contemporary writers.
- The RSL Christopher Bland Prize — £10,000 for debut prose writers over the age of 50.
- The Encore Awards — £10,000 for best second novel of the year. The RSL took over the administration of this award in 2016.
- The RSL Giles St Aubyn Awards for Non-Fiction – annual awards, one of £10,000 and two of £5,000, to authors engaged on their first commissioned works of non-fiction.
- The RSL Ondaatje Prize – an annual award of £10,000 for a distinguished work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry, evoking the spirit of a place.
- The V.S. Pritchett Memorial Prize – an annual prize of £1,000 for the best unpublished short story of the year.
- The Benson Medal – awarded to those who have done sustained and outstanding service to literature.
- – the highest honour that the Society can bestow upon a writer.
Council and presidents[]
The Council of the Royal Society of Literature is central to the election of new fellows, and directs the RSL's activities through its monthly meetings. Council members serve for a fixed term of four years, with new members being elected by Council when members retire.[12]
- Patron
- Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall
- President
- Dame Marina Warner DBE
- Presidents Emeritus
- Sir Michael Holroyd CBE FRHistS C Lit
- Colin Thubron CBE
- Chair of Council
- Daljit Nagra OBE
- Vice-Presidents
- OBE
- Maureen Duffy
- Bernardine Evaristo OBE
- Maggie Gee OBE
- The Hon. Victoria Glendinning CBE
- Dame Hilary Mantel DBE
- Blake Morrison
- Philip Pullman CBE
- Elif Shafak
- Kamila Shamsie
- Ali Smith CBE
- Claire Tomalin
- Jenny Uglow OBE, Benson Medallist
- Council
- , Hon. Treasurer
- Imtiaz Dharker
- Inua Ellams
- Sir Richard Eyre CH CBE
- Abdulrazak Gurnah
- Tessa Hadley
- Derek Johns
- Jonathan Keates FSA
- Dame Hermione Lee FBA
- Daljit Nagra
- Susheila Nasta
- Irenosen Okojie
- Michèle Roberts
List of presidents[]
- 1820–1832 Bishop Thomas Burgess
- 1832–1833 The Lord Dover
- 1834–1845 The Earl of Ripon
- 1845–1849 Henry Hallam
- 1849–1851 The Marquess of Northampton
- 1851–1856 The Earl of Carlisle
- 1856–1876 The Rt Rev. Connop Thirlwall (Bishop of St David's until 1874)
- 1876–1884 The Prince Leopold (Duke of Albany from 1881)
- 1885–1893 Sir Patrick Colquhoun
- 1893–1920 The Earl of Halsbury
- 1921–1945 The Marquess of Crewe
- 1946–1947 The Earl of Lytton
- 1947–1982 The Lord Butler of Saffron Walden
- 1982–1988 Sir Angus Wilson
- 1988–2003 The Lord Jenkins of Hillhead
- 2003–2008 Sir Michael Holroyd
- 2008–2017 Colin Thubron
- 2017–present Marina Warner
Fellows[]
The Royal Society of Literature comprises more than 600 Fellows, who are entitled to use the post-nominal letters FRSL.
New fellows of the Royal Society of Literature are elected by its current fellows. To be nominated for fellowship, a writer must have published two works of literary merit, and nominations must be seconded by an RSL fellow. All nominations are presented to members of the Council of the Royal Society of Literature, who vote biannually to elect new fellows. Nominated candidates who have not been successful are reconsidered at every election for three years from the year in which they were proposed. Newly elected fellows are introduced at the Society's AGM and summer party. While the President reads a citation for each, they are invited to sign their names in the roll book which dates back to 1820, using either T. S. Eliot's fountain pen or Byron's pen. In 2013, Charles Dickens's quill was retired and replaced with Eliot's fountain pen,[9] and in 2018 George Eliot's pen was offered as a choice, the first time in the RSL's history that a pen that belonged to a woman writer was an option.[10]
In 2018 the RSL honoured the achievements of Britain's younger writers through the initiative "40 Under 40", which saw the election of 40 new fellows aged under 40.[13]
Current fellows[]
| Fellow | Year of election |
|---|---|
| *Julia Abel Smith DL | 2008 |
| *Melanie Abrahams FRSA | 2020 |
| Peter Ackroyd CBE | 1984 |
| Donald Adamson JP FSA FRHistS | 1983 |
| Fleur Adcock CNZM OBE | 1984 |
| Diran Adebayo | 2006 |
| John Agard | 2007 |
| Bola Agbaje | 2018 |
| Patience Agbabi | 2017 |
| Hanan al-Shaykh | 2019 |
| *Clare Alexander | 2021 |
| Monica Ali | 2019 |
| Keith Alldritt | 1978 |
| Fergus Allen CB | 2000 |
| *Ellah Wakatama Allfrey OBE | 2019 |
| David Almond | 2011 |
| *David Altaras | 1996 |
| Martin Amis | 1983 |
| 1996 | |
| Tahmima Anam | 2017 |
| *Linda Anderson | 2020 |
| Carole Angier | 2002 |
| Raymond Antrobus MBE | 2020 |
| Kwame Anthony Appiah | 2017 |
| Lisa Appignanesi OBE | 2015 |
| Anne Applebaum | 2021 |
| Chloe Aridjis | 2020 |
| Simon Armitage CBE | 2004 |
| Karen Armstrong | 2005 |
| Bruce Arnold OBE | 1994 |
| Geoffrey Ashe | 1963 |
| Michael Asher | 1996 |
| Rosemary Ashton OBE FBA | 1999 |
| Zawe Ashton | 2021 |
| Jenn Ashworth | 2018 |
| Nadeem Aslam | 2010 |
| *Syima Aslam | 2019 |
| Diana Athill OBE | 2001 |
| Kate Atkinson MBE | 2010 |
| Margaret Atwood CC FRSC C Lit | 2010 |
| Sir Alan Ayckbourn CBE | 1991 |
| *Pete Ayrton | 2019 |
| David Baddiel | 2019 |
| Paul Bailey | 1999 |
| *Bibi Bakare-Yusuf | 2019 |
| Sarah Bakewell | 2012 |
| John Banville | 2007 |
| Richard Barber FSA FRHistS | 1971 |
| Juliet Barker | 2001 |
| Pat Barker CBE | 1995 |
| Correlli Barnett CBE | 1964 |
| Damian Barr | 2020 |
| Sebastian Barry | 2009 |
| Susan Bassnett | 2007 |
| Sir Jonathan Bate CBE FBA | 2004 |
| Laura Bates | 2018 |
| Martin Bax | 2002 |
| Sally Bayley | 2021 |
| Dame Mary Beard DBE FSA FBA | 2019 |
| Dame Gillian Beer DBE FBA | 2006 |
| Antony Beevor | 1999 |
| *Sharmilla Beezmohun | 2019 |
| Rosalind Belben | 1999 |
| Anne Olivier Bell MBE | 1984 |
| Anthea Bell OBE | 2013 |
| Jay Bernard | 2018 |
| Emily Berry | 2018 |
| Homi Bhabha | 2021 |
| *Xandra Bingley | 2019 |
| *Robert Binyon | 2000 |
| Dea Birkett | 2000 |
| Julia Blackburn | 2002 |
| Terence Blacker | 2017 |
| Malorie Blackman OBE | 2009 |
| Sir Quentin Blake CBE RDI | 2013 |
| Ronald Blythe, Benson Medallist | 1970 |
| Elleke Boehmer | 2019 |
| * Mair Bosworth | 2020 |
| William Boyd CBE | 1982 |
| Melvyn Bragg (The Lord Bragg DL) | 1971 |
| Piers Brendon | 2010 |
| Howard Brenton | 2017 |
| Simon Brett OBE | 2015 |
| Raymond Briggs CBE | 1993 |
| Robin Briggs FBA FRHistS | 1999 |
| Hugh Brogan | 1987 |
| *Jenny Brown | 2021 |
| *Tony Brown | 2020 |
| Alan Brownjohn | 1999 |
| James Buchan | 2001 |
| Moira Buffini | 2014 |
| Anna Burns | 2021 |
| John Burnside | 1999 |
| *Margaret Busby CBE, Benson Medallist | 2017 |
| Jez Butterworth | 2019 |
| A. S. Byatt (Dame Antonia Byatt DBE) | 1983 |
| David Cairns CBE | 2001 |
| Lucy Caldwell | 2018 |
| Dame Carmen Callil DBE, Benson Medallist | 2010 |
| Sir David Cannadine FBA FSA FRHistS | 1999 |
| Vahni Capildeo | 2019 |
| John Carey FBA | 1982 |
| Peter Carey AO | 1989 |
| Ciaran Carson | 2014 |
| Miranda Carter | 2011 |
| Justin Cartwright | 2002 |
| Helen Castor | 2017 |
| David Caute JP FRHistS | 1998 |
| Glen Cavaliero | 1986 |
| 1997 | |
| Aidan Chambers | 2009 |
| Debjani Chatterjee | 2019 |
| Amit Chaudhuri | 2009 |
| Tracy Chevalier | 2008 |
| OBE | 1989 |
| Rupert Christiansen | 1997 |
| Kate Clanchy | 2010 |
| Susannah Clapp | 2013 |
| Brian Clark | 1985 |
| Gillian Clarke | 2000 |
| 1998 | |
| *Michael Codron CBE | 2019 |
| Jonathan Coe | 2012 |
| J. M. Coetzee | 1988 |
| Richard Cohen | 2017 |
| Isabel Colegate | 1981 |
| *Gill Coleridge | 2021 |
| Linda Colley (Lady Cannadine CBE FBA FRHistS) | 2004 |
| 2018 | |
| Cressida Connolly | 2020 |
| Tony Connor | 1972 |
| P. J. Conrad | 1974 |
| Peter Conradi | 2010 |
| David Constantine | 2007 |
| *Jon Cook | 2021 |
| Artemis Cooper | 2016 |
| Susan Cooper | 2020 |
| Wendy Cope OBE | 1992 |
| John Cornwell | 1985 |
| Frank Cottrell Boyce | 2012 |
| Cressida Cowell | 2021 |
| Jim Crace | 1999 |
| Robert Crawford | 2021 |
| Kevin Crossley-Holland | 1998 |
| Tony Curtis | 2000 |
| Rachel Cusk | 2012 |
| David Dabydeen | 2000 |
| William Dalrymple FRGS FRAS | 1995 |
| Richard Davenport-Hines FRHistS | 2003 |
| Andrew Davies | 1996 |
| Norman Davies CMG FBA FRHistS | 2013 |
| Paul Davies | 1999 |
| Stevie Davies | 1998 |
| Dick Davis | 1981 |
| Richard Dawkins FRS | 1997 |
| Jill Dawson | 2020 |
| April De Angelis | 2020 |
| Louis de Bernières | 2006 |
| Margreta de Grazia | 2021 |
| Alain de Botton | 2011 |
| *Tim Dee | 2017 |
| Edmund de Waal CBE | 2021 |
| Anita Desai, Benson Medallist | 1978 |
| Imtiaz Dharker | 2010 |
| David Dilks FRHistS | 1986 |
| Maura Dooley | 2006 |
| *Jonathan Douglas | 2021 |
| [14] | 2015 |
| Roddy Doyle | 2003 |
| Dame Margaret Drabble DBE | 1973 |
| Jane Draycott | 2020 |
| Dame Carol Ann Duffy DBE | 1999 |
| Maureen Duffy FKC, Benson Medallist, Vice-President | 1985 |
| Sasha Dugdale | 2020 |
| Ian Duhig | 2006 |
| Katherine Duncan-Jones | 1991 |
| Douglas Dunn OBE | 1981 |
| 1999 | |
| Nell Dunn | 2004 |
| Geoff Dyer | 2005 |
| Will Eaves | 2021 |
| Reni Eddo-Lodge | 2021 |
| David Edgar | 1985 |
| Helen Edmundson | 2015 |
| Yvvette Edwards | 2020 |
| Max Egremont (The Lord Egremont DL FSA) | 2001 |
| Menna Elfyn | 2015 |
| Inua Ellams | 2018 |
| Anne Enright | 2010 |
| Diana Evans | 2020 |
| Sir Richard Evans FBA FRHistS FLSW | 1999 |
| Bernardine Evaristo OBE | 2004 |
| Sir Richard Eyre CBE | 2011 |
| Ruth Fainlight | 2007 |
| Duncan Fallowell | 2015 |
| Moris Farhi MBE | 2001 |
| Paul Farley | 2012 |
| Sebastian Faulks CBE | 1994 |
| 2018 | |
| Elaine Feinstein | 1981 |
| James Fenton FSA | 1983 |
| Adam Fergusson MEP | 2009 |
| MBE | 2007 |
| The Hon. William Fiennes | 2009 |
| Orlando Figes | 2003 |
| Anne Fine OBE | 2003 |
| Tibor Fischer | 2003 |
| Richard Ford | 2012 |
| Aminatta Forna OBE | 2012 |
| Richard Fortey FRS | 2009 |
| Roy Foster FBA FRHistS | 1992 |
| Adam Foulds | 2009 |
| *Dan Franklin | 2019 |
| Peter Frankopan | 2020 |
| Lady Antonia Fraser DBE | 2003 |
| Robert Fraser | 2007 |
| Michael Frayn C Lit | 1969 |
| Maureen Freely | 2011 |
| Esther Freud | 2019 |
| Stephen Fry | 2019 |
| Athol Fugard | 1986 |
| John Fuller | 1980 |
| Neil Gaiman | 2018 |
| Patrick Gale | 2021 |
| Jane Gardam OBE | 2005 |
| * | 2004 |
| 1986 | |
| Alan Garner OBE | 2011 |
| Timothy Garton Ash CMG FRHistS | 2005 |
| Bamber Gascoigne | 1976 |
| Jamila Gavin | 2015 |
| *Kate Gavron | 2020 |
| Maggie Gee OBE, Vice-President | 1994 |
| Adèle Geras | 2013 |
| Amitav Ghosh | 2009 |
| Peter Gill | 2019 |
| Sir David Gilmour Bt | 1990 |
| Paul Gilroy | 2016 |
| Mark Girouard FSA Hon FRIBA | 1994 |
| Lesley Glaister | 1994 |
| The Hon. Victoria Glendinning CBE, Vice-President | 1982 |
| Julian Gloag | 1970 |
| Salena Godden | 2020 |
| *David Godwin | 2020 |
| Vesna Goldsworthy | 2021 |
| *Lennie Goodings | 2020 |
| 2018 | |
| Lyndall Gordon | 2002 |
| Warwick Gould | 1997 |
| Grey Gowrie (The Earl of Gowrie PC) | 2003 |
| James Graham | 2018 |
| Colin Grant | 2020 |
| Linda Grant | 2013 |
| *Victoria Gray | 2021 |
| A. C. Grayling | 2006 |
| Peter Green | 1956 |
| Lavinia Greenlaw | 2004 |
| Germaine Greer | 2016 |
| John Gribbin | 1999 |
| Romesh Gunesekera | 2004 |
| Kirsty Gunn | 2020 |
| Tanika Gupta | 2016 |
| Abdulrazak Gurnah | 2006 |
| Jen Hadfield | 2021 |
| Tessa Hadley | 2009 |
| John Haffenden FBA | 1986 |
| The Lord Hague PC | 2009 |
| Daniel Hahn | 2020 |
| Sarah Hall | 2016 |
| 1985 | |
| 2001 | |
| Christopher Hampton CBE | 1976 |
| Sir David Hare | 1985 |
| Claire Harman | 2006 |
| Richard Harries (The Rt Rev The Lord Harries of Pentregarth) | 1996 |
| Alexandra Harris | 2013 |
| Robert Harris | 1996 |
| Sir Wilson Harris | 2007 |
| Tony Harrison | 1984 |
| David Harsent | 1999 |
| 2018 | |
| Sir Ronald Harwood CBE, Vice-President | 1974 |
| Sir Max Hastings FRHistS | 1996 |
| Lady Selina Hastings | 1994 |
| Roy Hattersley (The Lord Hattersley PC) | 2003 |
| Daisy Hay | 2018 |
| FRHistS | 1973 |
| *Drue Heinz Hon DBE | 2002 |
| John Hemming CMG | 2013 |
| Philip Hensher | 1998 |
| W. N. Herbert | 2015 |
| Rachel Hewitt | 2018 |
| Ella Hickson | 2018 |
| Rosemary Hill | 2010 |
| Tobias Hill | 2011 |
| Bevis Hillier | 1997 |
| 1993 | |
| Henry Hitchings | 2015 |
| Peter Hobbs | 2014 |
| Eva Hoffman | 2007 |
| Ursula Holden | 2010 |
| *Andrew Holgate | 2020 |
| Tom Holland | 2016 |
| Alan Hollinghurst | 1995 |
| *Richard Hollis | 2019 |
| Richard Holmes OBE FBA | 1975 |
| Sir Michael Holroyd CBE FRHistS C Lit, President Emeritus | 1968 |
| Jeremy Hooker | 2021 |
| Christopher Hope | 1990 |
| Nick Hornby | 1996 |
| *Sarah Hosking | 2021 |
| Sarah Howe | 2018 |
| Kerry Hudson | 2020 |
| Kathryn Hughes FRHistS | 2006 |
| Shirley Hughes OBE | 2000 |
| Lucy Hughes-Hallett | 2010 |
| Emyr Humphreys | 1995 |
| Roland Huntford | 2001 |
| Aamer Hussein | 2004 |
| Angela Huth | 1978 |
| Samuel Hynes | 1978 |
| *Sir Nicholas Hytner | 2019 |
| Armando Iannucci | 2019 |
| Robert Icke | 2018 |
| Robert Irwin | 2001 |
| Kazuo Ishiguro OBE | 1989 |
| Ian Jack | 2009 |
| Howard Jacobson | 2012 |
| Clive James CBE AM | 2010 |
| Kathleen Jamie | 2009 |
| Deborah Jay | 2005 |
| Alan Jenkins | 2002 |
| Sir Simon Jenkins FSA | 2003 |
| Liz Jensen | 2005 |
| Catherine Johnson | 2019 |
| Linton Kwesi Johnson | 2013 |
| *Paula Johnson | 2008 |
| Jennifer Johnston | 2009 |
| Cynan Jones | 2019 |
| Steve Jones FRS | 2011 |
| Gabriel Josipovici FBA | 1997 |
| Alan Judd | 1990 |
| Margaret Jull Costa OBE | 2013 |
| Jackie Kay MBE | 2002 |
| Jonathan Keates FSA | 1992 |
| Laurence Kelly | 2003 |
| Linda Kelly | 2010 |
| Peter Kemp[15] | 2015 |
| Thomas Keneally AO | 1973 |
| A. L. Kennedy | 1999 |
| *The Duke of Kent KG | 1978 |
| Mimi Khalvati | 2009 |
| Thomas Kilroy | 1972 |
| Lucy Kirkwood | 2018 |
| Matthew Kneale | 2003 |
| Hari Kunzru CBE | 2014 |
| Hanif Kureishi CBE | 2008 |
| Kwame Kwei-Armah OBE | 2014 |
| David Kynaston | 2010 |
| Olivia Laing | 2019 |
| Nick Laird | 2013 |
| John Lanchester | 2002 |
| Robin Lane Fox | 1974 |
| Lee Langley | 1996 |
| James Lasdun | 2009 |
| Bryony Lavery | 2002 |
| Mark Lawson | 2015 |
| Zachary Leader | 2007 |
| Dame Hermione Lee DBE FBA | 1992 |
| 1999 | |
| Mike Leigh OBE | 2008 |
| Rebecca Lenkiewicz | 2017 |
| Andrea Levy | 2005 |
| Deborah Levy | 2017 |
| Paul Levy | 1980 |
| Gwyneth Lewis | 1999 |
| Alison Light | 2021 |
| Dame Penelope Lively DBE | 1985 |
| 2001 | |
| David Lodge CBE | 1976 |
| Michael Longley CBE | 1988 |
| Roger Lonsdale FBA | 1989 |
| *Sharmaine Lovegrove | 2021 |
| Edward Lucie-Smith | 1964 |
| Andrew Lycett | 2010 |
| Richard Mabey | 2011 |
| Alexander McCall Smith | 2014 |
| Fiona MacCarthy OBE | 1997 |
| Geraldine McCaughrean | 2009 |
| Val McDermid | 2016 |
| Ian McDonald AA | 1970 |
| Ian McEwan CBE | 1983 |
| Robert Macfarlane | 2011 |
| Patrick McGuinness | 2019 |
| Roger McGough CBE | 2004 |
| Patrick McGrath | 2002 |
| Jamie McKendrick | 2014 |
| Andrew McMillan | 2020 |
| Ben Macintyre | 2014 |
| Shena Mackay | 1999 |
| Rory MacLean | 2007 |
| *Christopher MacLehose CBE | 2021 |
| Margaret MacMillan | 2003 |
| Tessa McWatt | 2021 |
| Candia McWilliam | 1994 |
| Brenda Maddox | 1999 |
| Sabrina Mahfouz | 2018 |
| Sir Noel Malcolm FBA | 1997 |
| David Malouf | 2008 |
| Norman Manea | 2011 |
| Alberto Manguel | 2010 |
| Philip Mansel | 2010 |
| Dame Hilary Mantel DBE, Vice-President | 1990 |
| Patrick Marber | 2002 |
| Patrick Marnham | 1988 |
| Justin Marozzi | 2021 |
| Philip Marsden | 1996 |
| 1974 | |
| Adam Mars-Jones | 2007 |
| Yann Martel | 2014 |
| Allan Massie CBE | 1982 |
| Hisham Matar | 2012 |
| MBE FCLIP, Benson Medallist | 1998 |
| Glyn Maxwell | 1999 |
| 1996 | |
| *Shirley May | 2020 |
| Jonathan Meades | 2019 |
| James Meek | 2020 |
| Gita Mehta | 2021 |
| Ved Mehta | 2009 |
| Pauline Melville | 2018 |
| Edward Mendelson | 2003 |
| Jeffrey Meyers | 1983 |
| Mary Midgley | 2007 |
| China Miéville | 2015 |
| Andrew Miller | 2012 |
| Kei Miller | 2018 |
| FRSC | 1983 |
| Pankaj Mishra | 2008 |
| Rohinton Mistry | 2009 |
| David Mitchell | 2013 |
| Julian Mitchell FSA | 1985 |
| Deborah Moggach | 1999 |
| Nadifa Mohamed | 2018 |
| Ray Monk | 2015 |
| Caroline Moorehead OBE | 1993 |
| Michael Morpurgo OBE | 2004 |
| Jan Morris CBE | 1961 |
| Sinéad Morrissey | 2019 |
| Blake Morrison | 1988 |
| Helen Mort | 2018 |
| Sarah Moss | 2019 |
| Kate Mosse OBE | 2020 |
| Sir Andrew Motion | 1984 |
| Sir Ferdinand Mount Bt | 1991 |
| Paul Muldoon | 1981 |
| Alice Munro C Lit | 2002 |
| Dervla Murphy | 2013 |
| Richard Murphy | 1968 |
| Daljit Nagra | 2017 |
| V. S. Naipaul (Sir Vidia Naipaul C Lit) | 1962 |
| *Susheila Nasta MBE, Benson Medallist | 2019 |
| Charles Nicholl | 2005 |
| Grace Nichols | 2007 |
| Peter Nichols | 1983 |
| Virginia Nicholson | 2019 |
| William Nicholson | 1999 |
| Adam Nicolson (The Lord Carnock FSA) | 2005 |
| *Alastair Niven OBE LVO, Benson Medallist | 2021 |
| The Hon. Gerard Noel | 1999 |
| Barney Norris | 2018 |
| John Julius Norwich (The Viscount Norwich CVO FSA) | 1970 |
| Edna O'Brien | 2011 |
| Sean O'Brien | 2007 |
| Bernard O'Donoghue | 1999 |
| Julia O'Faolain | 1998 |
| Maggie O'Farrell | 2021 |
| Andrew O'Hagan | 2010 |
| Redmond O'Hanlon | 1993 |
| Irenosen Okojie | 2018 |
| Ben Okri OBE | 1997 |
| David Olusoga | 2019 |
| *Sir Christopher Ondaatje OC CBE | 2003 |
| Michael Ondaatje OC | 2012 |
| Chibundu Onuzo | 2018 |
| Susie Orbach | 2019 |
| Charles Osborne | 1996 |
| *Ursula Owen | 2020 |
| Helen Oyeyemi | 2012 |
| Ruth Padel | 1998 |
| *Stephen Page | 2019 |
| Michael Palin | 2020 |
| Alan Palmer | 1980 |
| Peter Parker | 1997 |
| Sandeep Parmar | 2020 |
| Vinay Patel | 2018 |
| Don Paterson OBE | 2004 |
| Jill Paton Walsh CBE | 1996 |
| Brian Patten | 2003 |
| Tim Pears | 2012 |
| Sarah Perry | 2018 |
| Pascale Petit | 2018 |
| *Ruthie Petrie | 2021 |
| Adam Phillips | 2012 |
| Caryl Phillips | 2000 |
| Mike Phillips OBE | 2000 |
| Winsome Pinnock | 2020 |
| David Plante | 2002 |
| 1998 | |
| Stephen Poliakoff CBE | 1985 |
| Peter Pomerantsev | 2021 |
| Max Porter | 2020 |
| David Pownall | 1976 |
| Lucy Prebble | 2018 |
| *Alexandra Pringle | 2017 |
| *Stuart Profitt | 2019 |
| (Baron) David Profumo | 1995 |
| *Simon Prosser | 2021 |
| David Pryce-Jones | 1980 |
| Philip Pullman CBE, Vice-President | 2001 |
| Isabel Quigly | 1989 |
| Craig Raine | 1984 |
| Nina Raine | 2019 |
| Ross Raisin | 2018 |
| Ian Rankin OBE, DL, FRSE | 2016 |
| Nicholas Rankin | 2009 |
| Frederic Raphael | 1964 |
| Sigrid Rausing | 2020 |
| Piers Paul Read | 1972 |
| 1980 | |
| Christopher Reid | 1999 |
| Sir Christopher Ricks FBA | 1970 |
| Professor The Hon. Jane Ridley | 2007 |
| The Viscount Ridley DL FMedSci | 1999 |
| Denise Riley | 2019 |
| Gwendoline Riley | 2018 |
| 2000 | |
| Graham Robb | 1999 |
| Andrew Roberts FRSA | 2001 |
| Michèle Roberts | 1999 |
| Robin Robertson | 2010 |
| Roger Robinson | 2020 |
| *Fiammetta Rocco | 2021 |
| Jane Rogers | 1994 |
| Stephen Romer | 2011 |
| Michael Rosen | 2006 |
| Meg Rosoff | 2013 |
| Jacob Ross | 2006 |
| J. K. Rowling OBE | 2002 |
| Anthony Rudolf FEA | 2005 |
| Carol Rumens | 1984 |
| David Runciman | 2021 |
| Katherine Rundell | 2020 |
| Sir Salman Rushdie | 1983 |
| Amy Sackville | 2018 |
| Sunjeev Sahota | 2018 |
| S. F. Said | 2021 |
| Lawrence Sail | 1998 |
| Edward St Aubyn | 2011 |
| William St Clair FBA | 1973 |
| *Marina Salandy-Brown FRSA | 2020 |
| Fiona Sampson MBE | 2010 |
| *Sarah Sanders | 2020 |
| Philippe Sands QC | 2020 |
| Sathnam Sanghera | 2016 |
| J. J. Scarisbrick MBE FRHistS | 1969 |
| Simon Schama | 2016 |
| Ann Schlee | 1997 |
| Michael Schmidt OBE | 1993 |
| * | 1991 |
| Lawrence Scott | 2019 |
| The Rev Professor M.A. Screech FBA | 1989 |
| Roger Scruton FBA | 2003 |
| Peter Scupham | 1990 |
| Ruth Scurr | 2015 |
| Simon Sebag-Montefiore | 2003 |
| Anne Sebba | 2021 |
| 2001 | |
| Richard Sennett | 1999 |
| *Kadija Sesay MBE | 2021 |
| Vikram Seth CBE | 1994 |
| Miranda Seymour FRSA | 1996 |
| Elif Shafak | 2019 |
| Nicholas Shakespeare | 1999 |
| Kamila Shamsie | 2011 |
| Jo Shapcott | 1999 |
| Warsan Shire | 2018 |
| Elaine Showalter | 2011 |
| Nikesh Shukla | 2019 |
| *William Sieghart | 2019 |
| Posy Simmonds MBE | 2004 |
| Helen Simpson | 1996 |
| Andrew Sinclair FRSA | 1972 |
| Iain Sinclair | 2009 |
| Adam Sisman | 2015 |
| Robert Skidelsky (The Lord Skidelsky of Tilton FBA FRHistS) | 1978 |
| Gillian Slovo | 2013 |
| Dorothea Smartt | 2019 |
| Ali Smith CBE | 2007 |
| Deborah Smith | 2018 |
| 1995 | |
| *, Benson Medallist | 1996 |
| Zadie Smith | 2002 |
| *Nicola Solomon | 2019 |
| Stephen Sondheim | 2012 |
| Ahdaf Soueif | 2002 |
| *Wole Soyinka, Benson Medallist | 1983 |
| Frances Spalding CBE | 1984 |
| *Nicholas Spice | 2019 |
| Jean Sprackland | 2021 |
| Francis Spufford | 2007 |
| Hilary Spurling CBE | 2005 |
| John Spurling | 2010 |
| Tom Stacey | 1977 |
| 1999 | |
| C. K. Stead ONZ CBE | 1995 |
| George Steiner FBA | 1962 |
| Polly Stenham | 2018 |
| Rory Stewart OBE MP | 2009 |
| Stanley Stewart | 2001 |
| Sir Tom Stoppard OM CBE C Lit | 1972 |
| Rebecca Stott | 2021 |
| Sir Roy Strong FSA | 1999 |
| Andrea Stuart | 2014 |
| Kate Summerscale | 2010 |
| *Tom Sutcliffe | 2020 |
| John Sutherland | 1990 |
| *David Sutton, Benson Medallist | 2012 |
| Graham Swift | 1984 |
| Meera Syal CBE | 2017 |
| Michael Symmons Roberts | 2014 |
| George Szirtes | 1982 |
| Bryan Talbot | 2018 |
| D. J. Taylor | 1997 |
| Sara Taylor | 2018 |
| Kae Tempest | 2015 |
| Adam Thirlwell | 2018 |
| Emma Thompson DBE | 2021 |
| Ian Thomson | 2003 |
| Rupert Thomson | 2015 |
| Jack Thorne | 2020 |
| Colin Thubron CBE, President | 1969 |
| Ann Thwaite | 1987 |
| Anthony Thwaite OBE FSA | 1978 |
| Stella Tillyard | 2019 |
| Gillian Tindall | 1983 |
| Colm Tóibín | 2007 |
| (Count) Nikolai Tolstoy | 1979 |
| Claire Tomalin, Vice-President | 1976 |
| *Boyd Tonkin, Benson Medallist | 2020 |
| Barbara Trapido | 2011 |
| Jeremy Treglown | 1989 |
| Rose Tremain CBE | 1983 |
| Lynne Truss | 2004 |
| Jenny Uglow CBE FSA, Benson Medallist | 1998 |
| *The Prince of Wales KG OM | 2002 |
| OBE | 2006 |
| Alan Warner | 2013 |
| Dame Marina Warner FBA | 1984 |
| 1998 | |
| Sarah Waters | 2009 |
| Fay Weldon CBE | 1986 |
| Robert Wells | 1994 |
| Stanley Wells CBE | 2013 |
| Timberlake Wertenbaker | 1999 |
| Sara Wheeler | 1999 |
| Hugh Whitemore | 1998 |
| FRSA FEA | 1999 |
| Verna Wilkins | 2021 |
| Eley Williams | 2018 |
| Hugo Williams | 1988 |
| Nigel Williams | 1994 |
| The Rt Revd The Lord Williams of Oystermouth PC FBA FLSW | 2003 |
| *Mary-Kay Wilmers, Benson Medallist | 2017 |
| A. N. Wilson | 1982 |
| Frances Wilson | 2008 |
| Dame Jacqueline Wilson DBE | 2005 |
| Jeanette Winterson CBE | 2016 |
| Lewis Wolpert CBE FRS FMEdSci | 1999 |
| Charles Wood | 1985 |
| *Gaby Wood | 2021 |
| James Wood | 2011 |
| Michael Wood | 1992 |
| Gerard Woodward | 2005 |
| 1999 | |
| Kit Wright | 1997 |
| Ann Wroe FRHistS | 2007 |
| Evie Wyld | 2018 |
| *Baroness Lola Young OBE | 2020 |
| Gary Younge | 2021 |
| Adam Zamoyski FSA | 2006 |
| Theodore Zeldin CBE FBA FRHistS | 1999 |
| Philip Ziegler CVO FRHistS | 1972 |
The * before the name denotes an Honorary Fellow. The list is online at the RSL website.[16]
References[]
- ^ "History". The Royal Society of Literature. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ^ "Fellows". The Royal Society of Literature. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ^ "About us — Who we are". The Royal Society of Literature. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ^ "Membership". The Royal Society of Literature. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ^ "Royal Society of Literature » Magazine selections".
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Royal Society of Literature celebrates 200th birthday with 60 appointments and five-year festival (Press release)" (PDF). The Royal Society of Literature. 30 November 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ^ "Sky Arts Ambassadors". ky Community. 29 January 2021.
- ^ "Press Release" (PDF). The Royal Society of Literature. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Royal Society of Literature » History". rsliterature.org. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "The RSL elects 40 new Fellows under the age of 40", The Royal Society of Literature press release, June 2018.
- ^ "Royal Society of Literature » Membership".
- ^ "About Us – Council". The Royal Society of Literature. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ^ Alison Flood, "Royal Society of Literature admits 40 new fellows to address historical biases", The Guardian, 28 June 2018.
- ^ Dr Robert Douglas-Fairhurst Archived 11 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Peter Kemp".
- ^ "Current RSL Fellows". Royal Society of Literature. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
External links[]
- The Royal Society of Literature website
- RSL biannual magazine
- RSL literary prizes and awards
- Current RSL Fellows
- Roy Jenkins & The Royal Society of Literature - UK Parliament Living Heritage
| hide Authority control  | |
|---|---|
| General |
|
| National libraries | |
- Royal Society of Literature
- 1820 establishments in the United Kingdom
- British literature
- Learned societies of the United Kingdom
- Organizations established in 1820
- Organisations based in London with royal patronage