The College achieved full status as a College in November 1997.
The College community gathered on Thursday the 20th of October 2022 to celebrate the silver anniversary of the College receiving its Royal Charter.
Lucy Cavendish College was founded in 1965 as a Collegiate Society. It became an Approved Foundation of the University of Cambridge in 1984 and grew to become a self-governing College and was granted full status and a Royal Charter in 1997, thanks to Baroness Perry’s considerable efforts within the University.
Baroness Perry, who gave a speech about receiving the Royal Charter says, “It was very good to celebrate 25 years of Lucy Cavendish achieving Full College status and gaining the Royal Charter. It was especially good to see some of the Fellows who worked so hard to make it happen. The President and her staff had organised a wonderful display in which the Charter with its great seal was the centrepiece. We had a truly great evening of celebration.”
Among the aforementioned Fellows is Louise Hamlin, former College Lecturer in Law, Tutor and then Senior Tutor. She comments, "The challenge was to produce statutes that we as a college wanted but which would also be accepted by the privy council. We were thrilled when our draft was approved."
The first celebration of the granting of the Royal Charter was held on 23rd June 1998. Past Presidents, benefactors, former Trustees, staff and other members of the community, including the late Duke of Edinburgh, HRH Prince Philip, who unveiled the commemorative stone, joined in for a celebratory reception and lunch.
Royal Charter 1998 by Lucy Cavendish
The College community held a special event also on occasion of the 20th anniversary of the granting of the Royal Charter in 2017. Fifth College President, Baroness Perry, joined the celebration as a guest speaker, while the Lucy Cavendish Singers delighted everyone with a pre-dinner concert in the library foyer.
Royal Charter 2017 by Lucy Cavendish