Canon Roger Royle
Patron
Canon Roger Royle, is an Anglican priest, broadcaster and writer. He was ordained in the Church of England in 1962 and his first curacy was in Portsea, Portsmouth. During his career, he served as Conduct and Senior Chaplain of Eton College. Roger believed he had two vocations, one was to be a priest and the other to be a communicator. On leaving Eton in 1979 he became a freelance broadcaster, speaker and journalist working mainly for BBC radio and television and IPC magazines while serving as a non-stipendiary priest. He also began working as a promoter of the preventative medicine campaign for Save the Children.
As well as presenting his own television series he has hosted BBC’s Songs of Praise and been a regular contributor to radio including Pause for Thought, Stop the Week, The John Dunn Show and Start the Week.
In 1990 he was honoured by the Archbishop of Canterbury with a Lambeth Degree in recognition for his work in media. He is now a Canon Emeritus of Southwark Cathedral and in November 2016 he became Hon. Chaplain to the Lord Mayor of London.
Celebrating the Naming of the Mildmay Line: A Conversation with Sir Cliff Richard and Canon Roger Royle
In September 2024, two esteemed patrons of Mildmay Hospital, Sir Cliff Richard OBE and Canon Roger Royle, came together to celebrate the hospital’s legacy and the naming of a London Overground line in its honour. During this engaging conversation, Sir Cliff reflects on his legendary music career and shares touching memories of his long-standing support for Mildmay.
The discussion highlights the early days of the AIDS epidemic, Mildmay’s pioneering HIV/AIDS care, and the pivotal role played by Diana, Princess of Wales in destigmatising the illness. Her compassionate visits to the hospital in the 1980s and 90s brought much-needed attention and understanding to those affected.
This recognition of Mildmay’s groundbreaking work and its 160-year legacy serves as a testament to the hospital’s ongoing impact on HIV care and its support for the LGBTQI+ community.