Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal has officially reopened the newly refurbished Lloyd’s Register headquarters in central London—a building steeped in maritime history that is now looking
firmly toward the future.
The reopening, which took place during London International Shipping Week, saw the Grade II listed landmark officially renamed the Lloyd’s Register Building. First opened in 1901, the building has been carefully restored to preserve its architectural character while transforming the space into a modern hub for maritime collaboration, innovation, and research. It will once again serve as the London base for both Lloyd’s Register Group and Lloyd’s Register Foundation.
During her visit, The Princess Royal toured the historic site and explored its strong ties to maritime heritage. She was also introduced to SHE SEES, a thought-provoking initiative that shines a light on women’s overlooked contributions to maritime history through powerful portraits and storytelling—reframing the past while inspiring the future.
Lloyd’s Register has a long history of royal connections. HRH The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) visited in 1904, and the late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, was the first to be elected an Honorary Member of the organisation’s General Committee. His portrait still hangs proudly in the committee room today.
Nick Brown, CEO of Lloyd’s Register, said: “We were honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to officially reopen our historic London headquarters. The reopening of our building is more than a return to a historic home; it is a statement of our commitment to shaping the future of maritime. This building will be a hub where heritage meets innovation, a place where our colleagues, clients and partners can collaborate to tackle the industry’s greatest challenges and opportunities.”
Ruth Boumphrey, Chief Executive of Lloyd’s Register Foundation, said: “Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal’s visit marks a wonderful moment in celebrating our building’s rich maritime heritage and long history, while highlighting the vital work the Foundation is doing to help the global community focus on tackling the world’s most pressing safety and risk challenges.”
To mark the reopening, The Princess Royal rang the building’s bell and unveiled a commemorative plaque. She was also presented with a rare copy of the 1952 rigging and profile plan for the Royal Yacht Britannia, alongside a copy of the SHE SEES book. Photo by lr.org.