High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians (it acquired the "Royal" prefix in 1674) by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter. The college has been continuously active in improving practice medicine since then, primarily though training and qualifying new physicians. The current president of the college is Sir Richard Thompson.