Royal Charter
The MCC Committee, in response to Member concerns, decided it was time to incorporate the Club so it was no longer a Private Member Club likely to attract potenial unlimited financial liabilities for the Membership in the future. The MCC Royal Charter Petition was approved at SGM by MCC Members on 25th June 2012 by a majority of 6018 votes.
The Committee considered this a unique opportunity to end an outdated arcane system of arbitrary government first introduced in 1787 and replace it with a pre-eminent form of modern democratic government with Royal Patronage. This would be a fitting tribute to a Club whose roots date back to the financial donation made by the Prince of Wales when Lord’s was purchased by MCC in 1866 and the fact the Late Duke of Edinburgh enjoyed two terms as the Club President.
Problems
Today the Club remains an unincorporated Private Member Club today.Why?
On 1st July 2013 the Royal Charter became effective with a similar set of Rules operating as before. The MCC remains as a private member club with 18,000 members.Whilst it is true that forming the Royal Charter body is not, alone, sufficient to complete an incorporation – it is necessary to transfer assets, memberships, etc. across from the former unincorporated body, Lord’s Cricket Ground had been transferred to the Royal Charter body, as it is registered in the name of the Royal Charter corporation.
Therefore two organisations exist (20/01/2025).It is not until the 18,000 MCC members and all of the property interests have all been transferred to the one Body Corporate, hereafter known as Marylebone Cricket Club, that the process will be complete and member approval will be required.
The implications here are serious with the fact that no Incorporation has taken place and the MCC Committee must remain culpable:- 1) the status of Lord’s Cricket Ground is uncertain and open to potential execution * 2) the status and role of the Club Trustees remain undetermined 3) no acceptable form of democratic government by the membership is in place
Resolution
The MCC Committee must publish a ROYAL CHARTER CONSULTATION GREEN PAPER without delay and instruct a Special Working Party to oversee the necessary changes to determine the formation of one Body Corporate by AGM on 6th May 2026.
- Richard Bramwell QC ( 22 September 2006) recommended two wholly-owned subsidiary companies “MCC Property” and “MCC Commercial” being part of the one Body Corporate . His advice has been ignored.
