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King’s alumni recognized in the King’s Birthday Honours

Dominic Richards (KC 1987) is recognised for his longstanding charitable work and leadership in heritage-led regeneration and sustainable urbanism, Michael Downes (KC 1987) for services to music and education, and Ruth Marshall (KC 1991) for services to evidence-based policy-making and innovation.
birthday_honours_2025
16 Jun 2025

Our congratulations to the King's alumni who have been recognised in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours: 

Dominic Richards (KC 1987) has been appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) for his longstanding charitable work and leadership in heritage-led regeneration and sustainable urbanism. He is the Co-Founder and Chair of Our Place, a development company dedicated to creating walkable, mixed-use neighbourhoods that prioritise local character, sustainability, and social cohesion.

Having served as Vice Chair of The Prince’s Foundation, Dominic is currently Chair of The King’s Foundation Australia and a Trustee of The King’s Trust Australia. Under his stewardship, projects such as The Prince’s Terrace in Adelaide—Australia’s first 6 Star Green Star residential development—and the regeneration of Hillview, a historic rural estate in New South Wales, are bringing to life His Majesty’s principles of heritage led regeneration and place-making, championing traditional skills, environmental responsibility, and community wellbeing.

In receiving this honour, Dominic paid tribute to King’s and to the Prince of Wales’s Institute of Architecture, where his commitment to sustainable places and public service first took root:

King’s instilled in me the belief that beauty, community, and legacy matter — that we shape our places, and in turn, they shape us. That belief was given form at The Prince of Wales’s Institute of Architecture, founded by His Majesty 35 years ago, where I was taught the principles of sustainable place-making — ideas that were then visionary and are now, thankfully, gaining wider acceptance.

Dr Michael Downes (KC 1987), Director of Music at the University of St Andrews, has been awarded an OBE for services to Music and Education.

Ruth Marshall (KC 1991) has been awarded an MBE for services to Evidence-based Policy Making and Innovation. Ruth is Head of Futures Capability at the Government Office for Science, and her role focuses on building cross-Whitehall skills in futures and foresight, a strategic reform priority for the civil service identified in the Integrated Review (2021). 

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Former Headmaster of the King's College School Nick Robinson has also been recognised with an OBE for services to Disadvantaged Young People, to Charitable Fundraising and to Music. Nick is the co-founder and chair of Future Talent, a charity supporting young musicians across the UK. 


 

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