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Guide
Wed 9 Oct 2024 • 7 min read
Explore 15 famous King’s College London alumni who changed the world, from global leaders to renowned scientists, writers, and musicians.
Contents
King’s College London, known as KCL or King’s, is a London based research institution which currently ranks 24th for UK universities. KCL is known in particular for their teaching and research in the humanities, law and the sciences. WIth a history of over 190 years, King’s has produced many world class alumni ranging from politicians to famous physicists to renowned writers, 15 of which will be discussed on this page.
Sarojini Naidu (1879 – 1949) was an Indian political activist who served as the first Governor of United Provinces after India’s independence. Naidu studied at King;s College London from 1895 where she began her work as a suffragist. After education, Naidu became part of the national movement for India’s independence against the British Raj and in 1925, became the first female president of the Indian National Congress. Following India’s independence, Naidu became the first Governor of the United Provinces.
Desmond Tutu (1931 – 2021) was a Suth African Anglican bishop and theologian who is known for his human rights and anti-apartheid activism. In 1962, Tutu moved to the UK where he studied theology at King’s College London, graduating in 1966. Upon his return to South Africa, Tutu taught theology and became the Thelogical Education Fund’s Director for Africa. Throughout his career, Desmond emerged as a prominent opponent of South Africa’s apartheid system and campaigned for equal rights for black people but was also active for women’s and gay rights. His activism earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.
Micael Collins (1890 – 1922) was an Irish revolutionary and politician who was a leading figure in Ireland’s fight for independence in the early 20th century. Collins studied law at King’s College London in the early 20th century but did not graduate. Upon his return to Ireland, Collins took part in the Easter Rising of 1916 where he was arrested as a prisoner of war until his release in December that year. Collins rose through the ranks and was elected as MP for South Cork in 1918 and the Irish Republic declared independence a year later. Collins was killed in an anti-Treaty forces ambush in 1922.
Petr Pavel is a retired Czech politician and army general. After military service in the Velvet Revolution, Pavel graduated from King’s College London with a Master’s in international relations in 1991. Pavel returned to the military and rose through the ranks to become the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed forces from 2012 to 2025. Subsequently, he served as Chair of the NATO Military Committee and from March 2023, is in office as the 4th President of the Czech Republic.
Francis Galton (1822 – 1911) was a British polymath known for starting the behavioural genetics movement. Galton studied for two years at King’s College London Medical School before pursuing mathematics at Cambridge University. Throughout his career, Galton contributed to many academic fields through his work on statistical concepts, psychometrics, differential psychology and behavioural genetics. Since his death, Galton received significant criticism due to his involvement in the eugenics movement and biological racism.
Louis Slotin (1910 – 1946) was a Canadian chemist and physicist known for his work in the Manhattan Project. Slotin earned his PhD in physical chemistry from King’s College London in 1936 where he also became a successful amateur boxer. In 1942, he was invited to join the Manhattan project and contributed through research with uranium and plutonium cores where he was killed through accidental exposure to plutonium core.
Peter Higgs (1929 – 2024) was a British theoretical physicist and professor who earned his Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD in physics from King’s College London from 1947 to 1954. Higgs then held several teaching and research posts at other London universities before moving to University of Edinburgh. Throughout his career, Higgs received numerous awards for his research and discoveries including the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2013 for his work on the mass of subatomic particles.
Simon Baron-Cohen is a British clinical psychologist and University of Cambridge professor. Baron-Cohen earned his Master’s in clinical psychology from King’s University before completing his PhD at UCL. Baron-Cohen has dedicated his career to psychological research and has made significant academic contributions to the understanding of autism in particular. For his work and services, he was knighted in 2021.
Virginia Woolf (1882 – 1941) was an English writer who attended the Ladies’ Department of King’s College London from 1897 to 1901 where she studied classics and history. During this time, Woolf became involved in the womens rights movement and began writing professionally. In 1915, Virginia published her first novel and in the subsequent years gained notoriety for works such as Mrs Dalloway, To the Lighthouse and Orlando. Virginia Woolf is known as one of the most important modernist authors and her pioneering the use of stream of consciousness as a narrative style.
John Ruskin (1819 – 1900) was an English polymath and writer who attended King’s College London in the mid 19th century where he studied English Literature. Ruskin had many interests and contributed to many fields including architecture, aesthetics, ethics and education. Ruskin wrote on his interests with notable works including Modern Painters and The Seven Lamps of Architecture.
Lisa Brennan-Jobs is an American writer and daughter of Apple Inc. cofounder Steve Jobs. Lisa came to the UL and studied for one year at King’s College London while a student at Harvard University and graduated in 2000. Lisa is known for her novel Small Fry which was published in 2018 which was named one of the 10 best books of the year.
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (1917 – 2008) was a British science fiction writer, futurist and undersea explorer. Clarke was awarded a first-class degree in mathematics and physics from King’s College London after serving in the Second World War as a pilot. Clarke was a keen writer and in 1968 co-wrote the screenplay for 2001: A Space Odyssey which is widely regarded as one of the most influential films of all time. He has also written several science fiction novels including CHildhood’s End, Rendezvous with Rama and The Fountains of Paradise.
John Keats (1795 – 1821) was an English poet who studied as a medical student from 1815 at King’s College London but left to pursue a career in poetry. Unfortunately, Keats died of tuberculosis aged only 25. Although he received little recognition at the time, Keats has subsequently been recognised as a prominent poet of the Romantic movement alongside other poets like Lord Byron and wrote notable works such as Ode to a Nightingale.
Thomas Hardy (1840 – 1928) was an English poet and novelist. Hardy studied architecture at King’s College London from 1862 where his interest in poetry emerged. Influenced by Romanticism, Hardy published many notable novels and poems including Far from the Madding Crowd, The Mayor of Casterbridge and Jude the Obscure.
John Deacon is a retired English musician best known for being the bass guitarist for the rock band Queen. Deacon received a first class degree in electrical engineering from King’s College London in 1971 where he decided he wanted to join a band. Deacon met the other members of Queen; Freddie Mercury, Brian May and Roger Taylor in 1970 and joined the band a year later. Queen was highly successful, becoming one of the world’s best selling artists and Deacon wrote sevel of the group’s songs including Another One Bites the Dust, I Want to Break Free and Under Pressure.
To start your journey at King’s College London, you can take part in one of their Pre-University Summer Schools. Aimed at students aged 16 and above, these programs can let you experience what life and study at KCL is like. Lasting 1-3 weeks, you can develop your knowledge and skills in more than one subject of your choosing, helping to guide and inform what you would like to pursue in the future.
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