King Charles III officially opened the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities and unveiled a plaque to commemorate his visit. His Majesty was greeted by the University of Oxford’s Chancellor, Lord William Hague, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Irene Tracey, and Stephen Schwarzman, whose donations funded the £185m building.
During the visit, the King spoke with individuals involved in the building’s construction, academics from the humanities faculties, and community organisations which use the site. He met representatives from the Centre’s Cultural Programme and the Leys Festival, an ongoing collaboration between residents and the Centre to celebrate creativity. A choir of secondary school children from across Oxford performed during the visit.
His visit also included a showcase of historic musical instruments from the University’s Bate Collection, selected by representatives from the Faculty of Music, and a rare Bach manuscript from the Bodleian Library.
In a short speech, the King said it gave him “great pleasure” to celebrate the opening of the building, which brings together the University’s humanities departments under one roof.
Stephen Schwarzman, the philanthropist and businessman after whom the building is named, said: “ Throughout decades of public service, His Majesty King Charles III has been a thoughtful and prescient voice on many of the defining questions of our time, all the while championing dialogue across disciplines, cultures, and generations. It is my hope that the Schwarzman Centre will contribute to this dialogue by advancing scholarship that addresses humanity’s most pressing challenges and fostering global collaboration here in the heart of Oxford.”
Lord Hague said: “It was a privilege to welcome His Majesty The King to mark the opening of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, a moment that celebrates both an extraordinary new addition to Oxford and the enduring importance of the humanities.
“At a time when the world is changing with extraordinary speed, the study of history, languages, philosophy, literature, music and the arts helps us understand who we are, how we have arrived here, and how we might shape the future. This remarkable centre is a powerful statement of confidence in the ability of the humanities to illuminate public life, enrich our culture and equip future generations with the judgement and imagination every society needs.”
The Royal Visit included receptions at Oriel College, which is celebrating its 700th anniversary, and University College.
The Schwarzman was closed for two days as a security measure agreed with Thames Valley Police and the Proctors’ Office. Faculties informed students of the building’s closure to minimise disruption. In an email sent on 25th June, students in all faculties located in the building were told that the Centre would be closed to all staff, students, and the general public for a “VIP Visitor”.
Performance spaces at the Schwarzman Centre have been open since April 2026 for the Cultural Programme, which “aims to welcome audiences and communities into the heart of the research process at Oxford University through public engagement.” The Centre is also home to the Bodleian Humanities Library, as well as seven humanities faculties and research institutes.
Funded through £185 million in donations from Stephen Schwarzman, the Schwarzman Centre is the largest building project the University has undertaken “since the Renaissance”.
Since its announcement, the Centre has been subject to debate about the role of billionaire benefactors within the University. Schwarzman, an American billionaire, is the founder, chairman, and chief executive of Blackstone, an investment firm best known for its private equity business. His connections to Republican politicians, including financial support for President Donald Trump’s presidential campaigns, provoked the formation of the campaign Oxford Against Schwarzman. At the time of his initial donation, an open letter signed by 27 Oxford academics opposed the University’s decision to accept Schwarzman’s philanthropy. Citing a UN report which singled out Blackstone for its contribution to the global housing crisis, the letter stated that the Schwarzman Centre “will be built with the proceeds of the exploitation and disenfranchisement of vulnerable people across the world”.
At the Centre’s opening in 2025, a University spokesperson told Cherwell: “Oxford University has robust and rigorous guidelines regarding the acceptance of donations and research funding … All significant new funders or new gifts or grants from existing funders are reviewed by the Committee to Review Donations and Research Funding (CRDRF) … Those donating money or sponsoring programmes at the University have no influence over how academics carry out their research or what conclusions they reach.”
