Queen Victoria granted a Royal Charter to the University on July 6, 1852, superceeding the 1821 Charter. The key amendments included the replacement of the Governors by members of the Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning (RIAL), the empowerment of the Governors to create rules, ordinances and statutes, and the appointment of the Governor General of Canada as the Visitor in lieu of the members of the RIAL.

The 1852 Charter and Seal are maintained by the McGill University Archives (transferred in 1967) and are part of the installation ceremony. A full text of the 1852 Charter is available at the University Secretariat.

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