Andrew Lloyd Webber confirms renaming plans for Her Majesty’s Theatre

Her Majesty’s Theatre, home of The Phantom of the Opera, has confirmed its rechristening plans. 

From 6 May 2023, the venue will be retitled His Majesty’s Theatre to mark the coronation of King Charles III. The 1216-seat theatre held this title from 1901 to 1952 when Queen Elizabeth II first came to the throne. Older buildings that sat on the same site also changed their name for the respective king or queen.

A freshly updated staging of The Phantom of the Opera is currently running at the theatre, having been given a refresh during the Covid pandemic.

Owners LW Theatres said in a statement: “Today, we confirmed that we will change the name of Her Majesty’s Theatre on Haymarket to mark the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. From Saturday 6 May 2023, the theatre will be His Majesty’s Theatre.

“The decision to change the name of this theatre is in keeping with a historic precedent which began in the 1700s. The Queen’s Theatre, the first theatre built on this site in 1705 by John Vanbrugh, was named such by permission of Queen Anne. The theatre has since been rebuilt three times and has changed its name in line with each reigning British monarch. It first became The King’s Theatre in 1714 on the accession of George I.

“The current building, designed by Charles J. Phipps and built in 1897, was named Her Majesty’s Theatre for Queen Victoria. Upon the ascension of Edward VII, with permission from the King, the name was changed to His Majesty’s Theatre, and at the start of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, after the same permission was granted, the theatre’s name changed again.”