ROYAL OAK FOUNDATION (founded 1973), a United States tax-exempt non-profit 501 (c) (3), is the American partner of The National Trust of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. More information about The Royal Oak Foundation can be found on our About Us page. Royal Oak accepts tax deductible contributions in support of the National Trust’s conservation and preservation initiatives. For more details, please visit our Support page.
As the American Membership affiliate of the National Trust of England, Wales & Northern Ireland, Royal Oak Members enjoy free admission to National Trust properties in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; as well as the National Trust of Scotland. Royal Oak member dues are tax-deductible. In addition, Royal Oak membership offers a complete range of benefits at various levels. Please visit Join for details on all the benefits of membership.
The Royal Oak is an American not-for-profit organization that supports the work of the National Trust. Royal Oak members have many of the same member benefits as National Trust members: free entry to 500+ historic sites, and receipt of the NT annual handbook and parking permit.
Please note: Royal Oak members are NOT ELIGIBLE to vote in the National Trust’s Annual General Meeting (AGM).
As noted above, Royal Oak member dues are tax deductible for U.S. taxpayers, whereas National Trust member dues are not.
Royal Oak member materials are issued domestically, and all member inquiries and concerns are serviced from our offices in New York City (reachable toll-free at 800 913 6565 from 9:30 – 5:30 Eastern time). The National Trust membership offices in the U.K. handle all matters for National Trust members.
In many cases, the date of a membership renewal does not coincide with the National Trust Handbook’s date of publication. Everyone whose Royal Oak membership is currently active gets a new handbook for the coming year at the same time — it is included with the Royal Oak Spring Member Mailing that is distributed in March. For example, an active member who renews in July will get a new Royal Oak card at that time, but should continue to use the handbook they received back in the spring. The next year’s handbook will arrive the following spring. Those who are joining Royal Oak for the first time, or are re-activating a lapsed membership, get the handbook with their new-member welcome pack.
Anyone can book National Trust Holiday Cottages. Reservations and payment are handled entirely through The National Trust’s Holiday Cottage division. The cottages are enormously popular — plan ahead if your trip includes a stay at a Holiday Cottage!
If possible it is best to join Royal Oak here in the U.S. before your departure. However, if time doesn’t allow that, you may join Royal Oak at any National Trust property you visit. You will be given a temporary membership document for free admission into all National Trust properties open to the public, as well as a copy of the National Trust Handbook to guide your way. When you join Royal Oak at a National Trust property, you should expect to pay National Trust rates in Pounds Sterling. A copy of your membership application is subsequently forwarded to Royal Oak so that we can mail your Royal Oak member cards along with all of the other publications to which you are entitled; these materials are sent to you within 2 months of your initial membership purchase in the U.K.
The National Trust of England, Wales and Northern Ireland has no properties in the U.S. As far as we are aware, no reciprocal privileges exist between the National Trust and any American organizations.
Parking is available at many National Trust locations. FREE PARKING is available to Royal Oak members at National Trust administered parking lots; at car parks administered by the local municipality you may expect to pay the standard fee, whether or not you are a Royal Oak/National Trust member. A National Trust Parking Permit is included with membership. Display it on the dashboard of your car. The parking permit is not a substitute for proof of membership — you may need to show a current Royal Oak membership card if you are asked for it by National Trust staff.
Opening times, days, and dates vary at National Trust properties. Even during summer months, some places may be closed on certain days of the week, but those days are not necessarily the same for all properties. At certain times of year a house may be closed while the estate or its grounds remain open. The National Trust Handbook (provided with all Royal Oak memberships) is a great resource for information about open days, as is the Trust’s web site.
No, this is The Royal Oak Foundation’s web site. The National Trust has an extensive site of its own — www.nationaltrust.org.uk. It’s a great resource for information about the Trust’s mission and properties.
Please check your membership status in My Account and click the Renew button if your membership has not lapsed.