Until last week nothing substantial, apart from, of course, the members' zeal for painting. However, on July 8 at the Royal Automobile Club in London's Pall Mall, there was a clanking of a ceremonial chain as Suzanne Lucas (b. 1915) relinquished her badge of office as President of the RMS, a position she has held for a quarter of a century. The new recipient of the chain of honour is London-based portrait painter Elizabeth Meek (b. 1953), who is considered by many to be one of Britain's finest miniaturists.
What makes this transfer of power so unusual is that Ms Meek is also president of the SWA and holding two such major art positions simultaneously is rare indeed.
While her charisma and dynamism should prove a breath of fresh air for the RMS, Ms Meek is under no illusion as to the hard work ahead of her.
"Having now been president of the SWA for four years, I am well aware that running two societies is daunting," she says, " but I relish the challenge".
