The Royal Geographical Society's Gold Medal consists of two separate awards: the Founder's Medal 1830 and the Patron's Medal 1838. Together they form the most prestigious of the society's awards. They are given for "the encouragement and promotion of geographical science and discovery." Royal approval is required before an award can be made.
The awards originated as an annual gift of fifty guineas from King William IV, first made in 1831, "to constitute a premium for the encouragement and promotion of geographical science and discovery." The Royal Geographical Society decided in 1839 to change this monetary award into the two gold medals. Prior to 1902 the Patron's Medal was alternatively known as the "Victoria Medal".
Recipients include David Livingstone in 1855, Mary Somerville in 1869, Nain Singh Rawat in 1877, Ferdinand von Richthofen in 1878, Alfred Russel Wallace in 1892 and William Woodville Rockhill in 1893, to more recent winners including William Morris Davis in 1919, Sir Halford John Mackinder in 1945, Richard Chorley in 1987 and David Harvey in 1995.
Source: List of Past Gold Medal Winners by RGS
| Date | Founder's Medal | Contribution | Patron's Medal | Contribution | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023[1] | Andrew Mitchell | For his lifetime’s contribution to protect tropical rainforests and combat climate change | Felix Driver | For his contributions to the Society and historical geography | |
| 2022 | David Hempleman-Adams | For enabling science through expeditions, and inspiring younger generations of geographers | Jane Francis | For her contributions to the earth and environmental sciences | |
| 2021 | Andy Eavis | For significant contribution in leading speleological expeditions, exploring and recording some of the largest caves in the world for over 50 years | Rita Gardner | For widespread advancement of Geography across all its sub-disciplines through her Directorshipof the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) | |
| 2020 | Heather Viles | For her excellence in establishing the field of biogeomorphology | Michael Jones | For his contribution to the development of geospatial information | |
| 2019[2] | Trevor Barnes | for sustained excellence and pioneering developments in the field of economic geography | Fiona Reynolds | for her contribution to environmental protection, conservation and the preservation of the British landscape | |
| 2018[3] | Paul Rose | for scientific expeditions and enhancing public understanding | Yadvinder Malhi | for world leading studies on the impact of climate change on tropical ecosystems | |
| 2017 | Gordon Conway | for the enhancement and promotion of agricultural development in Asia and Africa | Lindsey Hilsum | for promoting the understanding of global conflict and inequality | |
| 2016 | Michael Storper | for scholarship and leadership in human and economic geography | Bob Geldof | for raising global public awareness and challenging the causes of inequality in Africa | |
| 2015[4] | Michael Batty | for development and promotion of the geographical science of cities | Paul Theroux | for the encouragement of geographical discovery through travel writing | |
| 2014 | Geoffrey Boulton | for the development and promotion of glaciology | Hans Rosling | for the encouragement and development of the public understanding of geographical data and influencing decision makers across the world | |
| 2013 | Keith Richards | for the encouragement and development of physical geography and fluvial geomorphology | Michael Palin | for the promotion of geography and geographical education | |
| 2012 | Charles Withers | for the encouragement and development of historical and cultural geography | Alastair Fothergill | for promoting globally the understanding of the world's environments | |
| 2011 | David Livingstone | for the encouragement and promotion of historical geography | Sylvia Earle | for the encouragement, development and promotion of ocean science and exploration | |
| 2010 | Diana Liverman | encouraging, developing and promoting understanding of the human dimensions of climate change | Jack Dangermond | promoting geographical science through the development of Geographical Information Systems | |
| 2009 | Alan Baker | contributions to historical geography | Nicholas Stern | for contributions to climate change policy | |
| 2008 | Julian Dowdeswell | encouragement, development and promotion of glaciology | Jesse Walker | encouragement, development and promotion of coastal geomorphology | |
| 2007 | Roger Barry | international leadership of research on climate and climate change | Paul Curran | international development of geographical science through remote sensing and Earth observation | |
| 2006 | Derek Gregory | international leadership of research in human geography and social theory | Jack Ives | role internationally in establishing the global importance of mountain regions | |
| 2005 | Nicholas Shackleton | research on Quaternary palaeoclimatology | Jean Malaurie | lifelong study of the Arctic and its peoples | |
| 2004 | Leszek Starkel | advancing international understanding of palaeohydrology and geomorphology | Sydney Possuelo | contributions to Brazilian people's rights and explorations in Amazonia | |
| 2003 | Michael Frank Goodchild | contributions to geographical information science | Harish Kapadia | contributions to geographical discovery and mountaineering in the Himalayas | |
| 2002 | Bruno Messerli | mountain research and the public awareness of mountain issues | David Keeble | advancing knowledge in economic and industrial geography | |
| 2001 | William Graf | research on dryland river processes, and the interactions of science and public policy | Reinhold Messner | mountaineering and mountain regions | |
| 2000 | Brian Robson | urban geography and geographical perspectives to urban policy | Crispin Tickell GCMG KCVO | promoting the understanding of global environmental issues in governmental and wider public arena | |
| 1999 | Mike Kirkby | development of processed-based and modelling approaches in geomorphology | Doug Scott, CBE | mountaineering and the knowledge of mountain regions | |
| 1998 | Robert Bennett | David Drewry | |||
| 1997 | Tony Wrigley | David Rhind | |||
| 1996 | John Woods | John Thornes | |||
| 1995 | The Earl of Cranbrook | David Harvey | |||
| 1994 | Ronald Urwick Cooke | Ghillean Prance | |||
| 1993 | Kenneth Gregory | John Blashford-Snell | |||
| 1992 | Alan Wilson | Martin Holdgate | |||
| 1991 | Andrew Goudie | Helge and Anne Stine Ingstad | |||
| 1990 | John Hemming | Richard Leakey | |||
| 1989 | Monica Kristensen[5] | Keith Clayton | |||
| 1988 | Peter Hall | Nigel de Northrop Winser | |||
| 1987 | Anthony Laughton | Richard J Chorley | |||
| 1986 | Timothy Severin | Peter Haggett | |||
| 1985 | David Attenborough | Walter Smith | |||
| 1984 | Ranulph Fiennes | Pierre Gourou | |||
| 1983 | Peter Scott | John Young, NASA | |||
| 1982 | Michael Ward | Douglas Warren | |||
| 1981 | Keith J Miller | Valter Schytt | |||
| 1980 | William Richard Mead | Preston James | |||
| 1979 | David Stoddart | For contributions to geomorphology, the study of coral reefs and the history of academic Geography | Robin Hanbury-Tenison | For leadership of scientific expeditions, including the Mulu Expedition, and for his work on behalf of primitive peoples | |
| 1978 | Major-General R. Brown | For services to the science of map-making | Mieczysław Klimaszewski | For his contributions to geomorphology and international understanding in Geography | |
| 1977 | Michael John Wise | For economic Geography, and for his contributions to international understanding in geographical teaching | Kenneth Hare | For discoveries in Arctic Geography | |
| 1976 | Brian B. Roberts | For Polar exploration, and for contributions to Antarctic research and political negotiation | Edmund Irving | For services as Hydrographer of the Navy and for his encouragement of exploration | |
| 1975 | Laurence P. Kirwan | For contributions to the geographical history of the Nubian Nile valley and Eastern Africa, and for services to exploration | Joachim P. Kuettner | For explorations of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans | |
| 1974 | Christian J. S. Bonington | For mountain explorations | Gordon de Q. Robin | For polar research and exploration | |
| 1973 | Norman L. Falcon | Leader, the RGS's Musandam [North Oman] Expedition. For contributions to the geographical history of the Persian Gulf region | Edgar H. Thompson | of photogrammetry and surveying, University College London | |
| 1972 | George S. Ritchie | For hydrographical charting and oceanographical exploration | Michael D. Gwynne | Leader, the RGS's South Turkana (Kenya] Expedition | |
| 1971 | George Deacon | For oceanographical research and exploration | Charles Swithinbank | For glaciological research and exploration | |
| 1970 | Walter William Herbert | For Arctic and Antarctic exploration and surveys | Haroun Tazieff | For volcanological research and exploration |
| Date | Founder's Medal | Contribution | Patron's Medal | Contribution | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Rodolfo N. M. Panzarini | For services to Antarctic exploration and research and to international co-operation in Antarctic science | R. Thorsteinsson and E. T. Tozer | For contributions to exploration and economic development in the Canadian Arctic | |
| 1968 | W. Brian Harland | For Arctic exploration and research | Augusto Gansser | For geological exploration and mapping in the Himalaya | |
| 1967 | Claudio and Orlando Vilas Boas (two of the Villas-Bôas brothers) | For contributions to exploration and development in the Mato Grosso | Eduard Imhof | For contributions to cartography | |
| 1966 | E. J. H. Corner | For botanical exploration in North Borneo and the Solomon Islands | G. Hattersley-Smith | For glaciological investigations in the Canadian Arctic | |
| 1965 | Ernest F. Rootes | For Polar exploration and research, with special reference to the Canadian Arctic | Lester C. King | For geomorphological exploration in the Southern Hemisphere | |
| 1964 | L. S. B. Leakey | For palaeographical exploration and discoveries in East Africa | Thor Heyerdahl | For geographical explorations in the South Pacific Ocean | |
| 1963 | Jacques-Yves Cousteau | For underwater exploration and research | Albert P. Crary | For Antarctic research and exploration | |
| 1962 | Erwin McDonald, USN | For coastal explorations in the Bellingshausen Sea (Antarctica) | Tom Harrisson | Government Ethnologist and Curator Sarawak Museum, for explorations in Central Borneo | |
| 1961 | Mikhail M. Somov | For Antarctic exploration and research | John Bartholomew | Editor 'The Times Atlas of the World', for contributions to cartography | |
| 1960 | Phillip G. Law | For Antarctic exploration and research | Theodore Monod | For geographical exploration and research in the Sahara | |
| 1959 | W. R. Anderson, USN | For the first trans-Polar submarine voyage in command of USS Nautilus | Raymond Priestley | For services to Antarctic exploration | |
| 1958 | Paul A. Siple | For contributions to Antarctic exploration and research | Edmund Hillary | For Antarctic and Himalayan exploration | |
| 1957 | Ardito Desio | For geographical exploration and surveys in the Himalayas | George Binney | For contributions to Arctic exploration | |
| 1956 | John Giaever | Leader of the Norwegian-British-Swedish Antarctic Expedition, for contributions to Polar exploration | Charles Evans | For contributions to Himalayan exploration | |
| 1955 | John K. Wright | For services in the development of geographical research and exploration | C. J. W. Simpson | Leader of the British North Greenland Expedition | |
| 1954 | John Hunt | Leader of the British Mount Everest Expedition | Neil A. Mackintosh | For research and exploration in the Southern Ocean | |
| 1953 | P. D. Baird | For explorations in the Canadian Arctic | Eigil Knuth | For exploration in Northern Greenland ... and for his contributions to Eskimo archaeology | |
| 1952 | H. W. Tilman | For exploratory work among the mountains of East Africa and Central Asia | Paul-Emile Victor | For contributions to Polar exploration and for his geophysical investigations of the Greenland Icecap | |
| 1951 | Vivian E. Fuchs | For his contributions to Antarctic exploration and his research as leader of the survey 1948-50 | Donald Thomson | For geographical exploration and studies in Arnhem land | |
| 1950 | George F. Walpole | For contributions to the mapping of the Western Desert of Egypt | Harald Sverdrup | For contributions to polar exploration and for oceanographic investigations | |
| 1949 | L. Dudley Stamp | For his work in organising the Land Utilisation Survey of Great Britain and his application of Geography to National planning | Hans Pettersson | For his leadership of the recent oceanographical cruise in the Albatross | |
| 1948 | For exploration of Arabian deserts. | Thomas Henry Manning | For exploration and survey work in the Arctic | ||
| 1947 | Martin Hotine | For research work in Air Survey ... and for his cartographic work | Daniel van der Meulen | For exploratory journeys in the Hadhramaut and his contributions to the geography of Southern Arabia | |
| 1946 | Edward A. Glennie | For his work on geodesy in India and his contributions to mapping in the Far East | Henry A. Larsen, RCMP | For his achievement of the North West Passage from both west to east and east to west | |
| 1945 | Charles Camsell | For his contributions to the geology of the North | Halford Mackinder | For his long and distinguished service in the advancement of the science of Geography | |
| 1944 | No medals awarded | ||||
| 1943 | No medals awarded | ||||
| 1942 | Freya Stark | For her travels in the East and her account of them | Owen Lattimore | For his travels and studies in Central Asia | |
| 1941 | P. A. Clayton | For his surveys in the Libyan desert, and his application of his experience to desert warfare. | Isaiah Bowman | For his travels in South America and for his great services to the science of Geography | |
| 1940 | Mr. and Mrs. Harold Ingrams | For exploration and studies in the Hadhramaut | Alexander Glen | For his expeditions in Spitsbergen and North east Land | |
| 1939 | Arthur Mortimer Champion | For his surveys of the Turkana Province (Kenya) and the volcanoes south of Lake Rudolf | Hans Ahlmann | For exploration and glaciological studies in the Arctic | |
| 1938 | John Rymill | For the valuable scientific work of his British Grahamland Expedition | Eric Shipton | For his most distinguished record of mountain climbing | |
| 1937 | C. G. Lewis | For surveys in Iraq, Syria and the Irrawaddy Delta, and for his work on the Afghan and Turco-Iraq BoundaryCommissions | Lincoln Ellsworth | For his work in developing the technique of aerial navigation in the Polar regions, culminating in his successful flight across the Antarctic | |
| 1936 | G. W. Murray | For explorations and surveys in the deserts of Sinai and Eastern Egypt, and his studies of the Badawin tribes | R. E. Cheesman | For explorations and surveys of the Blue Nile and Lake Tana | |
| 1935 | R. A. Bagnold | For journeys in the Libyan Desert | Willi Rickmer Rickmers | For long-continued travels in the Caucasus, culminating in his leadership of the Alai-Pamir Russo-GermanExpedition in 1928 | |
| 1934 | Hugh Ruttledge | For his journeys in the Himalayas and his leadership of the Mount Everest Expedition, 1933 | Ejnar Mikkelsen | For exploration in the Arctic and his work in Eskimo resettlement in Greenland | |
| 1933 | J. M. Wordie | For work in Polar explorations | Erich von Drygalski | For researches in glaciology in the Arctic and Antarctic | |
| 1932 | Henry George Watkins | For his work in the Arctic Regions, especially as leader of the British Arctic Air Route Expedition | The Duke of Spoleto | For work in the Himalaya | |
| 1931 | Bertram Thomas | For geographical work in Arabia and his successful crossing of the Rub al Khali | Richard E. Byrd, USN | For his expedition to the Antarctic ... and for his flights overboth North and South Poles. | |
| 1930 | F. Kingdon-Ward | For geographical exploration, and work on botanical distribution in China and Tibet | Carsten E. Borchgrevink | For his pioneer Antarctic Expedition, which was first to winter in the Antarctic, to travel on the Ross Barrier and to obtain proof of its recession | |
| 1929 | Francis Rennell Rodd | For his journeys in the Sahara and his studies of the Tuareg people | C. H. Karius | For his crossing in Papua from the Fly River to the Sepik | |
| 1928 | Tom Longstaff | For long-continued geographical work in the Himalaya | G. H. Wilkins | For his many years’ systematic work in Polar Regions, culminating in his remarkable flight from Point Barrow to Spitsbergen | |
| 1927 | Kenneth Mason | For his connection between the surveys of India and Russian Turkestan, and his leadership of the Shakshagam Expedition | Lauge Koch | For his very remarkable six years’ exploration of Northern Greenland | |
| 1926 | E. F. Norton | For his distinguished leadership of the 1924 British Mount Everest Expedition and his ascent to 28,100 feet | Edgeworth David | For his work on the Funafuti atoll and for his leadership of the first ascent of Mount Erebus | |
| 1925 | Charles G. Bruce | For lifelong geographical work in the exploration of the Himalaya ... and his leadership of the Mount Everest Expedition of 1922 | A. F. R. Wollaston | For his journeys in Central Africa and Dutch New Guinea | |
| 1924 | Ahmed Hassanein Bey | For his journey to Kufara and Darfur | Frank Wild | For his long services to Antarctic exploration. | |
| 1923 | Knud Rasmussen | For exploration and research in the Arctic regions | Miles Cater Smith | For explorations in the unknown interior of Papua | |
| 1922 | C. K. Howard-Bury | For his distinguished services in command of the Mount Everest Expedition | E. de Koven Leffingwell | For surveys and investigations on the coast of Northern Alaska | |
| 1921 | Vilhjalmur Stefansson | For his distinguished services in the exploration of the Arctic Ocean | Robert Bourgeois (French) | For his long and eminent services to Geography and Geodesy | |
| 1920 | H. St. John B. Philby | For his two journeys in South Central Arabia | Jovan Cvijic | For his distinguished studies of the geography of the Baltic Peninsula | |
| 1919 | E. M. Jack | For his geographical work on the Western Front | William Davis | For his eminence in the development of Physical Geography | |
| 1918 | Gertrude Bell | For her important explorations and travels in Asia Minor, Syria, Arabia and on the Euphrates | Jean Tilho | For his long-continued surveys and explorations in Northern Africa | |
| 1917 | D. G. Hogarth | For explorations in Asiatic Turkey | C. G. Rawling | For explorations in Western Tibet and New Guinea | |
| 1916 | Percy H. Fawcett | For his contributions to the mapping of South America | F. M. Bailey | For explorations on the border of India and Tibet ... and especially for tracing the course of the Tsang-po-Brahmaputra | |
| 1915 | Douglas Mawson | For leading the Australian Antarctic Expedition which achieved highly important scientific results | Filippo de Filippi | For his great expedition to the Karakoram and Eastern Turkestan | |
| 1914 | Albrecht Penck | For his advancement of almost every branch of scientific geography, and in particular his idea of an International map of the world on the millionth scale | Hamilton Rice | For his meritorious work on the head waters of the Orinoco and the Northern tributaries of the Amazon | |
| 1913 | Not awarded | An inscribed casket was presented to Lady Scott containing the Patron's Medal and the Special Antarctic Medal awarded to her late husband. | E. A. Wilson (posthumous) | For his excellent work in the study of the zoology of the Antarctic ... and for his skill as an artist | |
| 1912 | Charles Montagu Doughty | For his remarkable exploration in Northern Arabia, and for his classic work in which the results were described | Douglas Carruthers | For important expeditions to Ruwenzori, Turkestan, Arabia and Mongolia | |
| 1911 | P. K. Kozloff | For explorations in the Gobi desert, Northern Tibet and Mongolia | J. B. Charcot | For his important expeditions to the Antarctic, during which he conducted investigations of high scientific value in geology, meteorology, magnetic conditions and biology | |
| 1910 | H. H. Godwin-Austen | For geographical discoveries and surveys along the North-eastern frontier of India, especially his pioneer exploring in the Karakoram | William Speirs Bruce | For explorations in the Arctic and Antarctic | |
| 1909 | M. A. Stein | For his extensive explorations in Central Asia, and in particular his archaeological work | M. G. Talbot | For the large amount of excellent survey work done by him on the Afghan frontier and in the Sudan | |
| 1908 | Boyd Alexander | For his three years’ journey across Africa from the Niger to the Nile | The Prince of Monaco | For oceanographical studies off the coast of Spitsbergen | |
| 1907 | Francisco Moreno | For extensive explorations in the Patagonian Andes | Roald Amundsen | For his daring voyage for the purposes of research in the region of the North Magnetic Pole, and for his first accomplishment by any vessel of the famous North-West Passage | |
| 1906 | Alfred Grandidier | The veteran French savant who for forty years has devoted himself to the exploration of Madagascar, and for his monumental work on the island in 52 large quarto volumes | Robert Bell | Who during forty-five years of field work has mapped an immense area of Canada previously unknown | |
| 1905 | Martin Conway | For explorations in the mountain regions of Spitsbergen | C. H. D. Ryder | For his survey of Yunnan and his work in connection with the Tibet Mission | |
| 1904 | Harry Johnston | For his many valuable services towards the exploration of Africa | Robert Falcon Scott | For services as leader or the National Antarctic Expedition, and for his great sledge journey to 82° 17′ S | |
| 1903 | Douglas Freshfield | In recognition of his valuable contributions to our knowledge of the Caucasus | Otto Sverdrup | For important discoveries in Jones Sound and for the important part he played as captain of the Fram during Nansen’s famous expedition | |
| 1902[6] | Frederick Lugard | For persistent attention to African Geography | Percy Molesworth Sykes | For journeys in Persia and for the support given by him to native explorers | |
| 1901 | The Duke of the Abruzzi | For his journey to the summit of Mount St Elias, and for his Arctic voyage in the Stella Polare | Donaldson Smith | For a memorable journey across the unknown parts of Lake Rudolf and the Omo | |
| Date | Founder's Medal | Contribution | Patron's Medal | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | H. H. P. Deasy | For exploring and survey work in Central Asia | James McCarthy | For great services to geographical science in exploring and mapping all parts of the kingdom of Siam |
| 1899 | G. L. Binger | For valuable work within the great bend of the Niger | Fernand Foureau | For continuous exploration in the Sahara |
| 1898 | Sven Hedin | For important exploring work in Central Asia | Robert E. Peary, USN | For explorations in Northern Greenland, and especially for discovering the northern termination of the Greenland ice |
| 1897 | P. Semenoff | For his long-continued efforts in promoting Russian exploration in Central Asia | George Mercer Dawson | For exploration in the North West Territories and Alaska |
| 1896 | William MacGregor | For services to geography in British New Guinea, in exploring, mapping and giving information on the natives | St. George Littledale | For important journeys in the Pamirs and Central Asia |
| 1895 | John Murray | For services to physical geography, especially oceanography, and for his work on board the Challenger | George Curzon | For travels and researches in Persia, French Indo-China, the Hindu Kush, and Pamirs |
| 1894 | H. Bower | For his remarkable journey across Tibet, from west to east | Elisée Reclus | For eminent services rendered to Geography as the author of La Nouvelle Géographie Universelle |
| 1893 | Frederick Selous | In recognition of twenty years' exploration and surveys in South Africa | William Woodville Rockhill | For his travels and explorations in Western China and Tibet |
| 1892 | Alfred Russel Wallace | The well-known naturalist and traveller and co-discoverer with Charles Darwin of the theory of natural selection, in recognition of the high geographical value of his great works | Edward Whymper | For his route-map and detailed survey among the Great Andes of the Equator |
| 1891 | James Hector | For investigations pursued as Naturalist to the Palliser expedition | Fridtjof Nansen | For having been first to cross the inland ice of Greenland ... as well as for his qualities as a scientific geographer |
| 1890 | Emin Pasha | For the great services he rendered to Geography during his twelve years' administration of the Equatorial Province of Egypt | F. E. Younghusband | For his journey from Manchuria and Pekin to Kashmir, and especially for his route-surveys and topographical notes |
| 1889 | A. D. Carey | For his remarkable journey in Central Asia during which he travelled 4,750 miles through regions never visited by an Englishman | G. Radde | For a life devoted to the promotion of Scientific Geography |
| 1888 | Clements R. Markham | In acknowledgment or the value or his numerous contributions to geographical literature ... on his retirement from the Secretaryship of the Society after 25 years' service | H. Wissmann | In recognition of his great achievements as an explorer in Central Africa |
| 1887 | T. H. Holdich | For zeal and devotion in carrying out surveys of Afghanistan | G. Grenfell | For extensive explorations in the Cameroons and Congo |
| 1886 | A. W. Greely | For having so considerably added to our knowledge of the shores of the Polar Sea and the interior of Grinnell Land | Guido Cora | For important services as a writer and cartographer |
| 1885 | Joseph Thomson | For his zeal, promptitude and success during two expeditions into East Central Africa | H. E. O’Neill | For his 13 journeys of exploration along the coast and into the interior of Mozambique |
| 1884 | A. R. Colquhoun | For his journey from Canton to the Irrawadi | Julius von Haast | For his extensive explorations in the Southern Island of New Zealand |
| 1883 | Joseph Hooker | For eminent services to scientific geography | E. Colborne Baber | For scientific works during his many exploratory journeys in the interior of China |
| 1882 | Gustav Nachtigal | For his journeys through the Eastern Sahara | John Kirk | For unremitting services to Geography, as a naturalist, as second-in-command to Livingstone, and as H.M.Consul-General at Zanzibar |
| 1881 | Serpa Pinto | For his journey across Africa ... during which he explored 500 miles of new country | Benjamin Leigh Smith | For important discoveries along the coast of Franz-Josef Land |
| 1880 | A. Louis Palander | For his services in connection with the Swedish Arctic Expeditions in the Vega | Ernest Giles | For his explorations and surveys in Australia |
| 1879 | N. Prejevalsky | For successive expeditions and route-surveys in Mongolia and the high plateau of Northern Tibet | N. W. J. Gill[7] | For important work along the Northern frontier of Persia |
| 1878 | Ferdinand von Richthofen | For his extensive travels and scientific explorations in China | Henry Trotter | For services to Geography which resulted in the connection of the Trigonometrical Survey of India with Russian Surveys from Siberia |
| 1877 | George Nares | For having commanded the Arctic Expedition of 1875–6, during which ships and sledge parties reached a higher Northern latitude than had previously been attained | Nain Singh | For his great journeys and surveys in Tibet and along the Upper Brahmaputra, during which he determined the position of Lhasa and added largely to our knowledge of the map of Asia |
| 1876 | Verney Lovett Cameron | For his journey across Africa from Zanzibar to Benguela, and his survey of Lake Tanganyika | John Forrest | For his numerous successful explorations in Western Australia |
| 1875 | Karl Weyprecht | For his enterprise and ability in command of expeditions to Spitsbergen and Nova Zembla | Julius Payer | For explorations and discoveries in the Arctic regions |
| 1874 | Georg Schweinfurth | For his explorations in Africa | P. Egerton Warburton | For his successful journey across the previously unknown western interior of Australia |
| 1873 | Ney Elias | For his enterprise and ability in surveying the course of the Yellow River, and for his journey through Western Mongolia | Henry Morton Stanley | For his Relief of Livingstone, and for bringing his valuable journal and papers to England |
| 1872 | Henry Yule | For eminent services to geography | Robert B. Shaw | For journeys in Eastern Turkistan, and for his extensive astronomical and hypsometrical observations |
| 1871 | Roderick Murchison | Who for 40 years watched over the (Royal Geographical) Society with more than paternal solicitude, and has at length placed it among the foremost of our scientific societies | A. Keith Johnston | For distinguished services in the promotion of physical geography |
| 1870 | George W. Hayward | For his journey into Eastern Turkistan, and for reaching the Pamir Steppe | Francis Garnier | For his extensive surveys ... from Cambodia to the Yangtze-kiang ... and for bringing his expedition to safety after the death of his chief |
| 1869 | A. E. Nordenskiöld | For designing and carrying out the Swedish expeditions to Spitsbergen ... whereby great additions have beenmade to our acquittance with zoology, botany, geology and meteorology | Mary Somerville | Who throughout her very long life has been eminently distinguished by her proficiency in those branches ofscience which form the basis of Physical Geography |
| 1868 | Augustus Petermann | For his important services as a Writer and Cartographer | Gerhard Rohlfs | For his extensive travels in the interior of Northern Africa ... and especially for his traverse of the continent from Tripoli to Lagos |
| 1867 | Alexis Boutakoff | For being first to launch and navigate ships in the Sea of Aral ... and for his survey of the mouths of the Oxus | Isaac Hayes | For his expedition towards the open Polar Sea |
| 1866 | Thomas Thomson | For his researches in the Western Himalayas and Tibet | William Chandless | For his Survey of the River Purus in South America |
| 1865 | T. G. Montgomerie | For his great trigonometrical journey from the plains of the Punjab to the Karakoram Range | Samuel Baker | For his vigorous explorations in the interior of Africa |
| 1864 | J. A. Grant | For his journey across Eastern Equatorial Africa with Captain Speke | Carl von der Decken | For his geographical surveys of Kilimandjaro |
| 1863 | Francis Thomas Gregory | For successful explorations in Western Australia | John Arrowsmith | For the very important services (in cartography) he has rendered to geographical science |
| 1862 | Robert O'Hara Burke | In remembrance of that gallant explorer who with his companion Wills, perished after having traversed the continent of Australia | Thomas Blakiston | For his survey of the Yangtze-kiang |
| 1861 | John Hanning Speke | For his eminent geographical discoveries in Africa, and especially his discovery of the great lake Victoria Nyanza | John McDouall Stuart | For very remarkable explorations in the interior of Australia |
| 1860 | Lady Franklin | For self-sacrificing perseverance in sending out expeditions to ascertain the fate of her husband | Leopold McClintock | For the skill and fortitude displayed by him and his companion in their search for records of the lost [Franklin] expedition and for valuable coast surveys |
| 1859 | Richard Francis Burton | For his various exploratory enterprises, and especially for his perilous expedition with Captain. J. H. Speke to the great lakes in Eastern Africa | John Palliser | for the valuable results of his explorations in the Rocky Mountains of North America |
| 1858 | Richard Collinson | For discoveries in the Arctic Regions | Alexander Bache | For extensive and accurate surveys of America |
| 1857 | Augustus C. Gregory | For extensive and important explorations in Western and Northern Australia | Andrew Scott Waugh | For geodetical operations, as remarkable for their extent as for their accuracy, whereby [India] has been covered by triangulation |
| 1856 | Elisha Kent Kane | For services and discoveries in the Polar Regions during the American Expeditions in search of Sir John Franklin | Heinrich Barth | For his extensive explorations in Central Africa, his excursions about Lake Chad and his perilous journey to Timbuctu |
| 1855 | David Livingstone | For his recent explorations in Africa | Charles John Andersson | For travels in South Western Africa |
| 1854 | William Henry Smyth | For his valuable Maritime Surveys in the Mediterranean | Robert McClure | For his remarkable exertions ... in navigating his ship through the ice of the Polar Seas, and for his discovery of the North West Passage |
| 1853 | Francis Galton | For fitting out and conducting an expedition to explore the centre of Southern Africa | E. A. Inglefield | For his enterprising survey of the coasts of Baffin Bay, Smith Sound and Lancaster Sound |
| 1852 | John Rae | For his survey of Boothia under most severe privations ... and for his very important contributions to the Geography of the Arctic | Henry Strachey | For extensive explorations and surveys in Western Tibet |
| 1851 | George Wallin | For his interesting and important travels in Arabia | Thomas Brunner | For meritorious labours in exploring the Middle Island (South Island) of New Zealand |
| 1850 | Not awarded; a Chronometer Watch presented to David Livingstone | For his journey to the great lake of Ngami | John Charles Frémont of the U.S. Topographical Engineers | For his important geographical labours in the far West of the American Continent |
| 1849 | Austen Henry Layard | For important contributions to Asiatic Geography, interesting researches in Mesopotamia, and for his discovery of the remains of Nineveh | Charles von Hugel | For his enterprising exploration of Cashmere (Kashmir) |
| 1848 | James Brooke | For his expedition to Borneo, and the zeal he has shown in promoting geographical discovery | Charles Wilkes, USN | For the talent and perseverance he displayed in a voyage in the Antarctic regions ... and for splendid scientific work |
| 1847 | Charles Sturt | For explorations in Australia, and especially for his journey fixing the limit of Lake Torrens and penetrating into the heart of the continent to lat. 24° 30'S, long. 138° 0'E | Ludwig Leichhardt | For explorations in Australia, especially for his journey from Moreton Bay to Port Essington. |
| 1846 | P. E. de Strzelecki | For exploration in the south eastern portion of Australia | A. von Middendorff | For explorations in Northern and Eastern Siberia |
| 1845 | Charles Beke | For his exploration in Abyssinia | Carl Ritter | For his important geographical labours |
| 1844 | W. J. Hamilton | For valuable researches in Asia Minor | Adolph Erman | For important geographical labours in Siberia and Kamstchatka |
| 1843 | Edward John Eyre | For his enterprising and extensive explorations in Australia, under circumstances of peculiar difficulty | Lieut. John Frederick A. Symonds | For his triangulation over Palestine and for his determination of the difference between the level of the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea |
| 1842 | James Clark Ross | For his brilliant achievement at the South Pole, to within less than 12° of which he safely navigated his vessels, discovering a great Antarctic continent | Edward Robinson | For his valuable work Biblical Researches in Palestine, Mount Sinai and Arabia |
| 1841 | H. Raper | For excellent work on Practical Navigation and Nautical Astronomy | John Wood | For his journey to the source of the Oxus and for valuable labours on the Indus |
| 1840 | Henry Rawlinson | For researches in Persian Guayana | Robert H. Schomburgk | For his perseverance and success in exploring the territory and investigating the resources of British Guyana |
| 1839 | Thomas Simpson | For tracing the hitherto unexplored coast of North America | Eduard Rüppell | For his travels and researches in Nubia, Arabia and Abyssinia |
| 1838 | Francis Rawdon Chesney | For valuable materials in comparative and physical geography in Syria, Mesopotamia and the delta of Susiana | ||
| 1837 | Robert Fitzroy | For his survey of the coasts of South America, from the Rio de la Plata to Guayaquil in Peru | ||
| 1836 | George Back | For his recent discoveries in the Arctic, and his memorable journey down the Great Fish River | ||
| 1835 | Alexander Burnes | For his remarkable and important journeys through Persia | ||
| 1834 | John Ross | For his discovery of Boothia Felix and King William Land and for his famous sojourn of four winters in the Arctic | ||
| 1833 | John Biscoe | For his discovery of Graham's Land and Enderby's Land in the Antarctic | ||
| 1832 | Richard Lander | For important services in determining the course and termination of the Niger | First award |