Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA) was named after Queen Victoria's second son, His Royal Highness Prince Alfred, later Duke of Edinburgh.

During a visit to Australia in 1868 Prince Alfred was the victim of an assassination attempt while on a picnic in the northern Sydney suburb of Clontarf.

Australians opened a public subscription fund to build a hospital as a memorial to his safe recovery. The Prince authorised his coat of arms to be used as the new hospital's crest. King Edward VII granted the hospital its Royal prefix in 1902.

RPA opened as a 146-bed hospital and received its first patients in 1882 at the Missenden Road site. During that year 1069 patients were admitted.

Now widely acknowledged for its tradition of medical innovation and leadership, RPA is responsible for producing many of the country's top clinicians. Its national and international reputation for excellence has long been established through the efforts of staff in patient care, teaching, research and support services, making it one of the State's premier tertiary referral hospitals.

To learn more, please visit the RPA Museum. The museum showcases themes related to nursing, medicine, and social history. The museum’s two display rooms are situated in original 1941 heritage listed operating theatres. Our archival records span 1868 to the present.