Fellows of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland are the individuals who have been elected by the Council of the Royal Asiatic Society to further "the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science literature and the arts in relation to Asia". Fellows are entitled to use the honorific post-nominal letters F.R.A.S.
The Society was established in London in 1823 and received its Royal Charter from King George IV the following year. Since then, the Society has been a forum, through lectures, its journal, and other publications, for scholarship relating to Asian Studies of the highest level. The Royal Asiatic Society is the United Kingdom's senior learned society in Asian Studies, and is patronised by His Royal Highness The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales. At present the Society has about 700 Fellows, of whom half live abroad, and many of whom are highly accomplished and notable scholars of Asian Studies.