The present hospital was opened in 1973, although it was originally established in 1818, approximately five miles east, in central London.

[2] The hospital hosts the largest and oldest gender identity clinic in the country, with 150 operations performed annually.

The then Duke of York and Albany was asked to become patron; he accepted, and the hospital was thenceforth known as the Royal West London Infirmary.

[4] In 1821, the infirmary was reaching capacity, treating nearly 10,000 patients a year, so a new site was found, at 28 Villiers Street, near Charing Cross in the heart of the metropolis.

Plans were drawn up by architect Decimus Burton in 1830 and a site was found, just off the Strand (at what is today Agar Street).

The hospital itself was completed in January 1834, at a total cost of £20,000, and in October of that year, the 22 medical students were transferred from Villiers Street to the new building.

When King's College London opened, it needed a medical school and offered Charing Cross a substantial amount of money to train their students.

Dr Golding was opposed to the idea and in 1839, after several years of negotiation, King's College decided to set up their own medical school.

[4] With the advent of the Blitz in 1940, the hospital staff, students, equipment and patients were moved to Chaulden House, Boxmoor, Hertfordshire.

The design was notable for the lack of lifts to meet the capacity required to move patients around in their beds.

[19] In 2009, the centre was visited by Michelle Obama and in October was given the 2009 Stirling Prize from the Royal Institute of British Architects.