Royal served for two months (November 2009-January 2010) as the 32nd Mayor of Birmingham, Alabama occupying the office in the absence of former mayor Larry Langford who was removed following a criminal conviction in a federal corruption case.
[1] Royal was born and raised in Birmingham and held elected office early in life, as student council president at Carrie A. Tuggle Elementary School.
[2] During the first implementation of Birmingham's Community Participation Program, Royal served as a youth member of the Fountain Heights Neighborhood Association.
He later was elected secretary of the East Thomas Neighborhood Association, serving two terms.
Among the initiatives he has developed are the securing of bond funds to extend sewer service to underserved communities, a program to provide breakfast bars to elementary school students, and a campaign for public-sponsored in-school dental care.