at Devonport, his last naval appointment. On 1 January 1926, he succeeded Sir James Olive as Assistant Commissioner "A" and Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. In March 1926, he retired from the Royal Navy on promotion to rear-admiral. On 3 June 1929, he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the Metropolitan Police Centenary Honours, and in the same year was made an ADC to the King. On 23 May 1930, he was promoted to vice-admiral on the Retired List. Royds died suddenly while still in office as assistant commissioner, and while acting as commissioner during General Byng's absence on sick leave. He suffered a heart attack while attending a rehearsal of the Strauss Ball at the Savoy Hotel and was rushed to Charing Cross Hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival. Royds was a very large man, standing well over six feet tall. In 1918, he married the widowed Mary Louisa Blane, a former actress. They had a daughter named Minna Mary Jessica Royds. Footnotes External links Photographic portrait of Royds in the National Portrait Gallery Assistant Commissioners of Police of the Metropolis Deputy Commissioners of Police of the Metropolis 1876 births 1931 deaths Captains and Commandants of the Royal Naval College, Osborne Royal Navy admirals Explorers of Antarctica Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George People from Rochdale People educated at Eastman's Royal Naval Academy Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society Military personnel from Lancashire Royal Navy personnel of World War I