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The United Kingdom (UK) was the scene of early efforts to promote male circumcision. It influenced the adoption of male circumcision in other English-speaking nations. Later it was the scene of efforts to reduce and eliminate the practice.

While Jews reding in the UK practiced ritual circumcision of boys on the eighth day of life in accordance with the Abrahamic covenant, the practice was nearly unknown among gentiles.

Introduction of circumcision as a medical practice

French physician Claude-François Lallemand (1790 – 1854) recommended circumcision as a treatment for spermatorrhea (excessive, involuntary ejaculation), which was then believed to be a disease. Lallemand influenced later English physicians such as William Acton.

Edward H. Dixon (1845) advocated circumcision to prevent masturbation.

Sir Jonathan Hutchinson (1828 – 1913) was an English surgeon, dermatologist, ophthalmologist, pathologist and venereologist. Darby describes Hutchinson as a puritanical and gloomy Quaker who disapproved of masturbation on moral grounds. Sir Jonathan advocated circumcision to prevent syphilis.

Nathaniel Heckford, a pediatrician at the East London Hospital for Children, wrote Circumcision as a Remedial Measure in Certain Cases of Epilepsy, Chorea, etc. (1865), in which he argued that circumcision acted as an effective remedial measure in the prevention of certain cases of epilepsy and chorea.

Sir Jonathan Hutchinson started to promote circumcision to prevent masturbation in 1890. He first published A Plea for Circumcison,, followed by On circumcision as a preventive of masturbation.

Sir Jonathan was not yet done. He published yet another article On Circumcision in 1893.

Sir Frederick Treves (1853 – 1923), a prominent Harley Street surgeon, who is known to us by The Elephant Man film, wrote an operative manual in 1903 to educate other surgeons in the performance of the circumcision amputation. The practice of male circumcision was now well established in the United Kingdom.

The royal family and circumcision

There is a long-standing legend or legends about the royal family and its alleged practice of male circumcision that has long been circulated in the print media and orally. According to the legend:

Queen Victoria believed that she was descended from the Jewish King David of the Bible. She had her sons circumcised in accordance with Jewish practice. After Queen Victoria's death succeeding generations of the royal family continued the practice.

Both Edward VIII, later Duke of Windsor, and Prince Charles were ritually circumcised by Dr. Jacob Snowman, a medical doctor and mohel. The practice ended when Prince Charles and Princess Diana had children. Princess Diana objected to the practice, so Princes William and Harry were not circumcised. Prince George also was not circumcised.

Robert Darby and John Cozijn thoroughly investigated the legend and were unable to verify any of it. Moreover, they showed evidence that it cannot be true.

Although this long standing legend cannot be proved to be true, it was generally believed to be true. It is probable therefore, that many parents had their sons circumcised because the royal family was believed to do it.