<PAGE>
                                   EXHIBIT 23

              CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

    We issued our report dated January 17, 2003, accompanying the consolidated
financial statements incorporated by reference in the Annual Report of Royal
Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc. and Subsidiaries on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2002. We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference
of said report in the Company's Registration Statements on Form S-8 (File No.
333-25855).



/s/ Grant Thornton, LLP
----------------------------
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
March 26, 2003




<PAGE>
                                 CERTIFICATION


    I, Joseph P. Campbell, Chief Executive Officer, certify that:

        1.     I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Royal
               Bancshares of Pennsylvania;

        2.     Based on my knowledge, the annual report does not contain any
               untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
               fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the
               circumstance under which such statements were made, not
               misleading with respect to the period covered by this annual
               report;

        3.     Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other
               financial information included in the Report, fairly present in
               all material respects the financial condition, results of
               operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the
               periods presented in this annual report;

        4.     The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible
               for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and
               procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14)
               for the registrant and we have:

               (a)     designed such disclosure controls and procedures to
                       ensure that material information relating to the
                       registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is
                       made known to us by others within those entities,
                       particularly during the period in which this annual
                       report is being prepared:

               (b)     evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's
                       disclosure controls and procedures as of date within 90
                       days prior to filling date of this annual report(the
                       Evaluation Date); and

               (c)     presented in this annual report our conclusions about
                       the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
                       procedures based on our evaluation as of the Evaluation
                       Date;

        5.     The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed,
               based on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's
               auditors and the audit committee of registrant's board of
               directors (or persons performing the equivalent function):

               (a)     all significant deficiencies in the design or operation
                       of internal controls which could adversely affect the
                       registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and
                       report financial data and have identified for the
                       registrant's auditors any material weaknesses in
                       internal controls; and

               (b)     any fraud, whether or not material, that involves
                       management or other employees who have a significant
                       role in the registrant's internal controls; and

        6.     The registrant's other certifying officer and I have indicated
               in this annual report whether or not there were significant
               changes in internal controls or in other factors that could
               significantly affect internal controls subsequent to date their
               evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to
               significant deficiencies and material weakness.



Dated: March 27, 2003


/s/ Joseph P. Campbell
----------------------------
Chief Executive Officer



<PAGE>
                                 CERTIFICATION


    I, Jeffrey T. Hanuscin, Chief Financial Officer, certify that:

        1.     I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Royal
               Bancshares of Pennsylvania;

        1.     Based on my knowledge, the annual report does not contain any
               untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
               fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the
               circumstance under which such statements were made, not
               misleading with respect to the period covered by this annual
               report;

        2.     Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other
               financial information included in the Report, fairly present in
               all material respects the financial condition, results of
               operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the
               periods presented in this annual report;

        3.     The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible
               for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and
               procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14)
               for the registrant and we have:

               a)      designed such disclosure controls and procedures to
                       ensure that material information relating to the
                       registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is
                       made known to us by others within those entities,
                       particularly during the period in which this annual
                       report is being prepared:

               b)      evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's
                       disclosure controls and procedures as of date within 90
                       days prior to filling date of this annual report(the
                       Evaluation Date); and

               c)      presented in this annual report our conclusions about
                       the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
                       procedures based on our evaluation as of the Evaluation
                       Date;

        4.     The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed,
               based on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's
               auditors and the audit committee of registrant's board of
               directors (or persons performing the equivalent function):

               a)      all significant deficiencies in the design or operation
                       of internal controls which could adversely affect the
                       registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and
                       report financial data and have identified for the
                       registrant's auditors any material weaknesses in
                       internal controls; and

               b)      any fraud, whether or not material, that involves
                       management or other employees who have a significant
                       role in the registrant's internal controls; and

        5.     The registrant's other certifying officer and I have indicated
               in this annual report whether or not there were significant
               changes in internal controls or in other factors that could
               significantly affect internal controls subsequent to date their
               evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to
               significant deficiencies and material weakness.



Dated: March 27, 2003

/s/ Jeffrey T. Hanuscin
----------------------------
Chief Financial Officer