Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc
Preferred stock, liquidation value (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Preferred stock, shares authorized (in shares)	500,000	500,000
Preferred stock, shares issued (in shares)	30,407	30,407
Preferred stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	30,407	30,407
Common Class A [Member]
Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 2.00	$ 2.00
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares)	18,000,000	18,000,000
Common stock, shares issued (in shares)	11,361,580	11,355,466
Treasury stock, shares (in shares)	498,488	498,488
Common Class B [Member]
Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.10	$ 0.10
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares)	3,000,000	3,000,000
Common stock, shares issued (in shares)	2,081,371	2,086,689