Queen to step down as Patron of 25 organisations
Melanie May | 24 December 2016 | News
The Queen will step down as Patron of 25 national organisations including Save the Children UK, Barnardo’s, and NSPCC at the end of her 90th year, Buckingham Palace has announced.
Queen Elizabeth II is currently Patron of 600 organisations, and will pass the 25 patronages to other members of the Royal Family. The decision follows The Duke of Edinburgh’s example, who also stepped down from a number of patronages when he turned 90 in 2011.
It has already been announced that HRH The Duchess of Cambridge is to take over the Queen’s patronage of Action for Children. The Duchess has a link with the charity, having visited two of its services, Cape Hill Children’s Centre and Sandwell Family Partners in Birmingham early last year. The Queen had been Patron of the charity since 1967, when it was National Children’s Home.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge at Action for Children’s Cape Hill Children’s Centre in Smethwick, West Midlands in February 2015
Sir Tony Hawkhead, chief executive at Action for Children, said:
“Everyone at Action for Children is thrilled to have received confirmation that HRH The Duchess of Cambridge will take over patronage of the charity from Her Majesty The Queen. It is a great honour to begin what I am sure will be a long association with a member of the Royal Family with whom we already have a relationship following visits to some of our services in 2015.
The full list of patronages to be passed on is as follows:
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- Holocaust Memorial Day Trust
- Royal Institution of Great Britain
- Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
- Battersea Dogs Home
- Barnardo’s
- Royal School of Needlework
- Royal African Society
- Welsh Rugby Union
- Amateur Swimming Association
- Action for Children
- All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) Wimbledon
- Lawn Tennis Association (LTA)
- Blind Veterans UK
- Rugby Football Union
- Rugby Football League
- Edinburgh International Festival
- Sport and Recreation Alliance
- British Cycling Federation
- NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children)
- Royal Navy and Royal Marines Children’s Fund
- British Science Association
- Institution of Civil Engineers
- Animal Health Trust
- Royal Geographical Society
- Save the Children UK
HRH Queen Elizabeth II at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in 2015
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has thanked the Queen for her 60 years of patronage to the charity, which has seen her visit the London centre twice, in 1991 and 2015, as well as Battersea’s Windsor centre in 1986. Battersea has had connection with the Royal Family since Queen Victoria became its first Royal Patron in 1885.
Claire Horton, Battersea chief executive said:
“The Royal Family has been closely connected with Battersea for well over a century, and we feel immensely honoured to have had The Queen’s patronage for so many years. As a life-long dog lover, and supporter of so many charities, The Queen has a very special place in the hearts of all our staff and volunteers, many of whom have been lucky enough to have met Her Majesty on one of her visits to our centres.”
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.