Buckingham Palace Announces Major Review of Royal Patronages

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When Queen Elizabeth died, she was patron of 492 organizations and the new King Charles and Queen Camilla already had hundreds of patronages of their own. So it was decided that a review needed to take place, which Buckingham Palace has announced today is now completed.

"Following His Majesty The King's Accession in September 2022, a major review of more than 1,000 Royal Patronages and charity Presidencies has been undertaken," the Palace said in a statement today. "To mark the first anniversary of Their Majesties' Coronation, the conclusions will be shared with relevant organisations in the coming week." Many of Queen Elizabeth's patronages have been taken on by the King and Queen or other royals. The King and Queen have also retained many of their existing patronages. However, the streamlining had also meant that several charities and organizations have now lost their royal patronage.

Buckingham Palace said today that of the late Queen's 492 organizations, 376 are being retained by a royal. More than 440 organizations affiliated with the King as Prince of Wales were reviewed and 367 have either been kept by him or passed to another royal. Of 100 organizations affiliated with the Queen as Duchess of Cornwall, 91 have been kept by her or passed to another member of the family. The Palace is not giving details of the relinquished organizations but emphasized that it was not possible to take forward every patronage considered.

The role of a royal patron is to highlight the work of a charity or organization and help promote their message. The decision to narrow down the number of patronages is another reminder that the royal family now has a reduced number of working royals compared to previous years. When Prince Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal life their royal patronages were returned to Queen Elizabeth, and Prince Andrew's were also returned after it became clear that he would never be reinstated as a working royal.

Organizations who will be among those hearing the news via letter that they still have a royal patron include the Dogs Trust, the Samaritans, Royal British Legion, the Army Benevolent Fund and the Jockey Club. "Of the charities held as Prince of Wales, His Majesty will retain patronages which highlight causes including supporting communities, conservation and culture," the Palace said today. Among the roles that Queen Camilla has taken on is President of the Sandringham branch of the Women's Institute.

Town & Country Contributing Editor Victoria Murphy has reported on the British Royal Family since 2010. She has interviewed Prince Harry and has travelled the world covering several royal tours. She is a frequent contributor to Good Morning America. Victoria authored Town & Country book The Queen: A Life in Pictures, released in 2021.

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