Royal Patronage update: King Charles and Royal Family take over Queen Elizabeth’s Charities

Buckingham Palace unveiled significant developments concerning the charitable organisations that were under Queen Elizabeth’s patronage until her death in September 2022. As of May 3, the palace confirmed that a comprehensive review of over 1,000 royal patronages has been completed in alignment with King Charles’s accession to the throne.

The statement from the palace highlighted, "To commemorate the first anniversary of Their Majesties’ Coronation on May 6, the outcomes of this review will soon be communicated with the relevant entities." At the time of her passing, Queen Elizabeth supported 492 groups, and now, 376 of these will continue to receive royal patronage, either from King Charles, Queen Camilla, or other royal family members.

Prior to his accession, King Charles was connected to 441 organisations, and 367 of these will remain under his or the royal family's patronage. Queen Camilla will retain ties with 91 out of her 100 associated groups from her time as the Duchess of Cornwall. Additionally, she will now oversee several new groups, stepping up from vice-patron to patron of the Royal Academy of Dance and assuming presidency at the Sandringham branch of the Women’s Institute.

The patronage roles, traditionally held by the monarchy, serve as formal endorsements of an organization's achievements and help bolster public awareness and support, while presidential roles often involve more direct engagement. The royal family does not participate in the governance or everyday operations of these organizations.

Moreover, King Charles has adopted new roles, including patronages of the Royal British Legion and two Commonwealth-related organisations—the Royal Commonwealth Society and the Association of Commonwealth Universities. These additions aim to emphasise the King's focus on conservation, culture, and community support.

This ongoing patronage review, which began following Queen Elizabeth’s death and King Charles's subsequent rise to power, also marks a poignant moment for the royal family as King Charles resumes public duties amid his cancer treatment. During a recent engagement, he spoke to patients and shared his personal journey, underscored by the announcement of his new patronage of Cancer Research U.K., a role previously held by his mother.

The next phase of the review will assess patronages across the 14 Commonwealth Realms where King Charles also reigns as head of state. Although the full details of the updated patronages are not yet public, this significant restructuring demonstrates the royal family's ongoing commitment to their charitable work and public service.