The Queen will step down from 25 of the 600 national organisations she is patron of at the end of this year, Buckingham Palace has confirmed. The patronages will be passed on to other members of the royal family in the coming months.
It has already been announced that the Duchess of Cambridge will take over the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) Wimbledon, while Prince Harry has been confirmed as the new patron of the RFU, England rugby's governing body. Prince Charles will look after the Holocaust Day Memorial Trust, while Prince William is expected to take over the Welsh Rugby Union.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: "Her Majesty is currently Patron of more than 600 organisations and has enjoyed a close and active association with a great number of them throughout her reign. Her Majesty will continue to serve as Patron to hundreds of charities and institutions but will now share this work with her family. Many of the organisations listed below already have other Members of the Royal Family as Vice-Patrons or Presidents which will ensure a smooth transition."
The Queen will step down from 25 of the 600 national organisations she is patron of
The Queen has been a royal patron of more than 600 bodies - 433 of which she has been patron of since 1952. Other high-profile organisations which will be seeking a new patron include Action for Children, Blind Veterans UK, Edinburgh International Festival, NSPCC, British Science Association Institution of Civil Engineers and Save the Children UK.
The Queen will be handing over the role of Barnardo's patron to the Duchess of Cornwall, who was appointed Barnardo’s president in 2007. Javed Khan, the Chief Executive of Barnardo's, said: "We are extremely grateful for Her Majesty The Queen's generous time and Patronage, together with her dedication to the work of Barnardo's since 1983. The Royal Family has given us tremendous support throughout our history, and there has been a royal Patron since 1902 and Royal Presidents from 1923. I am delighted that HRH The Duchess of Cornwall - our current President, has graciously accepted the role of our new Patron."
The Duchess of Cambridge will become the new patron Wimbledon
Paying tribute to the Queen for her years of service, Philip Brook, chairman of the AELTC said: "We would like to thank Her Majesty for her long and unwavering service to The Club and The Championships during her time as our Patron. We remain immensely proud of her role in the history of the Club and The Championships. We would like to welcome HRH The Duchess of Cambridge, who will take up the Queen’s former duties as our Patron, and also recognise with appreciation the ongoing contribution of HRH The Duke of Kent, who will continue his long-standing role as our President."