King Charles takes on more than 200 new patronages from late Queen – including one formerly held by Meghan
King Charles has taken on more than 200 new patronages from the late Queen following a major review of charities supported by the Royal Family.
Queen Camilla has also inherited several roles, including the presidency of the Sandringham Women’s Institute.
Most notably for Charles, he has taken on the Association of Commonwealth Universities – one of Meghan’s patronages before she and Harry stepped down as senior royals four years ago.
In March 2020, the Duchess of Sussex met with representatives from the ACU in private at Buckingham Palace for her penultimate royal engagement, inviting a small group of journalists – including her biographer Omid Scobie. He later wrote that she had taken the opportunity to whisper to him: ‘It didn’t have to be this way.’
Many will consider it a diplomatically astute move for the King to take on the role – not only because he is Head of the Commonwealth, but also because it might be considered inflammatory giving the role to William or Kate.
King Charles has taken on more than 200 new patronages from the late Queen following a major review of charities supported by the Royal Family
The reshuffling of more than 1,000 organisations with links to the Royal Family following the King’s accession means that 20 per cent will permanently lose their royal figurehead – but will likely keep the word ‘royal’ in their title.
The losses have occurred because there are now fewer working members of the Royal Family – such as Prince Andrew. When asked to relinquish existing patronages, they naturally reverted to the Queen.
At the time of her death in 2022, the late Queen was still patron of 492 organisations aged 96, while Charles and Camilla spearheaded 441 and 100, respectively. The King now has 669 and the Queen 115. Patronages for other Royal Family members will be announced in due course.
King Charles and Queen Camilla arriving for a visit to University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre, London on April 30
Such affiliations are considered to be hugely valuable for the organisations concerned in terms of profile, fundraising ability and attracting royal visits.
The King is also taking over the role of patron of the Royal British Legion, the Royal Commonwealth Society and Samaritans. Among Queen Elizabeth’s charities, Queen Camilla will take on the Royal Academy of Dance – appropriate given the fact she and friends enjoy ballet lessons.
It is understood the review took 18 months to complete due to the large number of organisations to examine as well as organising the Coronation.
Aides said they would continue to keep a close eye on the King’s workload during his cancer treatment.
No role for Ant & Dec on royal roll
They were among the most familiar faces at the Coronation, but Ant and Dec have not been included in the official record of the ceremony, it has emerged.
Only guests with royal, political or ceremonial roles are named, meaning they have been categorised as ‘other groups’, along with Lionel Richie and Katy Perry.
King Charles was presented this week with the Coronation Roll, a 700-year-old tradition that records the details of the ceremony on an illustrated scroll.
Ant and Dec arrive for the Coronation of King Charles on May 6 last year
King Charles was presented this week with the Coronation Roll, a 700-year-old tradition that records the details of the ceremony on an illustrated scroll
The King joked that he hoped there were no mistakes among the 11,600 handwritten words – and he was assured it had been checked ‘many times’.
In fact there is an error: A missing dot on an ‘i’ towards the end of the manuscript.
