Charities left in limbo without royal patron

Late Queen had links with more than 500 groups but the patronages do not automatically pass to King

‘Given the King’s alleged desire for a slimmeddown monarchy, some patronages may cease’

HUNDREDS of charities have been left without a royal patron following the death of the Queen Elizabeth II.

The late Queen had links as either patron or president with more than 500 charities, military associations, professional bodies and public service organisations. The royal link is considered by many to be invaluable for raising their profile and encouraging support.

The late Queen was associated with charities ranging from philanthropic juggernauts like Cancer Research UK to more obscure causes, such the AngloNorse society, or the Ayrshire Cattle Society of Great Britain and Ireland. However, other than in a few limited cases, a patronage does not pass automatically to the new King, meaning hundreds are waiting to be told whether their royal association will continue and, if so, in what form.

Research by The Sunday Telegraph suggests that while high-profile charities have had contact from Buckingham Palace since Queen Elizabeth II died on Sept 9, smaller concerns have on the whole heard nothing.

Action for Children and Girlguides were among the charities who confirmed this week that they were in dialogue with the palace. “We’re working with the palace and will announce a new patron when appropriate,” said a spokesman for Girlguides.

The King is well known to favour a “slimmed down” monarchy, raising the prospect that not all his mother’s royal patronages will continue under his reign. Queen Elizabeth II inherited 433 charities from her father, King George VI, and by her 90th birthday was thought to have formal links to more than one hundred more.

She began redistributing some in 2016 on her 90th birthday.

Joe Little, an expert on the Royal family, said recently: “It will be up to King Charles III to decide how to distribute any patronages reallocated by his mother.

“Given his alleged desire for a slimmed-down monarchy, some patronages may cease.”

Polling by the Charities Aid Foundation suggests a third of people think that supporting charities is the single most important role played by the Royal family.

Twenty five per cent said they heard of charities or appeals because of royal support.

The British Red Cross is one of the charities that operates under a Royal Charter, which states that the patronage of the organisation is reserved for the reigning monarch, meaning it has passed automatically to the King.

A spokesman for the NGO said: “The Royal family may also appoint heirs and successors to serve as president and as deputy president(s) of the British Red Cross. An announcement about the future patronage of the organisation will be made in due course.”

As well as charities whose patron was the late Queen, the change in monarch has left those formerly patronised by the new King wondering about their future links.

As Prince of Wales, King Charles served as patron of The Goon Show Preservation Society in 1998, reflecting his love of the 1950s radio programme.

Les Drew, from the organisation, reflected on the possibility of continuing the association under the new monarch. “To think that a king would still be interested in something as silly as The Goon Show, even though it’s good fun, I don’t know what to say,” he said, revealing that the society had not yet heard from the palace.

“We just had an AGM, funnily enough, up in Finchley where there’s the lovely statue of Spike [Milligan].

“A few of the members there were saying ‘what’s happening, are we going to get King Charles?’

“We are just waiting to hear.” A Buckingham Palace source described the business of reallocating patronages for charities as a “long process”. They said: “Obviously there has been an awful lot to organise and things are being worked through. Charities are being contacted.”

The death of Queen Elizabeth II has also thrown the system of Royal Warrants into turmoil. All warrants granted by her became void upon her death.