Queen to hand over some roles
BRITAIN’S Queen Elizabeth is stepping down as patron of 25 national organisations to ease her workload in her 91st year.
She remains patron of more than 600 organisations, but the move is recognition of the fact that she cannot be expected to carry out as many public engagements as she has done for decades.
Organisations that are being passed on to other members of the Royal family include the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, better known as Wimbledon, which is to go to tennis fan the Duchess of Cambridge.
The Rugby Football Union has announced that Prince Harry will take over from the queen as its patron.
Other high-profile charities and organisations that the queen is handing over include the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Battersea Dogs Home, Barnardo's and Save the Children UK.
Buckingham Palace said that many of the organisations already had other members of the royal family as vice-patrons or presidents, ensuring a smooth transition.
The Duke of Edinburgh resigned from a number of patronages when he celebrated his 90th birthday in 2011.
But the queen and the duke dislike any suggestion that they are slowing down, and the fact that they have each retained hundreds of patronages shows their continued commitment to duties.