King takes on British Legion role as late Queen’s charities are allocated
The King is to become patron of the Royal British Legion after a major review of more than a thousand royal patronages after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Charles will become the figurehead of the country’s largest Armed Forces charity as it prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of the Second World War D-Day landings in the UK and Normandy, on 6 June.
The review by the Royal Household featured the close involvement of members of the Royal Family and focused on organisations the late Queen supported as patron and those Charles and Camilla represented as patron or president before they became King and Queen.
Mark Atkinson, the British Legion’s director general, said: “The Royal British Legion is extremely proud that His Majesty the King is our new patron.
“This patronage honours the special relationship that exists between the monarch and the Armed Forces. “His Majesty’s commitment to remembrance and lifelong support to the RBL’s welfare work is greatly appreciated by our entire community.” The King, who this week returned to public-facing duties as he continues to be treated for cancer, takes on the British Legion role the late Queen held for more than 70 years.
Charles and Camilla will now be joint patrons of the Jockey Club, succeeding the late Queen, who was patron of the organisation responsible for a string of high profile racecourses across the UK.
The King retains his patronage of
A Savanta poll has found the Princess of Wales has overtaken Prince William as Britain’s favourite royal. Kate, who revealed she has cancer in March, was seen positively by 61 per cent of people.
the Samaritans, a role he has held for more than 25 years, and Camilla will take on the presidency of the Sandringham branch of the Women’s Institute (WI).
The late Queen was a keen member of her local WI branch and every year allowed the press to accompany her to a meeting.
She held 492 patronages, 376 of which will be retained by the King, Queen and other family members. The review examined 441 charities and other bodies Charles represented as Prince of Wales, and 367 will still have the King, or another Royal Family member, as figurehead.
For Camilla, 100 of her organisations were examined and 91 have been retained by her or other members of the family.