The Queen is cutting her workload – stepping down as patron
of more than 20 national organisations at the end of the year, Buckingham
Palace has said.
Her Majesty, who turned 90 in April, will relinquish
her association with the groups – just as the Duke of Edinburgh broke formal
ties with some of his patronages when he turned 90 in 2011.
The move is likely to be seen as a common sense decision
that acknowledges the Queen’s advancing years, but Buckingham Palace stressed
she was still patron of more than 600 organisations.
The patronages of organisations including Battersea Dogs and
Cats Home, Barnardo’s and the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club will be
taken on by other members of the royal family.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “At the end of the
Queen’s 90th birthday year, Her Majesty will step down as patron from a number
of national organisations. The patronages will be passed on to other members of
the royal family in the coming months.
“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.
“This decision follows the example set by the Duke of
Edinburgh who resigned from a number of patronages on the occasion of his 90th
birthday in 2011.”
Patronages the Queen will pass on include:
·
Holocaust
Day Memorial Trust
·
Wildfowl
and WetlandsTrust
·
Battersea
Dogs Home
·
Barnardo’s
·
Royal
African Society
·
All
England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club Wimbledon
·
Rugby
Football Union
·
Edinburgh
International Festival
·
British
Cycling Federation
·
NSPCC
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