Queen Elizabeth and her 600 charities

Charity news
Written By Charity Link

As with everybody across the United Kingdom and the world come to terms with the death of Queen Elizabeth Royal, Charity Link reflect back on the incredible work our monarch did as patron of 600 different charities, with the same unwavering commitment and duty that she embodied across her reign.

The Queen reviews Queen's Scouts at Windsor Castle in 2002, accompanied by Chief Scout George Purdy source: BBC

 “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service”

The then Princess Elizabeth made this promise on her 21st birthday, just a handful of years before she would take the throne. The statement she made on that day would ring true throughout her whole life.

Not least of all is this demonstrated by the huge array of charities she backed with her title and representation.

Everything from Girl Guides to Cancer Research to The Bible Society to The National Horseracing Museum have benefited from the varying input the Queen has given over the years.

Many of the charities are UK based, with some using the prefix of Royal to establish their connections. The Royal British Legion, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Horticultural society are all excellent examples of this.

Included in her long list of charitable causes, Queen Elizabeth has supported a huge range of issues including:

  • Animals

  • Science and technology

  • Social clubs

  • Professional institutions

  • History and heritage

  • Sport and recreation

  • Faith

  • Environment and architecture

  • Arts and culture

  • Business and industry

  • Armed services

  • Children and young people

  • Agriculture

  • Elderly and retired people

  • Education and training

  • Community and civic

  • Royal foundations

  • Healthcare medical and hospices

The Queen had been patron of 433 of her charity organisations since 1952 having inherited many from her father King George II on his passing. This means that some of her charities have proudly been represented by and inspired by her for 75 years.

At her peak, the Queen was patron of 600 charities but as she grew older, she understandably stopped taking on any new causes, with other members of the royal family taking on the responsibility of new charity patronages.

There is no doubt that association with any member of the royal family is a wonderful boost to both awareness and charity donations, but in particular any involvement with the head of state has special significance.  

Having the Queen as patron gives vital publicity, with many of her engagements being linked to her patronages and events being hosted at a royal residence.

Back in 2012 when the Queen had celebrated 60 years of reign, The Charity Aid Foundation claimed that she was among the world’s largest supporters of charities, with an estimated £1.4 billion raised just from her work alone.  There are no official figures of monies raised from the last decade of her life, but it’s expected to be impressive.

In June 2022 as the Queen reached the monumental milestone of her platinum jubilee, the CEO of Charity Aid Foundation Neil Heslop OBE spoke again of her philanthropy over 75 years.

He said

“During her 70 years of remarkable service, many organisations have benefited hugely from the support of The Queen and her passion for charity,”

“The Royal Family have made raising the awareness of the work of charities an integral part of their public duties and we are incredibly grateful for the attention they bring to organisations of all shapes and sizes carrying out vital work in the UK and around the world.”

When she turned 90 years old in 2016, the monarch stepped down from 25 of her patronage at some charities, needing to do less as she grew older. These organisations were passed over to other members of the royal family to ensure they were still supported.

For a full list of the charities that the Queen was patron of at the time of her death, visit the official Royal website below. Traditionally these roles will now be passed on to the new King Charles III or to other members of the Royal family.

Regardless of their connection to the Queen, the impact that she had on the third sector is clear. Since her death on 8th September 2022, almost every charity from large to small have expressed their grief, gratitude and respect for the great monarch.

Here are just a sample of their condolences from wide and far across the charitable sector.

The origins of Royal charity patronage

The original patronages came about in the 18th century, with the first recording of a patron being King George II who was involved with the Society of Antiquaries, a charity that educates around the understanding of human past.

Patronages are usually reflective of the interests and passions of the member of the Royal family involved. Sometimes they might decide to become involved if they’ve heard about a particular cause during a visit or event.

Applications for Royal patronage are made to the Buckingham Palace Royal administration, who then passed on any requests that the private secretary think may be of interest.  

The Story of The Queen and Dogs Trust

As one of our own charity partners, we wanted to share the wonderful background story of Dogs Trust, who have proudly been supported by Her Royal Highness since 1990.

Originally known as the NCDL or the National Canine Defence League, Dogs Trust was set up 130 years ago, after a response to animal testing for medical research.

There was particularly strong feeling that household pets should not be allowed to be stolen for testing and that anyone doing medical tests should have a special license.

The law failed to introduce any formal barriers, so in 1891 a socialite, novelist and dog lover Lady Gertude Stock gathered a group of gentleman at the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington at the first ever Crufts Dog Show. It was there that she founded the National Canine Defence League, which vowed to ‘protect dogs from torture and ill usage of every kind’.

Key initial campaigns were to stop muzzling, prolonged chaining and experimentation on dogs, as well as offering financial support to poor people with dogs.

By 1902 the organisation had 1,000 members, growing to 6,500 by 1910.

In 1912, the charity began presenting awards to those who had rescued dogs from beatings, drownings and other violence as well as honouring dogs who gave exceptional service.

They also opened their first rehoming shelter for stray dogs in Fulham.

It was here that they made a pledge to never put a healthy dog down – a strapline that the charity still lives by today.

They also campaigned for the Dogs Act 1928 which made it an offence not to help a stray dog by either attempting to find its owner or taking it to the police. In 1973 Dogs Trust also fought to amend the Breeding of Dogs Act, which required all dog breeders to be licensed and stop the poorly run and often neglectful puppy farms.

Dogs Trust as we know it today exceeds 500,000 and run 21 rehoming centres nationally.

They were exceptionally proud to have the Queen as their patron for over 30 years.

With her lifetime love of dogs, she made for the perfect candidate to become patron of Dogs Trust.   

Owen Sharp, Chief Executive at Dogs Trust said of her passing:

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Her Majesty the Queen and wish to convey our sympathy to the Royal Family.

“Her Majesty had been our patron since 1990 and, as a world-famous dog lover, her backing was a great help in highlighting the rescue dogs in our care. We will always be grateful for her support.”

Undeniably Queen Elizabeth held a passion for bettering the lives of people in her country. The virtues she embodied about life being meaningful, of taking care of one another and working tirelessly to make contributions are an inspiration to us all.

As charity bosses, political leaders and important global figures from the Dalai Lama to President Joe Biden step forward to share in the mourning and pay their respects, it is clear that we have lost an icon.  

May your soul rest in peace Ma’am. Thank you for all your incredible service and your shining example to us all of what makes a true leader.

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