While The Duchess supports The Prince in his work and role as Heir to the Throne, she also works for a number of her own charities in her role as Patron or President.
Charities and Patronages
While The Duchess supports The Prince in his work and role as Heir to the Throne, she also works for a number of her own charities in her role as Patron or President.
Her Royal Highness’s charity work is varied but several themes prevail: health, promoting literacy, helping those in need, animals and animal welfare, Cornwall-based charities and heritage and the arts.
In recent years, Her Royal Highness has also been keen to raise the difficult issue of sexual assault after speaking to women at a rape crisis centre in Croydo. The Duchess has done so through a number of low-key visits to rape crisis centres to meet with staff and clients who use the confidential services.
Health and wellbeing
The Duchess is President of the National Osteoporosis Society (NOS). Her Royal Highness has worked for many years to promote understanding and raise awareness of osteoporosis, a devastating brittle bone disease that affects one in two women and one in five men in the UK.
The Duchess’s mother, Mrs Rosalind Shand, was 72 when she died in 1994 as a result of osteoporosis. The Duchess’s grandmother had died from the same condition eight years earlier.
Her Royal Highness has been President of the National Osteoporosis Society since 2001, and was Patron between 1997 and 2001.
During that time she has visited many bone units and hospitals across the country, meeting patients, showing support for local fundraisers and opening new bone scanners.
The Duchess is also President of Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres, an innovative charity with a number of centres in the UK that provide a supportive and caring environment for people with cancer.
The Duchess of Cornwall is Patron of the following health-related charities: Royal National Hospital For Rheumatic Diseases, The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, Trinity Hospice and Helen & Douglas House, which looks after children and young adults with life-shortening conditions.
Literacy
An avid reader herself, Her Royal Highness has been keen to promote the benefits of reading both to children and adults alike. She has read aloud to children on several occasions, and has met adult readers keen to improve their reading skills. She is Patron of the Wicked Young Writer’s Award which has been established to recognise excellence in writing, encourage creativity and help develop writing talent in young people.
Helping those in need
The Duchess is Patron of Emmaus, a charity that provides homeless people of all ages with a home, work and the chance to rebuild their self-respect in a supportive, community environment. She usually visits Emmaus communities before Christmas each year.
The Duchess of Cornwall became President of Barnardo’s, taking over from Cherie Booth QC. With 415 projects across the UK. Barnardo’s is a charity that supports children who have been affected by all kinds of issues, from drug misuse to disability, youth crime to mental health, sexual abuse to domestic violence and poverty to homelessness.
Animals and animal welfare
The Duchess’s personal interest in animals and animal welfare is reflected in her patronages. With an enduring affection for horses and ponies, Her Royal Highness is Patron of the Moorland Mousie Trust which promotes and conserves the Exmoor Pony, The British Equestrian Foundation and is President of the Brooke Hospital for Animals.
The Duchess is also Patron of the Animal Care Trust (under the umbrella of The Royal Veterinary College) and the Langford Trust for Animal Health and Welfare, which is a charity that supports the University of Bristol Veterinary School to promote the practice, advancement and teaching of veterinary science.
Cornwall-based charities
As The Duchess of Cornwall, Her Royal Highness is Patron of charities specific to the South West, such as the Cornwall Community Foundation and the Public Catalogue Foundation's Cornish Catalogue.
In August 2007, The Duchess of Cornwall became President of ShelterBox, a registered UK charity based in Cornwall that provides emergency aid for victims of natural and other disasters anywhere in the world.
Her Royal Highness first met workers for the charity during a visit to the earthquake-hit villages of Pakistan in November 2006 and was so impressed by the charity’s innovative disaster relief work that she has supported it ever since.
Heritage and the Arts
Like The Prince of Wales, The Duchess takes a keen interest in heritage and is Patron of the Wilts and Berks Canal Trust, Scotland’s Gardens Scheme, Ditchling Museum, Friends of Lacock Church Appeal and Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum.
The Duchess is a great supporter of the arts and regularly attends concerts and theatre shows with The Prince of Wales. These are often fundraising events for charities with which Their Royal Highnesses are affiliated.
The Duchess is Patron of the London Chamber Orchestra, St Johns, Smith Square, the New Queen’s Hall Orchestra, and the Theatre Royal Bath. Find out more about The Duchess of Cornwall's Charities and Patronages.
