The King is to become the figurehead of the Royal British Legion (RBL) after a major review of more than a thousand royal patronages following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Charles will be named patron of the country’s leading 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 June 6.
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.
Charles’s patronages have increased from 441 to 669, Camilla has an additional 15 and now heads 115 organisations, while the late Queen had 492.
Mark Atkinson, the RBL’s director general, said: “The Royal British Legion is extremely proud that his majesty the King is our new patron.
“As the nation’s largest military charity, 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 returned to public-facing duties this week as he continues to be treated for cancer, takes on the RBL role the late Queen held for more than 70 years.
Camilla is to become the patron of the Army Benevolent Fund, a national charity of the British Army, supporting soldiers, veterans and their families for life. She has represented the charity as Vice Patron since 2020, and will now take over patronage from Queen Elizabeth II.