The Duchess of Edinburgh's Charities and Patronages

[Claire]

Sophie has a number of charities and patronages. Her two largest and most high profile are ChildLine and Girlguides UK. She was the patron of a number of child health charities before the birth of Louise. Since the birth of Louise she has added five or six charities to her name - two cultural, two about farming and the countryside and the other is related to the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. She was already patron of Vision 2020: The right to sight before the birth of Louise. She has added no new patronages since James birth.

 

[Skydragon]

I can't think of any specific charities Sophie is involved in either, offhand. But I do seem to remember reading that she is involved in some organization which helps young children with health problems, because of Louise. Yeah, that's very vague. Watch someone come in to correct me and me get embarrassed at my inaccuracy.

There are some childrens hospitals/health organisations from what I could find.
A link to all of the organisations that Sophie is involved with, there are a couple of duplications for some reason. I had absolutely no idea that she was patron of Mencap or the National Autistic Society!

 

[Claire]

That's a coding problem at the site, I wonder sometimes if they bother looking at the finished product to see how things work out.

 

[Claire]

Sophie 26 Patronages and Charities disappear from Royal website

According the Official Buckingham Palace Website the Countess of Wessex has lost about 28 patronages and charities, I have been unable to find out if this is a mistake. These charities include Girl Guide UK and Vision: 2020.

Here is the list.

Central School for Ballet
CHASE Hosptial Care for Children
The Craft Guild for Chefs
DELTA (Deaf Education through Learning and Talking)
Disability Initiative
Friend of Southwark Cathedral
Friend of the Royal London Hospital
Gifts Direct
Girl Guides UK
Greater London Fund for the Blind
Halle Concert Society
John Grooms (closed)
The Meningitis Trust
Moor House School
National Autistic Society
New Haven Trust
Peckham Settlement
Royal Bath and West of England Society
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
Royal Windsor Horse Show Ball
Royal National Institute for Deaf People
Royal School for Deaf Children, Margate
Sunderland AFC Foundation
Tomorrow People
The Trust for Sick Children in Wales
Vison 2020: The right to sight

I sincerly hope that that this is a mistake. They would be really stupid taken Sophie off charities that she has worked on for years.

 

[MAfan]

And why has she lost these Patronages?

 

[Claire]

They are not saying. They simply amended the charities and Patronages list today

 

[iowabelle]

Maybe Sophie wants to concentrate on her children? We still don't really know what Louise's situation is...

Or maybe the Palace is trying to beef up Camilla's calendar or make way for a new royal...

 

[Claire]

I'm sorry to say I expect them to take Girlguides for Beatrice and maybe a few of the cutie ones for new wifes and Eugenie - but 28 at the same time. : (

I so hope everything is alright, that it just a computer nerd error.

 

[Mermaid1962]

This is a real shocker.

According the Official Buckingham Palace Website the Countess of Wessex has lost about 28 patronages and charities, I have been unable to find out if this is a mistake. These charities include Girl Guide UK and Vision: 2020.

 

[Odette]

It is possible they are getting re organised to give these patronages to more senior royal ladies to be.......It is not all going to happen overnight correct?

 

[Claire]

Honesty speaking - only two of those charities are worth anything. Girl Guides UK and Vision 2020. Vision 2020 is now part of UNESCO.

I would be very surprise if the others were passed on. They were given to Sophie because no other royal wanted them, they aren't exactly glamourous.
They haven't announced anything and the patronage of the Girlguides would be an annoucement. So I still think that it might be a mistake at the website, (Holding thumbs).

 

[Empress]

What exactly is the problem with Louise? I thought that she only had some eye problems.

 

[Claire]

We don't know - everything is pure speculation.

 

[Mermaid1962]

There are unsubstantiated rumours that there's something wrong with Louise besides the eye trouble, because the Wessexes have gone out of their way to keep her out of the public eye. I'm not convinced, because to me she looks like a normal child of her age.

What exactly is the problem with Louise? I thought that she only had some eye problems.

 

[Menarue]

From the very little we see of her she seems ok. I have wondered if she is not blind, when the blind Infanta was very small it would have been very hard to notice, at least in the photos.
I believe they just want to keep her out of the fuss that usually goes on around royal children and in that they would be very wise.

 

[Claire]

You'll notice that I amended the original post. The Healing Foundation and St. Mary Wrestwood Trust for Children is still listed. So there are 26 charities removed.

 

[Claire]

I don't understand this. Sophie is currenlty in Italy doing engagements for a charity, Tomorrow People, which she doesn't have anymore.

 

[Skydragon]

We don't know - everything is pure speculation.

Yes, it is entirely unfounded speculation!

 

[Menarue]

Yes, it is entirely unfounded speculation!

I am very pleased to hear this.

 

[iowabelle]

Maybe Sophie just decided that, now as the mom of 2, it was appropriate to scale back, like so many working mothers.

 

[bbb]

this seems an odd development, the wording hits me.... "losing" as opposed to "giving up". i wonder what's behind this, i like sophie i hope she's happy with the changes and not hurt.

 

[Lakshmi]

Losing 28 patronages overnight?... Whatever reason it is strange. Let's see if we get more details of what really happened...

 

[Mermaid1962]

I agree with you totally. Lady Louise seems to be able to "navigate" quite well on the times when we've seen her walking with her parents; and so if she's impaired visually, it can't be to the point that she can't see to balance and get around.

From the very little we see of her she seems ok. I have wondered if she is not blind, when the blind Infanta was very small it would have been very hard to notice, at least in the photos.
I believe they just want to keep her out of the fuss that usually goes on around royal children and in that they would be very wise.

 

[Zonk]

Maybe some of the lost patronages will be reassigned to other members of the BRF.

 

[Claire]

I used the word loosing as they literally just were not there on the website - no further implications meant.
Surely it is a mistake as she is doing engagments for these charities still and I would think that she ot the charties would mention it at these enagements.

I am afriad that we have to wait on Buckingham Palace or the press. I have contacted the webmaster (and you are welcome to as well) to find out if it is just a computer mistake. If it isn't then I am certain some sort of statement or reason will be coming from Buckingham Palace

 

[Elspeth]

You'll notice that I amended the original post. The Healing Foundation and St. Mary Wrestwood Trust for Children is still listed. So there are 26 charities removed.

I've edited the thread title to read 26.

 

[CATS]

She still has 39, so with 2 children now, and Lady Louise possibly in school. I can see why she would to give up some. I looked at the website and have different set up.

 

[RubyPrincess168]

I wouldn't be surprised if she scaled back to spend more time with her kids. It would seem a little offensive to take them away from her and give them to another memeber of the royal family though. Any chance it has something to do with budgets or the economy?

 

[Menarue]

Poor Sophie, that was far too many for a young mother to have. Even for someone without such small children it was too much. If she has asked to be relieved of some then good for her.

 

[Warren]

I've changed the thread title to "Sophie: 26 Patronages and Charities disappear from Royal website" to reflect the situation as we currently understand it.