THE DUCHESS OF SUSSEX ANNOUNCES PATRONAGES

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex will become Patron of four organisations that reflect the causes and issues with which she has long been associated including the arts, access to education, support for women and animal welfare.

Her Majesty The Queen has passed on two patronages to The Duchess of Sussex –The National Theatre and The Association of Commonwealth Universities. The Queen has held the roles for 45 and 33 years respectively. Her Royal Highness will also take on Patronage of two additional charities as part of her official working portfolio – Smart Works and Mayhew.

The Duchess is delighted to become Patron of both national and grassroots organisations that are part of the fabric of the UK, and is very much looking forward to working with them to bring wider public attention to their causes. Her Royal Highness feels she can use her position to focus attention on, and make a particular difference to these organisations and, more widely, the sectors they each represent.

For the arts, the National Theatre’s mission is to make world class theatre that is entertaining, challenging and inspiring for everyone and to be as inclusive, diverse and national as possible. In support of access to education, the Association of Commonwealth Universities is the world’s first and oldest international university network and the only accredited organisation representing higher education across all 53 Commonwealth countries.

With regards to supporting women, Smart Works helps long-term unemployed and vulnerable women regain the skills, confidence and tools to succeed at job interviews, return to employment and transform their lives. In terms of animal welfare, Mayhew is a grassroots charity working in a unique way to improve the lives of animals and people to better communities both in London and internationally.

Over the last year, Her Royal Highness has held meetings and conducted private visits with each of these organisations. The Duchess will today visit Smart Works and over the next few weeks will undertake public visits to the other three organisations.

Further information on these organisations and why The Duchess has chosen to support them as Patron follows:

The National Theatre

The Duchess is a strong believer in using the arts to bring people from different backgrounds and communities together. The National Theatre’s mission is to make world class theatre that’s entertaining, challenging and inspiring – and to make it for everyone. It aims to reach the widest possible audience and to be as inclusive, diverse and national as possible with a broad range of productions that play in London, on tour around the UK, on Broadway and across the globe. The National Theatre’s extensive UK-wide learning and participation programme supports young people’s creative education through performance and writing programmes like Connections, New Views and Let’s Play. Its major new initiative Public Acts creates extraordinary acts of theatre and community; the first Public Acts production was 2018’s Pericles. The National Theatre extends its reach through digital programmes including NT Live, which broadcasts some of the best of British theatre to over 2,500 venues in 65 countries, and the free streaming service On Demand In Schools, used by nearly 60% of UK state secondary schools. The National Theatre invests in the future of theatre by developing talent, creating bold new work and building audiences, partnering with a range of UK theatres and theatre companies.

Whilst Her Royal Highness spent ten years working in television, her training is in theatre. As well as a double major in theatre and international relations from Northwestern University, which is renowned for its drama programme, Her Royal Highness volunteered at a performing arts after school programme for children in underprivileged school districts in Los Angeles.

The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)

As a university graduate, Her Royal Highness is a strong advocate of accessible education for all, something she spoke of most recently during her visit to Fiji last year. Established in 1913, the ACU is the world’s first and oldest international university network, with more than 500 member institutions in over 50 countries. It is the only accredited organisation representing higher education across the Commonwealth. The ACU champions higher education as a force for good in the Commonwealth and beyond. Among its key principles is the value of higher education to society – or its role ‘as a common good’ – and the conviction that this value is enhanced by international collaboration. The ACU manages international scholarship schemes – including the UK government’s three major scholarship programmes and The Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships – that offer life-changing educational opportunities, convenes universities to address key policy challenges such as climate resilience and peace and reconciliation, and promotes the role of universities in delivering the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

During her recent visit to Fiji, The Duchess announced new Gender Grants for ACU member universities in the Pacific to fund new learning initiatives aimed at empowering female university staff and promoting gender equality. Her Royal Highness last month met with university leaders, academics and international scholarship students as they discussed the role of higher education in addressing issues such as human trafficking, modern slavery, gender equality, peace and reconciliation, and climate change.

Smart Works

The Duchess has visited Smart Works several times over the last year where she has worked with many women who have benefited from the charity’s support, helping them through coaching and interview preparation. Her Royal Highness has also volunteered with several other projects in this sector in the past. Created in September 2013 Smart Works exists to help long term unemployed and vulnerable women regain the confidence they need to succeed at job interviews, return to employment and transform their lives. Half of Smart Works’ clients are from an ethnic minority, long-term unemployed and have been unsuccessful with a large number of job applications. Thanks to the charity’s support, 60% go on to get a job following their visit to Smart Works. As well as providing complete outfits of high quality clothes for job interviews, beneficiaries also have access to one-to-one interview training and the opportunity to join Smart Works Network, meeting every month to further their professional and personal development. Smart Works aims to dress 3500 women this year across their two London offices, and additional bases in key cities across the UK – Edinburgh, Manchester, Reading, Birmingham and Newcastle.

Her Royal Highness has also been involved with several other projects in this sector, including a project whilst at university which provided prom dresses for young women in underprivileged areas. The Duchess has a longstanding track record of working in the space of women’s empowerment both in her local community as well as abroad. In recent years, Her Royal Highness has travelled to India and Rwanda working on projects to mobilise women in challenging or marginalized situations to see their full potential.

Mayhew

The Duchess has long understood the connection between animals and community welfare and has supported various animal rescue centres in Los Angeles. Established in 1886 and entirely funded by public donations Mayhew is an animal welfare charity working to improve the lives of dogs, cats and people in communities both in London and internationally. Mayhew looks for innovative ways to reduce the number of animals in need through pro-active community and educational initiatives and preventative veterinary care. This includes working with homelessness charities across London to ensure people and their dogs can be kept together; running a Pet Refuge programme to provide shelter and care for the pets of people in crisis for short periods of time; and educating young people about animal welfare and the importance of responsible pet ownership. Internationally, Mayhew works with governments, local communities and charitable groups in Afghanistan, Georgia, Russia and India to help improve animal welfare.

The Duchess of Sussex is very much looking forward to working closely with these organisations, and her continued work with The Royal Foundation of which she is joint Patron along with The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke of Sussex.

Rufus Norris, Director of the National Theatre said: “I would like to thank The Queen for Her Majesty’s long and unwavering support and service to the National Theatre. We were honoured when The Queen became our Patron in 1974 and have celebrated many moments together including, in recent years, the Diamond Jubilee and the marking of our 50th anniversary. It is a privilege to welcome The Duchess of Sussex as our new Patron. The Duchess shares our deeply-held conviction that theatre has the power to bring together people from all communities and walks of life. I very much look forward to working closely with Her Royal Highness in the years to come”.

Dr Joanna Newman MBE, Chief Executive and Secretary General of the ACU, said: “We are absolutely delighted that HRH The Duchess of Sussex has chosen to become Patron of the ACU. The Duchess shares our passion for the transformational power of higher education, and Her Royal Highness’ support will help champion higher education as a force for good in the Commonwealth and beyond. We would like to thank Her Majesty The Queen for her support, and we look forward to working closely with The Duchess as our Patron.”

Juliet Hughes-Hallett, Chair and Founder of Smart Works said: “We are thrilled to announce that The Duchess of Sussex will become the Royal Patron of Smart Works. An acknowledged champion of women and their rights worldwide, The Duchess will motivate ever more women to come to our centres and get the job that will transform their lives. The Duchess’s patronage will inspire the women we serve and help them reach for the stars.”

Caroline Yates, CEO of Mayhew said: “We are so excited that HRH The Duchess of Sussex has chosen to be our Patron. Mayhew works to improve the lives of dogs, cats and the people in our community, tackling the root cause of animal abandonment and neglect and supporting vulnerable people to stay with their companion pets. The Duchess has spent many years championing animal welfare, and we are honoured to have our charity represented by such a passionate Patron. We look forward to working closely with The Duchess and hope that, together, we can help even more animals and people.”

THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE TO VISIT THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE

London

Wednesday 16th January, 2019

The Duchess of Cambridge will visit the Costume Department at The Royal Opera House on Wednesday 16th January to learn more about their use of textiles, commissioning of fabrics and supply chain. The visit will allow Her Royal Highness to find out more about the scale of the department’s work and how different textiles influence various costumes.

The textile and manufacturing industry is an area of interest to The Duchess. Her Royal Highness’ great-great-grandfather, Francis Martineau Lupton, was a mill owner who ran the family’s successful textile manufacturing business, William Lupton & Company, with his three brothers.

The Royal Opera House Costume Department is responsible for creating, refurbishing and conserving thousands of opera and ballet costumes per season, with up to 600 costumes per production. Up to 10,000 costumes are used each year by artists from The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera House. The department has built up a historic costume collection of more than 5,000 items, including some dating back to 1861. Many of the costumes are used time and time again thanks to good maintenance and repair. It takes the entire revival workroom around 1,500 hours to refurbish the costumes.

During her visit to the Costume Department, Her Royal Highness will visit the pattern room where she will be shown the process of working and creating costumes for a new production with designers, including sourcing fabrics and samples. The Duchess will then visit the dye shop where staff will showcase different techniques including dyeing, hand-painting, staining garments and digital printing which allows the team to reproduce historic fabrics no longer available. Her Royal Highness will also meet costumiers in the Work Room working on multiple new shows.

Before departing, The Duchess will then meet with Royal Ballet Principal Dancers Lauren Cuthbertson, Laura Morera and Vadim Muntagirov who will explain how various factors such as lighting, interaction and movement influence the designs of their costumes. Her Royal Highness will then watch the dancers rehearsing the romantic Ballet The Two Pigeons.

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The Duke of Cambridge becomes Patron of the London Air Ambulance 30th anniversary campaign

The Duke of Cambridge has today become Patron of the London Air Ambulance
Charity 30th Anniversary Campaign. The campaign aims to highlight the charity’s
vital work in delivering life-saving treatment across London, and raise support for the
development of new facilities.

The patronage has been announced ahead of His Royal Highness’ visit to the London
Air Ambulance at The Royal London Hospital later this morning. The visit will see
The Duke meet with clinicians, paramedics, pilots and crewmembers, to learn more
about the challenges of working as a first responder in the capital.

Through his work as an air ambulance pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance,
His Royal Highness has seen first-hand the impact these first responders have upon the
lives of patients with critical injuries. As Patron of the 30th Anniversary Campaign,
The Duke will champion those working on the frontline, and highlight the importance
of the London Air Ambulance’s rapid response to incidents, and cutting-edge medical
care.

Jonathan Jenkins, CEO of London’s Air Ambulance Charity, said: “We are delighted
that The Duke of Cambridge has accepted the role of Patron of the London’s Air
Ambulance 30th Anniversary Campaign. Through his support, we aim to raise
awareness of the life-saving work carried out by us and by air ambulances across the
UK. Our crew face significant challenges when delivering our rapid response and
cutting-edge medical treatments in London. Through funds raised in our 30th year, we
plan to improve our facilities to ensure we can respond even faster, enhance our training
and ensure our crews have the facilities they need for their mental health and
wellbeing.”

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THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE TO VISIT ISLINGTON COMMUNITY GARDEN

Islington, London

Tuesday 15th January, 2019

The Duchess of Cambridge will visit the King Henry’s Walk Garden in Islington to see how the project brings people together through gardening and food growing.

The garden has been run for over a decade by community volunteers, with support from Islington Council. It contains growing plots for cultivation by local residents, where the use of organic gardening methods helps to promote a diversity of plants and wildlife, and a full programme of educational sessions and events engage the whole community. Alongside community cohesion, the garden has also helped to reduce problems such as anti-social behaviour and vandalism in the area. The garden has subsequently received many accolades, including London in Bloom’s Best Community Garden award in 2008, 2009 and 2011, and the RHS National Certificate of Distinction in 2012.

Her Royal Highness will visit the garden to meet with volunteers from the community to hear about the benefits of this urban green space. The Duchess will be shown some of their allotment plots to see the impact that can be achieved in small scale plots. Her Royal Highness will then take part in a winter planting workshop, bird box building and pizza making in the garden’s kitchen area.

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THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF SUSSEX WILL VISIT BIRKENHEAD

Birkenhead, Merseyside

Monday 14th January, 2019

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will visit the town of Birkenhead, Merseyside on Monday 14th January. During the visit, Their Royal Highnesses will meet a number of local organisations that support and empower groups within the community.

Their Royal Highnesses will firstly visit Hamilton Square to view a new sculpture erected in November to mark the 100th anniversary of Wilfred Owen’s death. The statue, which is named after one of the Birkenhead war poet’s poems, ‘Futility’, is cast in bronze and represents an exhausted World War One solider. The Duke and Duchess will unveil a plaque to mark the visit, before meeting local veterans and members of the Birkenhead Institute Old Boys, of which Wilfred Owen belonged to, and which played a part in the creation of the tribute. Their Royal Highnesses will then have the opportunity to meet members of the public gathered in Hamilton Square.

Next, Their Royal Highnesses will visit Tomorrow’s Women Wirral, an organisation that supports women in vulnerable circumstances. Initially established in 2011 to support women upon their release from prison, Tomorrow’s Women Wirral has since expanded and now offers an extensive range of training courses and workshops for more than 6000 local women, including support groups around mental health issues, domestic abuse, and addiction. The Duke and Duchess will hear directly from the women about their experiences, before visiting the onsite charity shop, café, and Inspiration Hall.

Their Royal Highnesses’ will lastly visit the Hive Wirral Youth Zone. Created by the charity OnSide Youth Zones, which is developing 21st century youth facilities across the UK, the Hive provides a safe environment where young people can come and enjoy themselves, building key skills and raising their aspirations and confidence. The Duke and Duchess will meet young members as they take part in a number of activities and workshops throughout the centre, before unveiling a plaque to mark the visit.

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THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE WILL VISIT LONDON’S AIR AMBULANCE CHARITY

The Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel

Wednesday 9th January, 2019

The Duke of Cambridge will visit London’s Air Ambulance on Wednesday 9th January to recognise the work that the organisation’s first responders carry out delivering life-saving treatment across London.

London’s Air Ambulance, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, delivers an advanced trauma team to critically injured people in London 365 days a year. Prior to the establishment of the charity in 1989, many seriously injured patients lost their lives unnecessarily because of the delay in receiving prompt and appropriate medical care. Since its inception, London’s Air Ambulance has provided rapid response and cutting-edge medical care, bringing the hospital emergency department to the scene of an incident, and delivering life-saving treatment to the 10 million people who live and work in London.

The Duke, who previously worked as an air ambulance pilot for the East Anglia Air Ambulance, will hear more from London’s Air Ambulance pilots, clinicians and paramedics about their experiences of working as first responders, and the challenges they face operating in London. His Royal Highness will also learn more about the work that the LAA is undertaking in the area of mental health support for their staff. The Duke will then join staff, patients and their families at a tea party marking London Air Ambulance’s 30th anniversary.

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The Duke of Rothesay Surprises Guests at Tea Dance

Thursday 20th December 2018

The Duke of Rothesay, President, The Prince’s Foundation, is attending a tea dance held for members of the local community to counter loneliness and social isolation. Dumfries House, Cumnock, KA18 2NJ.

The Duke of Rothesay has surprised two hundred guests during a festive instalment of a tea dance held regularly to counter loneliness and social isolation within Ayrshire. The event is held every three weeks at Dumfries House near Cumnock and will welcome older members of the local community, adults with additional support needs.

The regular tea dances are held in the Dumfries House pavilion and form part of The Prince’s Foundation’s Integrated Health and Wellbeing programme, run in conjunction with East Ayrshire Council’s Vibrant Communities service. The gathering will feature entertainment by students of The MGA Academy of Performing Arts and pupils of Greenmill Primary School, with guests enjoying festive food and drink while taking the opportunity to dance and socialise with one another.

Established health initiatives at Dumfries House tackle issues including isolation of older members of the community, the management of cancer, diabetes, fibromyalgia, and women’s health.

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HRH THE PRINCE CHARLES, LORD OF THE ISLES, ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET, WILL ATTEND THE CENTENARY SERVICE TO COMMEMORATE THE LOSS OF H.M.Y. IOLAIRE, ISLE OF LEWIS

Tuesday 1^st January 2019

The Prince will attend the Centenary Service to commemorate the loss of H.M.Y. IOLAIRE. During the Service, The Prince will deliver a scripture reading and lay a wreath. After the Service, HRH will unveil a new sculpture, which has been created to mark the centenary of the tragedy. After meeting community representatives, including family members of those involved in the tragedy, The Prince will be presented with a copy of the book “The Darkest Dawn” for which HRH as written a foreword in English and Gaelic. See below for the English version.

H.M.Y. IOLAIRE sank on the approach to Stornoway Harbour on 1st January 1919, with the loss of 201 Islanders returning home following the end of World War One. Of those known to have died, 174 came from Lewis with 7 Harrismen amongst the dead. A further 18 crew and 2 passengers on their way to the Stornoway Naval Base were killed. The men, mostly naval reserves, made it to Armistice but drowned within a short reach of their families who had gathered on Stornoway Pier to greet them.

Organised by WW100 Scotland in conjunction with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council), the National Commemorative Service will take place at the Iolaire Memorial in Stornoway on New Year’s Day, 100 years to the day of the tragedy. It will be attended by hundreds of local people including: Iolaire descendants; HRH The Prince Charles, Lord of the Isles; First Minister Nicola Sturgeon; Scotland’s most senior naval officer Rear Admiral John Weale and Convener of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council), Norman A Macdonald. Each of whom will lay a wreath.

Foreword by HRH The Prince Charles, Lord of the Isles in ‘The Darkest Dawn’:

“I am most touched to have been asked to provide a foreword for this important publication. ‘The Darkest Dawn’ is a deeply poignant tribute to all those who so tragically lost their lives when H.M.Y. IOLAIRE sank a century ago, in the early hours of 1st January 1919.

“This is a profoundly moving record of a disaster which has had a truly lasting effect on the communities of Lewis, Harris and Berneray. It must also not be forgotten that there were an additional twenty-six people on board from communities stretching from Aberdeen to Penzance. This book enables present and future generations to know something of the indescribable grief of those families, relatives, neighbours and friends who were so cruelly affected by the loss of their loved ones. After miraculously surviving their military service during the First World War, they perished only a few hundred yards from their final destination.

“It is perhaps understandable that, until recently, the circumstances surrounding this most tragic of events in the history of the Islands have not been widely discussed. This book, therefore, provides us with a fitting legacy with which to mark the loss of 201 passengers and crew of H.M.Y. IOLAIRE. 

“Acair are to be congratulated for producing this most comprehensive publication; its detailed and personal narrative, coupled with rare photographs of those caught up in this tragedy, has created a fitting epitaph to those Servicemen whose loss had such a devastating effect on the island communities.”

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Royal Christmas Cards

With Christmas only just around the corner, members of The Royal Family are starting to release their official Christmas card photographs.

We have included all the released photographs below, just in case you weren’t lucky enough to receive a card this year.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are pleased to share a new photograph of their family.

The photograph, taken by Matt Porteous, shows The Duke and Duchess with their three children at Anmer Hall, and features on Their Royal Highnesses’ Christmas card this year. pic.twitter.com/6XqCMlhLi8

— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 14, 2018

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are delighted to share a new photograph from their Wedding Reception at Frogmore House on 19th May.

The photograph, which features on Their Royal Highnesses’ Christmas card, was taken by photographer Chris Allerton. pic.twitter.com/PQPUuRwnIj

— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 14, 2018

Here is a closer look at the photograph that features on Their Royal Highnesses’ Christmas card. pic.twitter.com/3PPUYi9W9L

— Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) December 14, 2018

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THE DUCHESS OF SUSSEX TO VISIT BRINSWORTH HOUSE

Brinsworth House, Twickenham

Tuesday 18th December, 2018

The Duchess of Sussex will visit the Royal Variety Charity’s residential nursing and care home Brinsworth House on Tuesday 18th December.

The Royal Variety Charity, of which The Queen is Patron, assists those who have worked professionally in the entertainment industry and are in need of help and assistance as a result of old age, ill-health, or hard times. Many of those who work in the entertainment industry can often work season to season, spending long periods with no work at all, and with little ability to make any plans for their futures, or to provide themselves with security should they have an accident or fall ill. Money raised by the Royal Variety Charity, and through the annual Royal Variety Performance, helps and supports hundreds of retired entertainers throughout the UK.

Brinsworth House, which is owned and managed by the charity, accommodates up to 36 residents who are cared for by a dedicated team of nurses and care assistants. Built in 1850, the care home has a number of lounges, a bar area, library, restaurant, television rooms and a hair salon. The house is decorated throughout to emphasise its theatrical lineage, representing the many retired artists and entertainers who have been supported by the Royal Variety Charity. Previous royal visits to Brinsworth House include Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 1990 and The Prince of Wales in 2002.

The visit follows The Duchess’s attendance at the Royal Variety Performance in November, and will allow Her Royal Highness to see first-hand how the charity cares for those who have spent their lives working in the entertainment industry.

On arrival, The Duchess will hear more from staff members about the history of Brinsworth House, before visiting some of the residential home’s facilities. Her Royal Highness will then join residents as they take part in Christmas-themed activities, including arts and crafts and carols around the Christmas tree.

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