Charities and Patronages
Below are links to lists of the organisations, TRH The Earl and Countess of Wessex are involved with over a period of time. Many of these organisations have official websites, you can link directly to them by clicking on the name of the organisation.
What is the difference between a patronage and trusteeship?
Members of the British Royal Family undertake various engagements a year, the majority of these are to acknowledge the work of various charities and social programmes. It often happens that the project wishes to be associated with the royal and than they invite the royal to became the patron or trustee of their organisation. Royal patrons are supporter of a particular charity or social programme. They are the public face of the organisation and are often used for fund raising. A trustee sits on the board of directors and helps with the internal organisation of the charity, while a president or a chairperson will head that board of trustees.
How can I invite TRH The Earl and Countess of Wessex to become patron of my organisation?
If you have a worthy charity or function that you wish to invite the Earl and the Countess of Wessex to, you can write to your local- Lord Lieutenant, who can advise and get in touch with the Earl and Countess's private secretaries. The Lord Lieutenant will than correspondent between Buckingham Palace, the Earl and Countess of Wessex's office and your organisation. It is advisable that you specify which royal you are inviting. If you live outside of the United Kingdom or if you wish you can correspond directly with the Earl and Countess of Wessex's office at Buckingham Palace.
It should be noted that the itineraries of all royals are prepared well in advance, approximately a year for overseas visits and six months for engagements in the United Kingdom. So invitations should be submitted well in advance of the suggested visit. You should not be discouraged if your invitation is not accepted, try again at another time. See the FAQ for further detail.
Is it fair to count engagements?
The amount of engagements a royal undertakes and charitable positions a royal holds is very deceiving. It is like saying that ministers only work on Sunday or that Olympic Committee Members only work a month every four years. The greatest amount of work is behind the scenes and is often unappreciated.