THE Prince of Wales is to become the new patron of the Slimbridge-based Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT), taking over from The Queen.

It was announced today that The Queen would step down from her role at the organisation at the end of the year, along with 24 other organisations with other members of the Royal Family assuming the role.

Prince Charles visited the charity’s Slimbridge centre last month, for its 70th anniversary celebrations.

In a statement, WWT chief executive, Martin Spray CBE, thanked The Queen for her work with the charity.

He said: “On behalf of everyone at WWT, I would like to thank Her Majesty for her longstanding support.

“She has been a truly formidable patron, for which we are all very grateful.

“We have been very fortunate to benefit from Her Majesty’s patronage for many decades.

“Her relationship with us began before her coronation when she visited our headquarters at Slimbridge.

“She has since made many happy visits to our wetland centres around the country, which has helped those wetland centres to become such a success.

“I am also very grateful to HRH the Prince of Wales for volunteering to become our new patron. He has been an excellent President to us for many years.

“He first visited us as a child, when he fed the ducks and geese at Slimbridge.

“He last visited us only a few weeks ago to celebrate our 70th anniversary with us, and to cut our birthday cake.

“He spent over an hour talking individually to a hundred WWT volunteers, supporters and staff, who were all very appreciative of his interest in each person’s individual role.”

The Queen is currently patron of more than 600 organisations – 433 of which she has been in the position since 1952.

Her decision follows the example set by The Duke of Edinburgh who resigned from a number of Patronages on the occasion of his 90th birthday in 2011.

The full list of patronages being passed on to other members of the Royal Family is:

  • Holocaust Day Memorial Trust
  • Royal Institution of Great Britain
  • Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
  • Battersea Dogs Home
  • Barnardo's
  • Royal School of Needlework
  • Royal African Society
  • Welsh Rugby Union
  • Amateur Swimming Association
  • Action for Children
  • All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) Wimbledon
  • Lawn Tennis Association (LTA)
  • Blind Veterans UK
  • Rugby Football Union
  • Rugby Football League
  • Edinburgh International Festival
  • Sport and Recreation Alliance
  • British Cycling Federation
  • NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children)
  • Royal Navy and Royal Marines Children's Fund
  • British Science Association
  • Institution of Civil Engineers
  • Animal Health Trust
  • Royal Geographical Society
  • Save the Children UK