HM King Charles III is Epilepsy Society's new Patron
The Epilepsy Society is thrilled to announce that His Majesty King Charles III is to be our new Patron. The news comes as the King and Queen celebrate the first anniversary of their Coronation.
For seven decades, the charity was privileged to have the late Queen Elizabeth II as our Patron. But following her death in 2022, there has been a review of the Patronages of the late Queen, and the former Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, involving over 1,000 organisations.
We are now pleased to be able to share the news that we have received a letter from the King’s Principal Private Secretary, Sir Clive Alderton, confirming that “His Majesty would be delighted to accept the Patronage of the National Society for Epilepsy.”
Clare Pelham, Chief Executive at the charity, explained how much the news means to the charity.
“It is an absolute honour to have His Majesty The King as our Patron,” she said. “Since its foundation, the charity has enjoyed Royal Patronage and, of course, for 70 years we were privileged to have the support of Queen Elizabeth II, as our Patron. It is a testament to the charity and to people affected by epilepsy that the King has chosen to continue to support a charity which meant much to his mother.
“The King’s grandfather, King George VI lost his brother Prince John at the age of 13. The young Prince had epilepsy and tragically died from what is believed to have been Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP -) The pain of losing a much-loved family member to SUDEP is huge for any family and no less for the Royal Family.
“The Royal Family serve as Patrons of over 3,000 charities, helping to highlight their vital work and allowing their many achievements and valuable contributions to be widely recognised. Members of the Royal Family engage with their charities in many ways including attending events to thank staff, supporters and volunteers, meeting service users and sending special messages to mark important milestones.
“The King has faced a challenging few months with his health and as a charity that supports people with long-term health conditions, we understand how that can impact everyday life. But we very much look forward to working with the King in the coming years and know that his Patronage will help amplify the vital work that we do to transform lives through advocacy, research and care.”
Royal Patrons at the Epilepsy Society
The Epilepsy Society was founded in 1892.
1896 – 1898 HRH George Duke of York (later King George V) was invited to become President but declined on the grounds that the Society had not yet stood the test of time. However, he agreed to become the charity's first Patron.
1898 –1910 HRH George Duke of York and Prince of Wales relinquished his title of Patron to become President.
1910 – 1936 HM King George V became Patron
1936 – 1952 HM King George VI
1952- 2022 HM Queen Elizabeth II
2024 – present HM King Charles III
Royal visits to the Epilepsy Society
1977
The Queen Mother opened the Queen Elizabeth Medical Centre at the Chalfont Centre
1985
Her Majesty The Queen visited Epilepsy Society to open new accommodation for people with epilepsy and to learn more about the work of the charity
1989
The Princess of Wales visited the assessment unit at the Epilepsy Society
2002
The Duchess of Gloucester opened the Sir William Gowers Centre
2004
Countess of Wessex (now Duchess of Edinburgh) opened our 3T MRI scanner
2010
Princess Royal opened Queen Elizabeth House
2016
Staff, volunteers and people affected by epilepsy joined the Patron's Lunch in the Mall, London, to celebrate The Queen's 90th birthday.