The Prince of Wales - About the Prince

The Prince's Role

THE PRINCE'S ROLE

The Prince of Wales seeks to use his unique position to make a difference for the better. Click here to read The Prince's Annual Review 2005

While there is no established constitutional role for the Heir to The Throne, The Prince of Wales seeks to do all he can to use his unique position to make a difference for the better in the United Kingdom and internationally.

The Prince of Wales's title, though ancient, carries no established or formal role. The Prince, as the 21st holder of the title in 700 years, has created a new role through which to serve the nation.

The way in which His Royal Highness does so can, in simple terms, be divided into three parts:

(i) Undertaking royal duties in support of The Queen

This involves supporting The Queen in her role as a focal point for national pride, unity and allegiance, bringing people together across all sections of society, representing stability and continuity, highlighting achievement, and emphasising the importance of service and the voluntary sector by encouragement and example;

(ii) Working as a charitable entrepreneur

The Prince of Wales has been prescient in identifying charitable need and setting up and driving forward charities to meet it, and his 16 core charities alone require His Royal Highness to assist directly or indirectly with raising around £100 million a year;

(iii) Promoting and protecting national traditions, virtues and excellence

This includes helping to ensure that views held by many people which otherwise might not be heard receive some exposure. His Royal Highness does this through letters to and meetings with Government Ministers and other people of influence, by giving speeches, writing articles and participating in television programmes. In doing so, he is always careful to avoid issues which are politically contentious.

Background

The Prince has developed his role over a number of years. In 1975, at the age of 26, responding to a question from students in Ottawa, Canada, on how he saw his role as Monarch, The Prince said it could be 40 years before he became King.

His Royal Highness said it would be difficult to predict so far ahead. "The most important thing will be to have concern for people and give some form of leadership. It's a fascinating job and I'm looking forward to the future."

The Prince's many concerns were reflected from this time onwards in the speeches and the comments he made during visits to the inner cities, industry, farms and deprived housing areas.

In 1976, this work led to the founding of The Prince's Trust out of a conviction that a way should be found to tackle the alienation of many young people in society, by encouraging challenge, adventure and self-help.

Today, 'The Prince's Charities' is a group of not-for-profit organisations of which The Prince of Wales is President; 14 of the 16 Charities were founded personally by The Prince.

The group is the largest multi-cause charitable enterprise in the United Kingdom, raising over £100 million annually.

The organisations are active across a broad range of areas including opportunity and enterprise, education, health, the built environment, responsible business, the natural environment and the arts.

The charities reflect The Prince of Wales's long-term and innovative perspective and seek to address areas of previously unmet need. Click here to find out more about The Prince's Charities.

The Prince is also Patron or President of around 360 organisations. Click here to read more about The Prince's Patronages.

His Royal Highness has always insisted that he will not be a figurehead, and accepts no position unless he has the time to be of active use to the organisation. In the year to 31st March 2005, The Prince undertook more than 500 official engagements, including 103 overseas.

As Heir to The Throne, The Prince has access to people at all levels in all walks of life. Over the years, The Prince of Wales has been able to develop this role as a catalyst, with often unseen successes produced in unpublicised meetings, seminars and events at Clarence House or his Gloucestershire home, Highgrove.

In 1993, The Prince of Wales wrote in a letter to the Director of The Prince's Trust Tom Shebbeare: "For the past 15 years I have been entirely motivated by a desperate desire to put the 'Great' back in Great Britain.

"Everything I have tried to do - all the projects, speeches, schemes etc. - have been with this end in mind."

In this rare statement of his vision and aims, The Prince of Wales makes it clear he has no 'political' agenda. His aim is a long-term one, drawing on the nation's talents and traditions to help people achieve their potential in all aspects of their lives.

Read The Prince of Wales's Annual Review 2005

Jan	FEB	Mar
	10
2005	2006	2007