The Duchess of Cornwall Announced as New Royal Patron of the National Theatre

The National Theatre has announced that Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall has become its Royal Patron. The Duchess, a long-standing supporter for the arts, is a devoted fan of theatre and champion of literature and drama.

The patronage is passed to The Duchess of Cornwall from Her Majesty The Queen. Her Majesty has been associated with The National Theatre since its earliest days at the Old Vic in the 1960s, last visiting with The Duke of Edinburgh, as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations in 2013.

Rufus Norris, Director and Joint Chief Executive of The National Theatre said "It is a privilege to welcome The Duchess of Cornwall as The National Theatre's Royal Patron. The Duchess shares our belief that theatre enriches our lives in so many ways and that everyone should have access to the arts and creativity no matter where they are in the world. The Duchess has shown great support to our industry throughout the pandemic, and I look forward to working with Her Royal Highness for many years to come. I would also like to express my thanks to The Queen for Her Majesty's long and unwavering support and service to The National Theatre."

The Duchess of Cornwall is an avid theatre-goer and regularly visits arts organisations in the UK and overseas to celebrate the creativity of others and the power of the performing arts to bring people together. Most recently, Her Royal Highness visited the Theatre Royal Drury Lane with The Prince of Wales last July and spoke about the importance and resilience of theatre at the virtual Olivier Awards in 2020. Existing patronages include The Royal Academy of Dance, Royal Society of Literature, Friends of The Royal Academy, London Chamber Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra, Theatre Royal Bath, Unicorn Theatre for Children and Georgian Theatre Royal.

Photo Credit: Hugo Burnand