Having a royal patron raises the profile of the institution’s purpose to ensure that people and the planet can thrive.
The ICE has announced that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal is now patron of the institution.
The news follows a major review of patronages and presidencies to mark the first anniversary of His Majesty King Charles’ coronation.
The ICE has a long history with the British royal family, dating back to when it obtained its Royal Charter in 1828, granted by King George IV.
The Princess Royal received an Honorary Fellowship of the ICE in 1992.
She has been a long-time supporter of the engineering sector and was a patron for the ICE’s Shaping the World appeal from 2013 to 2018.
The appeal raised over £1.5m to create the Member’s Resource Hub and a public exhibition space in the library at the ICE HQ, One Great George Street in London.
The Princess Royal is also a patron of the WISE campaign, which encourages young women to pursue science and engineering.
Who is the Princess Royal?
Anne, Princess Royal is a member of the British royal family. She is the only daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and the sister of His Majesty the King.
She attends events and public duties as a representative of the King.
She is president of RedR, a charity established by a civil engineer to provide the skills needed to provide disaster relief, and has been since 1988.
She has also been president of Save the Children since 1970.
She is patron of Transaid, a charity founded by Save the Children and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport to advocate for safe and sustainable transport in developing countries.
She was also closely involved in the creation of The Princess Royal’s Trust for Carers, now the Carers Trust.
The Princess Royal is also known for her passion and skill in horse riding, having competed in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal.
What is a royal patron?
A royal patron is a member of the royal family who gives their support to a particular organisation.
According to the British royal family: “Having a Royal Patron or President provides vital publicity for the work of these organisations, and allows their enormous achievements and contributions to society to be recognised and promoted.”
Patronages often reflect the interests of the members of the royal family.
“The ICE has been fortunate to have a long-standing relationship with the royal family and is honoured to receive the support of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal as its new royal patron,” said ICE director general and secretary, Dr Janet Young.
“Her interest in motivating young women to become scientists and engineers aligns with the ICE’s efforts to diversify the engineering industry and improve people’s lives through engineering and infrastructure.”
