Sixty years ago, when HM The Queen succeeded her father, she became the eighth sovereign to take on the role of RNLI Patron. For nearly 200 years, successive kings, queens and consorts have acted as figurehead for the institution.

They have brought attention to the charity’s work, bolstering fundraising endeavours. Numerous visits by members of the royal family help to keep the institution’s work in the news and boost the morale of crews and their families.

Although the ‘Royal’ prefix did not come into use until 1854 when the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (or National Shipwreck Institution for short) became the Royal National Life-boat Institution, King George IV served as Patron from the outset in 1824. King William IV followed for his 7-year reign.

In 1837, Queen Victoria took on the role on her accession to the throne. Her husband Albert, Prince Consort, later joined her in the supporting role of Vice-Patron, and the couple were said to have been ‘liberal annual subscribers.’

Queen Victoria gave permission for two lifeboats to be named in her honour. The first was Queen Victoria in 1887, the year of her Golden Jubilee. The second, The Queen, was for her Diamond Jubilee.

It was during Queen Victoria’s reign that the RNLI’s house flag first came into use, although it was not formally adopted until 1908. It was designed in 1884 by Leonora Preston, whose brother and stepfather had been rescued by the RNLI, and bore an image of a tudor-style crown. This was altered in 1953 to the St Edward’s crown used for the coronation.

The Royal Charter of Incorporation, which sets out the rules and authority under which the charity is governed, was granted by Queen Victoria in April 1860. Supplementary charters have since been issued, with amendments by King George V and Queen Elizabeth II.

Queen Victoria’s eldest son, who became King Edward VII, was the first member of the royal family to take a more active role and presided at several of the RNLI’s annual meetings. Speaking to the assembly as Prince of Wales in 1893 he said:

‘I do not consider that in this world there can be a finer service than this one in which men are called upon at all hours of the day and night to give their services, frequently at imminent risk to their lives, to save their fellow creatures from the frightful death of drowning. This is to my mind, one of the noblest and finest services to which a human being can belong.’

Charity centenary
King Edward VIII as Prince of Wales also presided over five annual meetings. On the RNLI’s centenary in 1924, he issued an appeal that resulted in the donation of five lifeboats from the Royal Mail and four shipping companies.

Two lifeboats were named in his honour: Prince David (the name by which he was known to his family and friends) stationed at Barry Dock (1922), and Edward Prince of Wales (1924), stationed at The Mumbles. However, his role as Patron was short lived, as he stepped down upon his abdication in 1937.

HRH The Queen Mother, then Duchess of York, also began her association with the RNLI in the 1920s, when she joined in celebrations of the institution’s 100th birthday. Two years later, an estimated crowd of 10,000 turned out at Montrose to see her name and take a trip aboard the new lifeboat, John Russell.

As Queen Elizabeth, she became Patron alongside her husband King George VI in 1937. Throughout her life she continued to support the charity and was said to have been an avid reader of the Lifeboat. She made many visits to lifeboat stations. At the age of 89, in 1989, she named the Thurso lifeboat The Queen Mother and went aboard to inspect her. In September 2001, just 6 months before her death, Broughty Ferry’s Elizabeth of Glamis was named in her honour.

Queen Elizabeth II’s association with the RNLI dates back to her days as Princess Elizabeth when she made donations to the institution from funds given to her as wedding gifts and from proceeds raised by exhibitions of her wedding dress and gifts. On her succession, she became Patron alongside both her mother and grandmother, Queen Mary.

HM The Queen became the first reigning monarch to name a lifeboat in July 1972, when she Christened The Royal British Legion Jubilee at Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.

Since then, she has named another four lifeboats: the Waveney class The Scout, Mersey class Her Majesty The Queen, Severn class Richard Cox Scott, and Severn class Sybil Mullen Glover.

In 2004, HM The Queen, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and HRH The Duke of Kent presided over the opening of RNLI College in Poole, while In November last year the royal couple visited Margate Lifeboat Station.

Into the future
All The Queen’s children have followed their mother in showing support for the charity.

HRH Princess Anne has been particularly active. Most recently, she dropped in to meet crew and fundraisers at Macduff Lifeboat Station in Lothian, while last year she opened the new Bembridge Lifeboat Station and named the Tamar class Alfred Albert Williams.

HRH Charles Prince of Wales and HRH Camilla Duchess of Cornwall enjoyed a trip to Salcombe Lifeboat Station last July, while in April this year the couple visited Peel station on the Isle of Man.

Now, a new generation of royals is also continuing the tradition of supporting the RNLI. Crew at Trearddur Bay, Anglesey, were delighted last year when Prince William and his then fiancée Catherine Middleton chose to make the naming of an Atlantic 85 lifeboat their first official joint engagement.

The Duke of Cambridge’s work as a search and rescue pilot gives him a closer affinity to the work of the RNLI than any royal before him. He has been called on to work alongside the charity on rescue missions including that to the Swanland in November last year, when he co-piloted a helicopter in rescuing two men.

At Trearddur Bay he said: ‘I realise, as we all do at RAF Valley, what a vital part this new lifeboat plays in our combined effort to save people from the sea.

‘I know that I join everyone here in praying that Hereford Endeavour will keep them safe while they save others. God speed you in your dangerous and gallant work.’

Presidential office
Alongside our royal patrons, a long line of dukes and earls have taken on the more active role of President. In the last century, this position has been taken on by the Dukes and Duchesses of Kent. HRH George Duke of Kent, brother of King George VI, served from 1936 until 1942 when he was killed in a plane crash on active service. His widow, HRH Princess Marina, quickly took over his duties and became a very active supporter of the charity.

Her son, HRH Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, became President of the RNLI in 1969 and still serves the charity to this day. His sister HRH Princess Alexandra has also taken a keen interest, including joining her brother in the dedication of Shoreham Harbour’s new station and lifeboat in June 2011.

Last year alone, the Duke, now aged 76, made visits to seven stations and a divisional base and attended his 18th RNLI Annual Presentation of Awards. In 2005, a Severn class all-weather lifeboat was named The Duke of Kent in recognition of his service to the charity.

Jubilee hat-trick
This Summer is the third time that the RNLI has participated in celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II’s jubilees. During her Silver Jubilee in 1977, three lifeboats took part in the pageant on the River Thames, including Sheerness’s Waveney class, Helen Turnbull, which acted as the Lord Mayor of Westminster’s barge for the procession.

Twenty five years later, when the country celebrated the Golden Jubilee, RNLI lifeguards and staff proudly escorted the Mersey class Pride and Spirit up the Mall as part of the Services Parade.

Just before we went to print, Eastbourne’s new lifeboat Diamond Jubilee and 20 lifeboats from across our Thames and East Division stations took part in the 1,000-boat flotilla in London, acting as safety boats for participants and onlookers alike.

Turn to page 13 to find out how to order your own limited-edition pewter model of RNLB Diamond Jubilee and to see photographs of the day. See page 35 for how to order copies of our photographs.

By royal appointment

Here are just a few pictures of the proud day our newest Tamar lifeboat Diamond Jubilee became the official safety boat for the Royal Barge in the Thames Pageant on 3 June.

Over 20 of our inshore lifeboats were in charge of search and rescue for the other 20,000 people taking part and over 1M spectators. Many historic lifeboats were in the pageant too, including Stenoa (former Watson class Cecil and Lilian Philpot) which helped to save 51 soldiers during the Dunkirk evacuations.

RNLI Chief Executive Paul Boissier says: ‘The event was extraordinary, a once-in-alifetime moment that none of us will ever forget.

The RNLI has played a consistently prominent role, with no fuss or fanfare – just being there where we are needed.’

Your own limited-edition pewter model Diamond Jubilee is beautifully portrayed in this celebratory collectors’ item (pictured). Only 150 have been made and each comes with a certificate of authenticity. Order yours today for £295 at rnlishop.org.uk or call 0845 126 699.