Meghan & Kate's First Royal Patronages Have a Lot in Common

From Harper's BAZAAR

• On January 10, 2019, Meghan Markle's first royal patronages were confirmed.

• It was revealed that Meghan is taking over from Queen Elizabeth as the royal patron of the National Theatre and of the Association of Commonwealth Universities. The Duchess of Sussex also becomes the royal patron of animal welfare organization The Mayhew, and of Smart Works, which supports unemployed and vulnerable women to attain employment.

• Kate Middleton's first royal patronage was for the The Royal Foundation, with the Duchess of Cambridge taking on many other roles since. The announcement of Kate's first patronage was made in October 2011, six months after she married Prince William.

• Meghan's first royal patronage comes eight months after she married Prince Harry on May 19, 2018.

Meghan Markle's first royal patronages since joining the royal family have finally been revealed.

While rumors of the news started to circulate beforehand, Kensington Palace officially revealed Meghan as the National Theatre's new royal patron on January 10, 2019. It was also announced that the duchess will become the patron of three other organizations-at the Association of Commonwealth Universities, animal welfare group The Mayhew, and of Smart Works, which supports vulnerable women to return to work.

Comparatively, Kate Middleton's first royal patronage was announced in October 2011, and saw her join her husband and brother-in-law at The Royal Foundation. Coming six months after her fairytale royal wedding to Prince William, it marked the first of many royal patronages for Catherine.

Per The Royal Foundation's official website, the organization "unites people to tackle some of today's biggest challenges. We use our passion and unique influence to change mindsets to make a lasting difference on the issues that matter to us and to society." The announcement that Kate's first patronage was with The Royal Foundation was a big moment for the royal family (per People), as the charity had previously been known as the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry, and morphed to include the Duchess of Cambridge as well.

Since her first patronage, Kate has taken on many more, all which support causes and topics close to her heart. From organizations supporting children and young people, to art institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, to sporting initiatives, the duchess list of royal patronages is diverse and impressive.

With her first four patronages announced, Meghan has shown she's keen to support her wide-ranging interests, just like Kate. In the coming years, Meghan will likely draw inspiration from her sister-in-law, who tirelessly supports a multitude of charities and organizations, to build her own roster of causes which she'll champion on behalf of the royal family.

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