Prince tops charity league

By Steve Cunningham

PRINCE Charles is the top charity patron, according to a new list. He now has 98 positions with voluntary organisations - and royal commentators say it is all part of a campaign for Charles to win a place in the nation's hearts in the same way as his late wife Diana.

Last year, Charles was patron of 86 charities, says Who's Who in Charities. Courtiers at St James's Palace have made an all-out effort to 'rebrand' the prince so that he appeals to the same people who supported Diana's good works. Charles has even visited London Lighthouse, an Aids charity made fashionable by Diana's patronage.

Charles's father, the Duke of Edinburgh, holds 76 charity positions; his sister the Princess Royal has 48; and aunt Princess Margaret 27.

His youngest brother, the Earl of Wessex, has done little to rise from his position as the least active member of the royal family when it comes to good works. The publication shows he has only seven positions with charities - but he's still not bottom of the list. That position is held by Princess Michael of Kent, with five.

Among non-royals, Archbishop of Canterbury Dr George Carey devotes the most energy to charity. He has 84 appointments. Archbishop of Westminster the Most Rev Cormac Murphy-O'Connor has 43. The Chief Rabbi, Dr Jonathan Sacks, has 27 and the Archbishop of York Dr David Hope 28.

It is not just royal and religious figures that dominate the league:

* Actress Dame Judi Dench holds 17 appointments with voluntary organisations;

* Journalist and agony aunt Claire Rayner is patron of 16;

* Naturalist and TV presenter David Bellamy has 15;

* TV personality Esther Rantzen holds 13 charity appointments;

* The Duke of Norfolk holds 22;

*And Posh Spice Victoria Beckham is patron of one charity - the Meningitis Research Foundation.

Companies' good works of companies are also charted in the book. Lloyds TSB is top of the table, donating 31.5 million to British charities last year. The alcoholic drinks company Diageo donated 14.5 million; pharmaceutical giant SmithKline Beecham gave 14.4 million; and Marks & Spencer ranked sixth in the charity league with donations of 4 million last year.

The list was compiled by the charity information company CaritasData for Investec Asset Management.

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