As well as being a full-time working member of the Royal Family, The Duchess of Edinburgh supports a large number of her own charities and organisations. She has a wide range of interests which include supporting people with disabilities, the prevention of blindness in developing countries, agriculture and fashion.

Much of the day-to-day working life of The Duchess of Edinburgh is taken up with her roles as Patron of more than 70 charities and organisations. Each year, Her Royal Highness undertakes hundreds of visits to schools, universities, military bases and charity headquarters in order to learn more about their work, and to highlight it to the wider world.

The Duchess became Royal Patron of Transform in May 2006.