The Brontë Birthplace in Thornton has been given Royal support after Her Majesty Queen Camilla accepted an invitation to become Royal Patron.
The news came one year after Her Majesty Queen Camilla visited the Brontë Birthplace, where she unveiled a commemorative plaque and signed a postcard supporting the “Be More Brontë” initiative.
In a remarkable coincidence, on the morning of the Birthplace’s first anniversary celebrations, a letter from Buckingham Palace arrived through the door confirming Her Majesty had accepted an invitation to become Royal Patron. The letter was received exactly one year after Her Majesty’s visit, making the occasion all the more memorable for volunteers, committee members, shareholders and supporters.
The Brontë Birthplace is the house where Charlotte, Branwell, Emily and Anne Brontë were born, it reopened in May 2025 following a tremendous restoration project supported by community fundraising, grants and volunteers. Since reopening, the Birthplace has welcomed thousands of visitors from across the UK and around the world, while developing a programme of exhibitions, events, a tea room and overnight stay accommodation.
The patronage marks an important milestone, as it continues to regenerate Thornton, and its mission to preserve and share the earliest chapter of the Brontës’ story.
Her Majesty’s visit also saw her engage with the Birthplace’s Be More Brontë initiative, which encourages people to draw inspiration from the creativity, resilience, imagination and determination of the Brontë family and share their own interpretation of what it means to “Be More Brontë”.
Cathy Boyden, Chair of the Brontë Birthplace, said:
“To receive confirmation that Her Majesty Queen Camilla has accepted our invitation to become Royal Patron is an incredible honour for everyone involved with the Brontë Birthplace.
Our first year has been a remarkable journey, made possible by the dedication of volunteers, supporters, members, funders and visitors who believed in the vision of bringing this historic building back to life. Her Majesty’s patronage is a wonderful endorsement of what has been achieved so far and gives us great encouragement as we look towards the future.”
Sarah West, a volunteer at the Brontë Birthplace, added:
“One of the joys of volunteering at the Brontë Birthplace is meeting fascinating people from all over the world who come to discover where the Brontë story began. Having the opportunity to meet Her Majesty during her visit was a wonderful experience, and it is fantastic news that she has chosen to become our Royal Patron.”
The Brontë Birthplace continues to welcome visitors throughout the year and invites people to take part in the Be More Brontë initiative by sharing their own interpretation of what the phrase means to them.
