Of the 44 organisations, the Duke of Edinburgh is named as patron or patron-in-chief to just 10, including Surf Life Saving Australia, the Alfred Group of Hospitals, the Ian Clunies Ross Memorial Foundation and the Royal Sydney Yacht Club. Prime Minister Tony Abbott has pointed to Prince Philip's public service as justification for the knighthood. Credit:Getty Images The Prime Minister has faced a storm of criticism for his decision to award a knighthood to the British royal instead of an Australian. Defending the decision on Australia Day, Mr Abbott praised Prince Philip as a "great servant" of Australia. "He's the patron of hundreds of organisations. He's the inspiration and wellspring of the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards, which have provided leadership training for tens if not hundreds of thousands of Australians over the years," Mr Abbott said. "I'm just really pleased that in his 90s, towards the end of a life of service and duty, we in this country are able to properly acknowledge what he's done for us."

Other charities and organisations which the British Monarchy identify Prince Philip being involved with include the New South Wales branch of the Returned Services League of Australia, the Australian Institute of Building and the Melbourne Cricket Club. Fairfax Media has approached the Prime Minister's office for comment. The Sydney Morning Herald reported in June 1967 that the Duke of Edinburgh had turned down an offer to become patron of the Sydney University Tiddlywinks Society but had agreed to become an honorary member. "Membership of the SUTS includes about 250 academics who, when not playing tiddlywinks, gather to hear tales about Winnie the Pooh, Piglet and Heffalump," the paper reported. Prince Philip's formal involvement with Australia, according to the British Monarchy database:

Honorary Life Member

Air Force Association of Australia (The Royal Australian Air Force Association) Patron In Chief

Alfred Group of Hospitals (Alfred Health)



Life Member

Athenaeum Club, Melbourne



Royal Fellow

Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering



Patron

Australian Carriage Driving Society



Honorary Life Member

Australian Institute of International Affairs



Field Marshal

Australian Military Forces



Patron

Australian Outward Bound Trust



Patron

Australian Rugby Football League, Board of Control



Life Member

Australian Underwater Federation



Patron

BirdLife Australia (was Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union (Birds Australia)



Honorary Life Member

Canberra Polo Club



Honorary Freeman

City of Melbourne



Honorary Member

HMA Cruisers Association



Patron In Chief

HMAS Canberra/Shropshire Association



Life Member

HMAS Hobart Old Comrades' Association



Patron

Ian Clunies Ross Memorial Foundation



Honorary Member

International Assembly of National Organisations of Sport



Life Member

Naval Association of Australia



Patron

Norfolk Island Flora and Fauna Society



Honorary Member

Returned Services League of Australia, New South Wales Branch



Marshal

Royal Australian Air Force



Colonel In Chief

Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers



Admiral Of The Fleet

Royal Australian Navy



Honorary Life Member

Royal North Australian Show Society



Patron

Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron



Admiral

Royal Yacht Club of Victoria



Commodore In Chief

Sandringham Yacht Club, Australia



Chief Patron

Surf Life Saving Australia



Honorary Member

Sydney Legacy



Honorary Member

Sydney University Tiddlywinks Society (defunct)



Royal Fellow

The Australian Academy of Science



Colonel In Chief

The Australian Army Cadet Corps



Honorary Member

The Australian Club



Honorary Fellow

The Australian Institute of Building



Honorary Fellow

The Institution of Engineers, Australia



Honorary Life Member

The Institution of Radio and Electronics Engineers, Australia



Honorary Life Member

The Melbourne Cricket Club



Life Member

The Naval and Military Club, Melbourne (defunct)



Life Member

The Returned and Services League of Australia



Honorary Fellow

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners



Honorary Member

United Commercial Travellers Association of Australia Limited



Life Member

United Service Club of Brisbane



Honorary Member

University Club, Sydney * The names and forms of many of these organisations have changed over the years. Some appear to be defunct. Follow us on Twitter

