Charity work and patronage
the Princess of Wales became increasingly associated with numerous charities. As Princess of Wales, she was expected to make regular public appearances at hospitals, schools and other facilities, in the 20th century model of royal patronage. The Princess developed an intense interest in serious illnesses and health-related matters outside the purview of traditional royal involvement, including AIDS and leprosy. She did a lot of charity works, visiting terminally ill people over the world, leading campaigns for animal protection, AIDS awareness and against the use of inhumane weapons. In addition, she was the patroness of charities and organisations working with the homeless, youth, drug addicts and the elderly. From 1989, she was president of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. In the same year, Diana became president of the British marital advice organisations, which she ended in 1996. From 1991, she was patron of Headway, the brain injury association, which she also ended in 1996. She was also patron of Natural History Museum and president of Royal Academy of Music which are patronages currently held by the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Gloucester. From 1984 to 1996, she was president of Barnardo's, a charity founded by Dr Thomas John Barnado in 1866 to care for vulnerable children and young people, and attended over 110 events for it, including 16 in one year and three in one week. Her patronages also included British Red Cross Youth, Relate marriage counselors and the British Deaf Association, for which she learned sign language.