Edinburgh Trust No2 Account
Charity Number: 227897
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Quick Stats
- Annual Giving: £26,352 (2024)
- Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
- Decision Time: Not disclosed
- Grant Range: Not disclosed
- Geographic Focus: UK and overseas (at trustees' discretion)
Contact Details
Registered Address: St James's Palace, London
Charity Number: 227897
Note: This trust does not have publicly available contact details for grant applications. It operates at the discretion of the trustees without a public application process.
Overview
The Edinburgh Trust No2 Account was established by deed dated 7 August 1959 and registered as a charity in 1964. The trust has significant royal connections, having been originally founded by the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and subsequently transferred to the current Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh (Prince Edward and Sophie) following Prince Philip's death in 2021. In July 2023, the trust received an amalgamation of £110,000 from the Earl and Countess of Wessex Charitable Trust (formerly the Wessex Youth Trust), bringing additional resources to its mission. The trust operates as a discretionary charitable trust with total income of £98,767 and expenditure of £26,352 in the financial year ending March 2024.
The trust supports general charitable purposes, with particular emphasis on promoting and advancing education and supporting the efficiency of the Armed Services of the Crown, both within the UK and overseas. The trust operates entirely at the discretion of its trustees, who select beneficiaries and causes aligned with the trust's charitable objectives.
Funding Priorities
Grant Programs
The trust operates through discretionary grant-making rather than formal programs. Grants are awarded at the trustees' discretion for:
- Educational Scholarships and Bursaries: Awards for successful achievements in the field of education
- Armed Forces Prizes and Trophies: Awards for competitions and activities that increase the efficiency of the Armed Forces of the Crown
Priority Areas
- Advancement of education
- Educational achievement and excellence
- Efficiency and development of the Armed Services
- General charitable purposes selected by trustees
- Causes with which the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have personal connection or interest (particularly youth development)
What They Don't Fund
No specific exclusions are publicly documented, though the trust's focus areas are clearly defined as education and Armed Forces-related causes.

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Governance and Leadership
Trustees
Brigadier Alexander Thomas Lindsay Potts (appointed August 2024)
- Principal Private Secretary to TRH The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh at The Royal Household
- Also serves as trustee of The King's Royal Hussars Museum CIO and The International Golf Charity
- Background in British Army and charity governance
Sir Alan Parker CBE (appointed January 2022)
- Chairman of Brunswick Group
- Chairman of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh's Commonwealth Study Conferences
- Former trustee of The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust
- Knighted in 2014 for services to business, charitable giving and philanthropy
- Former Chair of Save the Children International (2016-2018) and Save the Children UK (2008-2015)
Samuel Hugh John Macdonald (appointed January 2022)
- No publicly available information on other trusteeships
Sir Alan Parker has stated about his charitable work: “I have involvement with a charity whose primary aim is to assist projects within UK registered charities which provide opportunities to help, support and advance young people up to the age of 21 and in particular those with which Their Royal Highnesses, The Earl and Countess of Wessex have personal connection or interests.”
Application Process and Timeline
How to Apply
This funder does not have a public application process. The Edinburgh Trust No2 Account operates as a private discretionary trust where the trustees identify and select beneficiaries for grants, scholarships, bursaries, prizes, and trophies. Grants are awarded at the complete discretion of the trustees for causes they select, particularly those aligned with education and Armed Forces advancement.
Given the trust's royal connections and governance by the Duke of Edinburgh's household staff, grants are likely awarded to organizations and individuals already known to the Royal Household or identified through the trustees' networks.
Getting on Their Radar
While the trust does not accept unsolicited applications, the composition of the trustee board provides some insight into potential avenues for connection:
- Brigadier Alexander Potts serves as Principal Private Secretary to The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, suggesting grants may align with causes personally supported by the royal couple
- Sir Alan Parker CBE chairs the Duke of Edinburgh's Commonwealth Study Conferences, indicating a potential pathway through Commonwealth-related educational initiatives
- Organizations with existing relationships with the Royal Household, particularly those supporting youth up to age 21 with which the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have personal connections, may be more likely to come to the trustees' attention
- The trust's recent amalgamation with the former Wessex Youth Trust suggests continued interest in youth development causes
Note: These are observations based on trustee profiles rather than stated policies of the trust.
Decision Timeline
Not disclosed. Decisions are made at trustees' discretion.
Success Rates
Not applicable - invitation/discretion only.
Reapplication Policy
Not applicable given the absence of a public application process.
Application Success Factors
Since this trust operates without public applications, traditional success factors do not apply. However, based on the trust's documented charitable objects and governance, beneficiaries are likely to be:
- Educational institutions or individuals demonstrating exceptional achievement in education, particularly those eligible for scholarships or bursaries
- Armed Forces organizations running competitions, activities, or programs that enhance military efficiency and capability
- Youth-focused charities (up to age 21) with which the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have personal connection, based on Sir Alan Parker's description of his charitable involvement
- Commonwealth-related educational initiatives, given Sir Alan Parker's chairmanship of the Duke of Edinburgh's Commonwealth Study Conferences
- Organizations or causes that come to the attention of the trustees through the Royal Household's networks and activities
The trust's governing document states that trustees “stand possessed of the trust fund and the income thereof upon trust to apply the same for such charitable purposes as they shall in their discretion think fit,” emphasizing the discretionary nature of all grant-making.
Key Takeaways for Grant Writers
- This is not a trust that accepts grant applications - it operates entirely at trustees' discretion
- The trust focuses on education (scholarships, bursaries, prizes) and Armed Forces efficiency (prizes, trophies, awards)
- Royal connections mean grants likely align with causes personally supported by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh
- With annual expenditure of only £26,352, this is a small trust making selective awards
- The trust received a significant boost in 2023 from the amalgamation with the former Wessex Youth Trust (£110,000)
- Organizations already connected to the Royal Household or Commonwealth educational initiatives are most likely to benefit
- Direct approach or application is not appropriate for this funder
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References
- UK Charity Commission Register - Edinburgh Trust No2 Account, charity number 227897. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/227897 (Accessed 27 November 2025)
- UK Charity Commission Register - Trustee information for charity 227897. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/227897/trustees (Accessed 27 November 2025)
- Fundraiso charity database - Edinburgh Trust No2 Account. https://www.fundraiso.com/en/organisations/edinburgh-trust-no2-account (Accessed 27 November 2025)
- Gert's Royals blog - "Closure of The Earl & Countess of Wessex Charitable Trust". http://gertsroyals.blogspot.com/2023/10/closure-of-earl-countess-of-wessex.html (Accessed 27 November 2025)
- Brunswick Group - Sir Alan Parker biography. https://www.brunswickgroup.com/our-experts/sir-alan-parker/ (Accessed 27 November 2025)
- RocketReach - Alex Potts professional profile. https://rocketreach.co/alex-potts-email_238716901 (Accessed 27 November 2025)