Former monarchs were asked to be grand masters to give the order some semblance of honesty and above board and to enable for the order to. Be looked on with respect. The same as certain businesses look for royal patronage.The Duke of Edinburgh’s awards are just one of many. The media has a lot to answer for, so easy to take people in. Why do you think masons ignore them. No doubt there are newspaper people who are masons , more than likely they see no advantage to have big exposes when there is nothing there to expose. All one hears is from the dreamers with imagination and hopes of selling papers. The Grand Order of the British Empire , the Duke of Edinburgh is the Grand Master of that, does that make him a villain ?. JS