The AAC has been privileged to be under the distinguished patronage of successive Heads of State; during colonial times the Governors of Ceylon lent their patronage to the Association, and since the Declaration of Independence in 1948, the Patron of the Association was the then Governor-General of Ceylon.
Since 1972, the President of Sri Lanka became the Patron of this Association and at present the President to our Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the Patron of this Association. The Vice-Patron being the Senior Minister with other Senior Ministers lending their patronage.
The office of the President of the Association was held by successive Brigadier Generals of Ceylon till 1927, after which, distinguished private citizens have rendered services to the Association in this high office.
| Brig. Gen. G.L.C. Money | 1904 | 1905 |
| Brig. Gen. R.C.B. Lawrence | 1906 | 1909 |
| Brig. Gen. A.J. Whitacre Allen C.B | 1909 | 1913 |
| Brig. Gen. H.H.L. Malcolm C.B., D.S.C | 1913 | 1915 |
| Brig. Gen. F. Hacket Thompson | 1916 | 1918 |
| Brig. Gen. F.A. Macfarlan C.B. | 1919 | 1920 |
| Col. Clifford Coffin, V.D., C.O., D.S.O | 1920 | 1924 |
| Major Gen. H.W. Higgingson C.B. , C.M.G, D.S.O | 1924 | 1926 |
| Brig. A.C. Girdwood C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O | 1926 | 1927 |
| Sir Edwin Hayward Kt., C.B.E., V.D. | 1928 | 1929 |
| G.C. Slater, Esqr | 1929 | 1945 |
| Major J.W. Oldfield C.M.G., O.B.E., M.C. | 1945 | 1952 |
| Col. J.G. Vandersmagt C.B.E, V.D. | 1952 | 1955 |
| Dr. G. Wignaraja | 1955 | 1969 |
| Hon. N. Sinnathamby | 1969 | 1970 |
| M. Aamir Sheriff, Esqr. | 1972 | 1974 |
| C. Nadesan, Esqr. M.B.E. | 1974 | 1975 |
| Nanda Rodrigo | 1975 | 1975 |
| P.B. Ratnayake. Esqr. | 1975 | 1976 |
| Newton Samarasinghe, Esqr. | 1976 | 1977 |
| E.N. Rajah Sinnathuray Esqr. J.P. | 1977 | 1979 |
| G.J.A. Karunaratne, Esqr. | 1979 | 1987 |
| Tilak de Zoysa Esqr. | 1987 | 1992 |
| Ronnie Abeysinghe Esqr. J.P. | 1992 | 1997 |
| E.N. Rajah Sinnathuray, Esqr. J.P | 1997 | 2000 |
| Ronnie Abeywickrema, Esqr. | 2000 | 2003 |
| Shanti P. Gunaratne | 2003 | 2009 |
| Dhammika Attygalle | 2009 | present |
