King Charles officially gave his son Prince William the senior military role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps. This article covers the background and critical details of this change in the military leadership role within the Royal Family.
- King Charles held the Colonel-in-Chief role for over 30 years
- He passed the ceremonial regimental belt to Prince William at a formal event
- Prince William is a trained helicopter pilot like his brother Prince Harry
- Some thought Prince Harry might get the role before stepping back from royal duties
- The ceremony took place with an Apache helicopter as the backdrop
Will Prince William be an excellent new military leader for the Army Air Corps? Read on to learn more.
Transition of Role
On a day of symbolic handovers, King Charles ended his 30 years as Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps. He passed the special regimental belt and other symbols to Prince William at an official ceremony. This marked when the vital role of military leadership changed from father to son.
The setting was right next to an Apache helicopter – the same kind Prince Harry once flew missions in during the war in Afghanistan. Harry might have been considered for this Colonel-in-Chief role before retiring from his royal duties. However, King Charles did not mention this during the event.
Meeting the Air Crews
Before the ceremony, King Charles met with the families of the Army Air Corps members. He spoke about his confidence that Prince William would do a great job in the new Colonel-in-Chief role. He said:
“I hope you’ll go from strength to strength with the Prince of Wales as your new Colonel-in-Chief. The great thing is he’s an excellent pilot, so that’s encouraging.”
After changing into a new uniform, Prince William began his first duties by meeting the aircrews. Some helicopter pilots and crews had served in combat zones like Afghanistan and Iraq. A crew member said they were “extremely fortunate” to have Prince William as their new ceremonial leader.
Helicopter Departures
To complete the transition day, King Charles left by royal helicopter while Prince William took the front seat of an Apache for twin takeoffs. This officially marked Prince William taking over the unique Colonel-in-Chief role from his father at the home of the Army’s air regiment.
The Colonel-in-Chief position is an honorary military leadership role. Essential duties involve being the ceremonial leader of the regiment and its personnel.
Conclusion
In a symbolic event, King Charles handed over one of his essential honorary military positions to his son, Prince William. After over 30 years as the ceremonial head of the Army Air Corps, Charles passed this Colonel-in-Chief role to William during an official event with helicopter backdrops.
Though some thought Prince Harry might receive the role, it went to William – a trained helicopter pilot. Charles expressed complete confidence in William taking over the ceremonial leadership duties.
Will Prince William be an effective new ceremonial leader for the Army’s air crews and pilots? Only time will tell how he handles this crucial role.
