King Charles III has bestowed additional military honors upon Prince William and Kate Middleton, alongside their existing titles of Prince and Princess of Wales, as part of an expansion of their royal duties.
In a notable restructuring of military roles within the royal family, King Charles III has given Prince William and Kate Middleton fresh titles, just a year after they were designated the Prince and Princess of Wales following Queen Elizabeth II’s passing.
The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, now assumes the role of Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm, Colonel-in-Chief of the 1st Queen’s Dragoon Guards, and Royal Honorary Air Commodore of Royal Air Force Coningsby.
Meanwhile, Prince William received designations as Colonel-in-Chief of The Mercian Regiment, Colonel-in-Chief of The Army Air Corps, and Royal Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Valley, a significant connection since he had previously served as a search and rescue pilot there for three years.
Kate Middleton’s appointment as the new Royal Honorary Air Commodore for RAF Coningsby marks a significant milestone, being her first senior position within the Royal Air Force (RAF). This title also holds a special historical link to her grandfather, Captain Peter Middleton, who had flown alongside Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, during a two-month aerial tour of South America in 1962.
The reshuffle of military titles also includes several other members of the royal family, such as Queen Camilla, Prince Edward, Princess Anne, Prince Richard, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, and Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester.
In this rearrangement, titles that were previously held by Prince Andrew, who faced a sexual abuse lawsuit, have been reallocated. As per The Telegraph, Prince Andrew was stripped of his military associations in January 2022 due to the allegations.
The palace confirmed that Edward’s wife, Sophie, has taken on Prince Andrew’s prior role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Irish Regiment, while Camilla has inherited the honorary title of Colonel of the Grenadier Guards and the position of Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Lancers.
A statement released by the palace, as reported by People, declares, “Following His Majesty’s Accession, The King is pleased to announce further military appointments for working Members of the Royal Family. The new appointments will continue to reflect the close relationship between the Armed Forces and the Royal Family in His Majesty’s reign.”