The Princess of Wales was appropriately attired in camo for a visit to the small Norfolk village of Swanton Morley for an introductory engagement in her new roles as Colonel-in-Chief, 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards.
Kate was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards (QDG) by King Charles in August as part of a slew of new military appointment announcements for working members of the family.
In a statement, Kensington Palace said: "The QDG have been active for over 300 years, having been formed in 1959 from the amalgamation of the two senior Cavalry regiments, 1st King’s Dragoon Guards and The Queen’s Bays. The QDG specialise in reconnaissance: the art of seeking out the enemy and understanding how they operate. Since their formation, the QDG have moved all over the world and most recently, from June 2021 to June 2022, were deployed to Mali as part of a peacekeeping operation in support of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission".
The Princess received a brief on the regiment from several senior officers who discussed their own military careers and experiences.
Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Chris Kierstead, briefed the Princess. Speaking afterwards he said: "We are honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness to the regimental family. Her visit to the regiment has been a great honour for all those involved".
As always, Kate was eager to get into the swing of things and experience elements of operational life. Kate learned about the Jackal 2 high mobility weapons platform, and saw first-hand how the team communicate via radios when deployed, and how they utilise reconnaissance drones.
The Princess of Wales behind the wheel of a seven-tonne armoured vehicle.
'Corporal Darreyl Tukana, a driving instructor, sat beside the Princess as she manoeuvered the vehicle.
“She was a natural,” he said. “She drives a Land Rover back at home - I told her it’s exactly the same, just take it slowly and go back to where we started off from.
“She was enjoying every bit of the journey itself.... It’s different from what she’s driving, it’s a bigger vehicle.”
The Princess said that the experience was “really great”, adding: “It’s very responsive actually, given the size of the thing.”
Afterwards, Kate met families of QDG personnel and heard about the welfare support that is offered by the regiment.
More from The Independent:
'Kate Ormston, 31, whose 38-year-old husband Staff Sergeant Paul Ormston is attached to the regiment, was with their two children Joey, 10, and six-year-old Jackson when she spoke to the princess.
She said: “It was really exciting.
“She asked about Army life and my husband being deployed, and just generally she was just really down to earth and friendly, it was really nice.
“She spoke to everyone individually, she introduced herself to the children and asked their names and ages which was really nice.
“I think they were a little bit overwhelmed as well.”
She added: “She’s done it herself, hasn’t she, William’s been in the military so she knows what it’s like.”
Kate chatting during an informal reception.
The Princess had the opportunity to award Long Service & Good Conduct medals to a number of servicemen and women in the regiment, and ahead of Remembrance Sunday, took a moment with serving personnel to remember those that the QDG have lost in active service in recent years.
Below, Kate presents Sgt Stafford, (Royal Engineers) with his Long Service and Good Conduct (LSGC) medal.
It comes ahead of a weekend of Remembrance events for the royal family. On Saturday evening, the Prince and Princess of Wales will join the King and Queen for the annual Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall. The deeply poignant event is always beautifully done and this year promises to be no exception. On Sunday morning, we'll see William and Kate join the nation for Remembrance Sunday.
In a very sweet moment, the Princess had the honour of promoting the Regimental Mascot (Trooper ‘Longface’ Emrys Jones, a Bay Welsh Mountain Pony) from ‘Lance Corporal’ to ‘Corporal’.
'Princess Kate sported a camouflage coat and helmet during her visit as she rode in an armored vehicle. She adorned her camo outfit (as well as her blazer and turtleneck inside) with a red poppy pin. The symbol has been used since 1921 to commemorate military members who have died in war, and members of the royal family sport the accessory in November as Remembrance Day approaches.'
Click here to view a video from the day.
The Princess sported her Holland Cooper double-breasted blazer in black twill. Described as: "This longline double breasted wool blazer is a chic trans-seasonal forever wardrobe essential. Designed to create a sharp tailored silhouette worn open or closed. Fully lined with a luxury stretch lining for extra comfort and adorned with HC signature Gold buttons on the front and cuffs. This blazer has been hand cut and made entirely in England using wools woven in the UK".
Kate wore her See by Chloé boots.
On a rather sparkly note, dear readers, we have a tiara appearance in the offing! From Tuesday 21st November to Thursday 23rd November, The President of the Republic of Korea, His Excellency Yoon Suk Yeol, accompanied by Mrs Kim Keon Hee, will pay a state visit to the United Kingdom. It will be a packed itinerary. From a cursory look at the itinerary, we can expect to see William and Kate participating on Tuesday (and yes, the day concludes with a state banquet).
TUESDAY 21st NOVEMBER
'The Prince and Princess of Wales will greet President Yoon Suk Yeol and the First Lady at their hotel on behalf of the King on Tuesday morning.
Their Royal Highnesses will then travel with the President and the First Lady to Horse Guards Parade, where the President and the First Lady will receive a ceremonial welcome.
The King and Queen will formally welcome the President and the First Lady at the Royal Pavilion on Horse Guards Parade.
Presentations will be made, the guard of honour will give a royal salute and the Republic of Korea’s national anthem will be played.
The President, accompanied by the King, will then inspect the guard of honour, found by F Company Scots Guards.
Afterwards, the President and the First Lady will join the King and Queen, and the Prince and Princess of Wales, in a carriage procession along The Mall to Buckingham Palace, where they will be met by a second guard of honour found by 1st Battalion Welsh Guards.
Following a private lunch at Buckingham Palace, given by the King, His Majesty will invite the President and the First Lady to view a special exhibition in the Picture Gallery of items from the Royal Collection relating to the Republic of Korea.
Afterwards, the President and the First Lady, with the Duke of Gloucester, will take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Korean War Memorial to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the war.
The President and the First Lady will then visit Westminster Abbey, where His Excellency will lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior. The President and the First Lady will take a tour of the abbey, where they will have the opportunity to meet pensioners from the Royal Hospital Chelsea who saw active service during the Korean War.
Afterwards, the President and the First Lady will travel to the Palace of Westminster, where they will be welcomed by the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker. The President will deliver an address in the Royal Gallery to members of both Houses of Parliament and other guests.
In the evening the King and Queen, accompanied by members of the Royal Family, will give a state banquet at Buckingham Palace for the President and the First Lady. His Majesty and the President will make speeches at the start of the banquet.'
If not before, I'll see you for the Festival of Remembrance on Saturday evening.
Wow princess kate looks absolutely badass in her military uniform, I love it. I can’t wait for the state visit. Now that she is the princess of Wales we know we will definitely see her in a tiara at the state banquet.
ReplyDeleteCatherine is always such a great sport. She’s game to try anything, and she has a great attitude meeting with the different people. I like these boots better than the ones she wore last week, and that blazer is very attractive. I also like her hair better styled like this. Looking forward to seeing her this weekend. I also loved all of the events that William did in Singapore. Looking forward to watching the Earthshot. In just 3 years they’ve certainly done a lot of work- super impressive, love all the collaboration and support for all the nominees from each year. Thanks Charlotte! Sue from IL
ReplyDeleteExactly!
DeleteThis was great, the Princess did so well. She looks fabulous in Military uniform.
ReplyDeleteTrooper Longface is so cute! For hair watchers, I thought her hair looked really nice today.
ReplyDeleteA very nice low key event today. I loved the pony getting a promotion, very cute. The position of the remembrance poppy seems odd though, right in the middle of her chest instead of off to the side.
ReplyDeleteHmmm. It looks pinned to her jacket lapel to me.
DeleteIt's engagements like these that remind me of how much work is going on behind the scenes. It's easy to get frustrated when we don't see the royals out and about, but they have a lot to plan and keep track of and it all takes time. I know they have help, but they are still the individuals doing the talking and appearances and they need to make sure they know enough to actually participate. It's like having to know just enough about a thousand different topics to show interest and inspire confidence.
ReplyDeleteLooks like she and William are doing a great job. I always hope to see more of them, but I also think about how overwhelmed i feel with my small duties and remember they're juggling a lot more. Respect. Love Kate and always will!
+1. Thank you, priestlakegirl! Zora from Prague
DeleteForgot to say I love these boots and so want to buy them someday. They are my fave of her past five years uniform - after she moved away from the sledges etc.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the insignia on the Princess's right (our left) shoulder, please? DWLee333 in Oregon.
ReplyDeleteThere's not really much to comment on regarding the fashion but that's completely appropriate for this engagement. So looking forward to seeing a ballgown and keeping my fingers crossed for a different tiara! I'm fairly sure Camilla wore quite a range of tiaras, including big ones, when she was Duchess of Cornwall so hopefully Catherine will have choices too.
ReplyDeleteCamilla,when she was the Duchess of Cornwall, almost always wore the Greville Tiara, which had belonged to the Queen Mother.It seemed to be her favorite tiara.
DeleteI love that they had her drive the vehicle.
ReplyDeleteI don’t like this attempt to look militaristic at all and the paired jeggings, while attractive, makes it looked unserious and costumey. I like that royals back charities, but with modernization, I wish the royal family would stop self-styling themselves as generals, colonels, commanders, etc. by awarding themselves these military honors, ribbons and titles. I understand that King Charles is a figurehead commander-in-chief and can’t unilaterally interfere with military matters. Historically, there’s a tie between the military and royalties, but with the last 50 years, this tie has become more theater. It’s fine for occasional national holidays to get all dressed up in fancy dress uniforms, but honestly, even that is starting to look less compelling.
ReplyDeleteThe UK military is a professional army. The royals, aside from Harry, don’t have the professional experience. Spain’s Crown Princess at least entered her 3 yr. of military training. The British royal family needs to refocus its image to support charities by helping to raise funds for veteran services for example, given how the conservative government has been cutting military budget over the years. Have lots and lots of tea parties to raise funds for these type of charities would be a better use of the royals’ time. This way it’s a win-win with Kate being able to wear her garden party dresses or pant suits as she wishes.
The real news is the British army is having a serious recruitment problem, is in crisis, and is not militarily ready to the point that its allies and enemies have taken note and this sad state of affair is no longer a secret globally. Sigh. This is why sending Kate in with this get-up and title is not helping.
You are completely off here! The royals aside from Harry have no professional experience? All the men in the Royal Family have military experience. Prince Charles served in the Navy and the Air.Force. Prince Andrew served in the Navy for for 22 years ,and fought in the Falklands War. Prince William served in the military for 7 years. I could go on with many others. I find your comment about Kate having tea parties and dressing up in her garden party dresses quite derogatory.
DeleteWilliam also has experience, so it is not only Harry. He wanted to go with his troop into active duty, but he was not able to do so. Both Harry and Andrew served in active duty to my understanding.
DeleteI agree with you, Anon 21:32 that it is wrong for Kate to wear only partial uniform. She has the honorary title as Colonel in Chief of the Dragoons, and as such, she can wear the uniform, when visiting them, or she can wear civilian clothes. What she should not do is wear half military and half civilian clothes. This is against regulations to mix the two together; a huge mistake on her part.
DeleteI disagree when you say, "The UK military is a professional army. The royals, aside from Harry, don’t have the professional experience." Where have you been? Currently in the Royal Family, King Charles, William, Prince of Wales, Prince Edward, Prince Andrew, Edward, The Duke of Kent and Princess Anne's husband, Rear Admiral Timothy Lawrence have all served. Although they are now retired from military service, they all worked at some point in their lives as full time members of the armed forces.
"The royals, aside from Harry, don’t have the professional experience."
DeleteThis statement is incorrect. Both Charles & William have also served in the military. Charles in the Royal Navy, and William in the RAF. William also worked as an RAF air ambulance pilot
I have always thought it was so strange to see the RF dressed as commanders, etc. and being given such titles. But I look to the US, and of course US presidents are the "head of the military" regardless of his/her background. It might help optics if "Honorary" was placed before their titles; I can't see the RF or the US president giving commands during a war. :)
DeleteBut I'm sure Kate has absolutely zero choice in whether to participate, and it would look very bad if she did not. Like she's not supporting the country's military.
Didn't the then Princess Elizabeth step up for duty during the war. The Royal family have always had a very close relationship with the military. Remember those brave men and women serve for King and country. I'm looking forward to seeing the family later tonight. I understand that a statue of the late Queen will also be unveiled tonight. S.🙂.
DeleteFunny how both Kate and Meghan chose black suit/blazer and trousers this week. Their styling is different, of course, but still alike.
ReplyDeleteWould be even funnier if they just secretly share the fashion choices and do it on purpose.
I know it's kind of insane, but I am amused. :-)
The picture of Kate driving the seven-tonne armoured vehicle is impressive
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteDoesn’t seem good optics after a two week half term holiday to do engagements only near home. I know they have younger children and want to be more hands on parents and I’m sure the POW spends more time than we realize on background research but they do need to be much more visible than they have been - off all summer with the children - not going to Singapore because of exams - when are they going to truly step up now they are next in-line. I know it’s a tough line to walk but engagements near Windsor and Norfolk a-plenty …. Lucky them.
I think you are being very unfair. They just got back from Scotland which is a long way from Norfolk.
DeleteI hear what you’re saying, but last week they were in Scotland, so that wasn’t right by their home.
DeleteObviously, I would’ve love to see Kate in Singapore because I just enjoy her outings, but realistically Earthshot was created by William. He’s really the one that needs to be there. It wasn’t a royal tour.
it benefits the publicity of Invictus when Meghan joins Harry, but also, that’s Harry‘s event and she wouldn’t necessarily have to be there either. Each year Earthshot gets longer as they have more and more engagements. Even William didn’t attend every single session as he branched out into other visits. I feel like the first year in London we saw Kate for only the award ceremony & it was just one day. It was a little longer in Boston (2 or 3 days?).
Actually their first engagement after the half-term break was in Scotland!
DeleteW mentioned recently that he wants to focus on fewer projects to make a bigger impact, I assume this goes for K too. This makes good sense to me, the days of having hundreds of patronages sounds quite Victorian if it’s just putting your name to something vs truly believing in and supporting something.
DeleteI know they were in Scotland but you will find that they do a lot in the Windsor area for sure and Norfolk stuff. It’s just overall I do feel they are not visible enough. I’m truly not trying to be unfair but now they are the P and POW I do feel there should be a heavier workload. As I say, off all summer - two weeks half term and Christmas and Easter two weeks.
DeleteAnon 13.42… yes in Scotland on a very short day trip facilitated by using a helicopter. Really not a good look. Kate has not had any experience in the military and I personally do not think, even as whatever her honorary title may be, she should wear uniform. LRB
DeleteI am sure those organizing these events are well aware of what is appropriate wear for these activities. William and Catherine have a team working with them and the Royal Family has been participating in countless public activities for years and years.
DeleteThey travel by helicopter. It’s not a “long” engagement when they travel by air and are home when the children return from school.
DeleteSophia just did a Canada tour. Why is the prince and princess of wales, first in line to throne, not stepping up to their duties? It seems like ever since the passing of Her Majesty, they are doing less and less. Just a question!
Great to see The Princess of Wales supporting her regiment. The Earthshot prize was a great success. I'm looking forward to seeing them st the upcoming events.Thanks Charlotte. S.🙂
ReplyDeletelooking forward to the state banquet. thanks charlotte for the post
ReplyDeleteI think the problem here is timing. It’s so close to Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday. Given what’s going on in the world right now, perhaps it’s better not to be seen joyriding in a tank. These things are weapons of war. They kill. I blame it on her PR staff and suspect much of the KP’s PR staff was in Singapore for Will’s star studded shindig.
ReplyDeleteAs for William's Eartshot Prize, I’m not convinced by its purpose given that it cost so much to celebrate this celebrity studded annual event. Unlike the Nobel or other prizes, the set up is more like a Hollywood trophy award. Most other environmental awards are low key without the red or green carpet treatment. William should turn this into an annual celebrity watch gala to raise money for conservation, the environment, and to end homelessness.
Great to see The Princess of Wales supporting her regiment. love the eartthshot is success
ReplyDelete