In March, Princess Kate did her first major event with the Irish Guards since taking over Prince William’s role as the honorary Colonel of the regiment, and in a speech at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Aldershot, the prince called his wife “Colonel Catherine.” On Friday, Buckingham Palace unveiled a few new military patronages for the Princess of Wales, and it included another opportunity to use the new nickname now that Kate is taking over for King Charles III as Colonel-in-Chief of the 1st Dragoon Guards.
Along with new roles for the king, Queen Camilla, William, Prince Edward, Princess Anne, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, the palace also announced that Kate now Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Honorary Air Commodore for Royal Air Force Coningsby, a base in Lincolnshire. Prince Andrew was formerly the Commodore-in-Chief for the Fleet Air Arm until he was stripped of his military patronages after settling a lawsuit with Jeffrey Epstein survivor Virginia Roberts Giuffre for a reported $12 million, while the role at RAF Coningsby previously belonged to William.
In their statement, the palace said, “The new appointments will continue to reflect the close relationship between the Armed Forces and the Royal Family in His Majesty’s reign.” The announcement also noted that the king is taking over eight military roles that formerly belonged to Queen Elizabeth II, including the role as sponsor of the HMS Queen Elizabeth, a World War I-era warship named for the 16th century queen. William is taking on three roles from his father: Colonel-in-Chief for The Mercian Regiment, Colonel-in-Chief for The Army Air Corps (the regiment Prince Harry once served in), and Royal Honorary Air Commodore, RAF Valley.
Though the appointments are largely ceremonial, Kate has used them as an opportunity to get involved in training with the troops she represents. Last summer, she shared pictures from a time she suited up in full military garb to spend Armed Forces Day with a British Army regiment, and in 2021, she abseiled and cycled with a group of teenagers on an air force junior training course.
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