King Charles and Prince William The Royal Family
King Charles has handed over his military role to his son Prince William at an official ceremony.
His Majesty The King transferred the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales at an official ceremony at the Army Army Aviation Centre on Monday, May 13.
The King, as Sovereign, is Head of the Armed Forces and is a military veteran, having trained and served in both the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force.
The role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps was previously held by The King, as Prince of Wales, for over 30 years.
On the day, The King and Prince William met serving aircrew.
“Let me just say what a great joy it is to be with you even briefly on this occasion but also it is tinged with great sadness after 32 years of knowing you all, admiring your many activities and achievements through the time that I’ve been lucky enough to be Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps," said His Majesty.
With his cancer treatment still ongoing, according to the BBC King Charles spoke to a veteran at the event in Hampshire who had undergone chemotherapy for testicular cancer - and they appeared to discuss losing the sense of taste.
Prince William has a strong affiliation with the Armed Forces, having served in the Army as a Platoon Commander in The Blues and Royals, before completing flying training in the Royal Air Force.
Later that day, the Prince of Wales embarked on his first engagement with the Army Air Corps - receiving a briefing on its work and inspecting training and operational aircraft.
In 2023 Buckingham Palace announced new military appointments for nine Royal Family members. The King, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Princess Kate, Prince Edward, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne, Prince Richard, and Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester were all awarded new royal roles.