What are the Prince and Princess of Wales new duties as King Charles reshuffles military roles?

As the anniversary of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II's death approaches, King Charles has reshuffled military roles for the royal family. Amongst the eight duties that King Charles has taken on, he will be Air Commodore-in-Chief of the RAF Regiment and Captain General, The Royal Artillery.

Catherine, Princess of Wales is to become the Royal Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Coningsby, a role previously held by her husband, Prince William. She will also be the Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm. Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh will take on the roles of Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Irish Regiment and Royal Colonel of The Queen’s Own Yeomanry. 

The Prince of Wales takes on the military roles of the Colonel-in-Chief of The Mercian Regiment, Colonel-in-Chief of The Army Air Corps and Royal Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Valley. Prince William also became the new Colonel of the Welsh Guards earlier this year. 

In a recent Gallup poll, Prince William was viewed as more popular than Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Newsweek reported that “The future king was even more popular than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a survey asking U.S. adults their view of 15 prominent figures conducted between July 3 and July 27.”

King Charles’s youngest brother, Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh is to become Colonel-in-Chief of The Queen’s Royal Hussars. The last member of the royal family who held this role was his late father, Prince Philip, and nobody has taken on this position since he passed away in 2021. Prince Edward also becomes Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Dragoon Guards. 

When it comes to a new appointment for King Charles’s wife, Queen Camilla, she is to become a patron of The Royal Army Chaplains’ Department. King Charles’s sister, The Princess Royal, who turns 73 on April 15, becomes the new Deputy Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Regiment of Scotland. 

The Duke of Gloucester is now the Air Commodore-in-Chief, Royal Auxiliary Air Force and his wife The Duchess of Gloucester is the new Colonel-in-Chief, Adjutant General’s Corps.