Armed Services
The Prince of Wales is a strong supporter of Britain’s Armed Services and sees this as one of the most important parts of his role as Heir to the Throne.
The Prince of Wales’s relationship with the Armed Services is based on four themes:
- promoting the role of the Forces within national life, through operational visits and ceremonial duties;
- focusing on the professionalism and excellence of training;
- supporting the welfare of service personnel and their families;
- helping to maintain the history and heritage of the Services through regimental links and veterans groups.
The Prince of Wales currently holds the ranks of Admiral in the Royal Navy, Air Chief Marshal in the Royal Air Force and General in the Army.
He completed five years of active service in the Royal Navy and when he left in 1977 he had been promoted to the rank of Commander. The Prince also gained his wings by passing the Parachute regiment course.
The Prince attends the Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph on a regular basis and other commemorative events in this country and abroad to pay tribute to those who have fallen during the course of battle.
The Prince is Patron of a number of charities and organisations which help to look after the welfare of soldiers and their families, including the Airborne Forces Security Fund, War Widows, British Forces Foundation, Royal Naval Benevolent Trust and the White Ensign Association.
The Prince has a special relationship with 12 regiments in this country and 10 in the Commonwealth.
The Prince is kept informed of the activities of his regiments and asks to be briefed on a regular basis. As Colonel-in-Chief, The Prince often visits his regiments on bases in this country and abroad, meeting soldiers and their families.
The Prince of Wales pays regular visits to injured soldiers. In December 2007, and October 2006 with The Duchess of Cornwall, His Royal Highness paid a morale boosting visit to injured personnel at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine in Birmingham.
In November 2005, Their Royal Highnesses visited the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court, Surrey. In 2007, Prince William and Prince Harry also visited Headley Court to meet injured personnel.
The Prince will often write to injured personnel and send them a letter with a bottle of whisky to speed their recovery.