In a new shake-up of the senior Royal military positions the Duke of York – who was stripped of all honorary military titles and patronages in January this year – is replaced by the Queen Consort as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards.
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Queen Camilla was the right choice
Buckingham Palace announced the changes in the position ahead of King Charles’s first Trooping the Colour ceremony next year. MailOnline confirms the disgraced Duke inherited the position from his late father – Prince Philip – after he retired from public life in 2017.
It is the oldest and most iconic regiment in the British Army and so the switch comes as a sharp sting for Prince Andrew. In giving Queen Consort Camilla the title of Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, the King made a wise move as she’s the highest-ranking woman in the Royal Family now. This gives the Duke little to complain about.
The Telegraph reported that Queen Camilla is the second-ever female Colonel in the 336-year history of the Grenadier Guards. She was preceded by Queen Elizabeth II, who embraced the role from 1942 to 1952.
Andrew is really out
Apart from losing the most senior of the 5 Foot Guards regimental colonelcies, Prince Andrew also lost the chance to be a part of any regiment as he was not a working Royal. Initially, the Princess of Wales was tipped to be a replacement for Andrew.
Kate has now been first Army role as Colonel of the Irish Guards – a role previously held by her husband. Meanwhile, Prince William takes over the role of Colonelcy of the Welsh Guards from his father to continue to establish links with the nation. No other changes were announced by Buckingham Palace as the King still remains Colonel-in-Chief of all regiments.
Sources Used
Daily Mail: Camilla takes disgraced Prince Andrew's titles: Queen consort becomes Colonel of the Grenadier Guards as the King shakes up royals and gives the Princess of Wales first Army role
The Telegraph: Duke of York replaced as Colonel of his beloved Grenadier Guards by Queen Consort
