The Duchess of Cornwall was in Aldershot, Thursday this week at the New Normandy Barracks dressed in a smart military green dress with fastenings also of a military style. She was at the barracks as Royal Colonel of the 4th Battalion The Rifles and met the military families ahead of the soldiers parading before her and presenting some with medals.
Following the presentation of the medals, the Duchess addressed everyone saying how impressed she was with the work that the Battalion completed, “You pride yourself as natural innovators, always at the forefront of change, as the British Army modernises and adapts to a multitude of fresh challenges. I can think, but of course I am biased, of no better battalion to be leading this exciting new role.”
“Your skills and expertise are clearly in great demand, with training teams deployed to the United States, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Kenya, Central America and the Caribbean in recent months, with no doubt more to follow.”
The Duchess also wished the best of luck to the shooting team from the Battalion at forthcoming championships at Bisley.
During the latest reorganisation of the British Army, the role of 4th Battalion has changed from being part of a Mechanised Brigade to being, a specialised Infantry Battalion and having a training role within that. To that end, they often work overseas combatting terrorism and helping to use the skills they have learnt and honed to bring foreign troops up to the same high standard and help to fight terrorism at the source before it has a chance to spread and take hold.
One sight which amused and impressed the Duchess was the moustache of one of the soldiers. She congratulated Corporal Jack Stock on it, he told reporters later he occasionally shaved it off, but every time missed it so much he had to regrow it. As for the Duchess, he said; “It’s great to have here, she’s really proud to be our Royal Colonel and loves to come here and makes the time to visit”.
