The Duchess of Cornwall has sent a message of support to The Rifles ahead of Remembrance Sunday and was seen sporting a special brooch commissioned by the Regiment.
In a recorded message, Camilla says “Riflemen, with the rest of our nation, I am profoundly in your debt for all that you do, especially during these troubled times. Continue to uphold those qualities of discipline, courage and sense of humour that my father spoke of and be proud of all that you represent. Wherever you may be viewing this message, on operations in Afghanistan, deployed to Estonia, on exercise in the U.K. or indeed, enjoying some much-deserved leave, thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Camilla wore the newly-commissioned brooch as a gift from The Rifles to mark her appointment. According to the Regiment’s website, it is based on an important element of The Rifles’ identity.
Clarence House underlined this, saying “Central to the heritage of the Regiment is the silver bugle horn used as the cap badge of The Rifles. The bugle horn, easily carried, and sonorous and penetrating in sound, was the ideal replacement for the drum and was therefore adopted by Light Infantry and later Rifle Regiments from the early 1800s to pass orders across the battlefield. Today, every Rifleman wears a silver bugle as their cap badge.”
Camilla’s new Rifles badge is set in 18 carat white gold and features 206 cut diamonds. To denote the bugle’s cords and sovereign’s crown, three round emeralds adorn the brooch. The Rifles’ website notes that Camilla will wear it when she carries out official engagements and on special occasions that she marks with the Regiment.
Camilla was presented with The Rifles’ brooch at a meeting with General Sir Patrick Sanders, Colonel Commandant of The Rifles, at Clarence House last month. Camilla took over as Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles from The Duke of Edinburgh on 22 July of this year.
