His Majesty The King is to serve as the Captain General of the Royal Marines.
Buckingham Palace announced he had taken on the role on the 358th anniversary of the foundation of the Corps of the Royal Marines.
There’s a link to a past king called Charles – the Corps was established in the reign of Charles II. It came into existence on October 28th 1664.
King Charles III sent a special message to the Royal Marines as his role as their Captain General was announced. His Majesty said: ”“It is the greatest possible pleasure to assume the role of your Captain General. I am exceptionally proud to follow in the footsteps of so many members of my family over the last three and a half centuries, all of whom held the role with a deep sense of admiration.
“The Royal Marines have a distinguished and unparalleled history, both on land and at sea. I draw immense inspiration from your courage, determination, self-discipline and a remarkable capacity to endure in the most extreme environments.
“I feel greatly honoured to become part of the Corps Family and very much look forward to meeting many of you in the near future. In the meantime, this comes with my heartfelt and special wishes for a very happy 358th birthday.
“Per Mare, Per Terram.”
Past Captain Generals include King George V, King George VI and Prince Philip. In 2017, the role was passed to the Duke of Sussex who relinquished it on leaving his role as a working royal.
