In a special ceremony Friday, King Charles III officially became Commissioner-in-Chief of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
At the quadrangle of Windsor Castle, the King was joined by members of the RCMP and RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme to receive a special commemorative sword marking his appointment.
“We are honoured His Majesty has consented to become our Commissioner-in-Chief and pleased to present a ceremonial sword in honour of this historic day,” said RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme in a statement.
“His Majesty The King is continuing the proud, decades-long tradition of accepting RCMP horses as gifts, which began with his late mother. This speaks to our breeding program’s international reputation for producing some of the finest Hanoverian horses in Canada. It also speaks to the strength and quality of our training program. The RCMP and the Royal Family have enjoyed a longstanding, personal relationship for many decades, and I look forward to it continuing for many more.”
The RCMP sword was commissioned especially for Friday’s ceremony, tying in the 150th anniversary of the RCMP and the upcoming coronation. According to the RCMP, in addition to the RCMP’s 150th anniversary design and the King’s cypher and coat of arms, the sword also features maple leaves representing all of Canada’s provinces and territories, the four forces crests, and the RCMP battle honours.
As Commissioner-in-Chief, King Charles will work to maintain the ties between the Royal Family and the RCMP and highlight the RCMP’s role at home and abroad.
The Royal Family has long maintained a relationship with the RCMP, dating back to its immediate predecessor, the North-West Mounted Police. Members of the North-West Mounted Police participated in Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 1897.
Queen Elizabeth II served as Commissioner-in-Chief of the RCMP from 1953 to 2022; during her reign, the police service gifted her eight horses, including her prized horse Burmese, whom she rode in many Trooping the Colour ceremonies.
King Charles was previously appointed Honorary Commissioner of the RCMP in 2012.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police will play a role in King Charles’s coronation next Saturday: five officers will ride horses in the procession.
