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Colonel-in-chief

Article Discussion

Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Colonel-in-Chief is a ceremonial position in an army regiment. It is in common use in several Commonwealth armies, where it is held by the regiment's patron, usually a member of the royal family.

Some armed forces take a light-hearted approach to the position, appointing animals or characters as colonel-in-chief. The Norwegian Army, for example, appointed a king penguin named Sir Nils Olav as a colonel-in-chief.<ref name=olav1>Norwegian Consulate in Edinburgh. Template:Webarchive</ref><ref name=olav2>Template:Cite news</ref>

HistoryEdit

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Historically a colonel-in-chief was the ceremonial head of a regiment, usually a member of a European country's royal family. The practice extends at least back to 1740 in Prussia when Frederick II held that position (Template:Langx) in the newly created Garde du Corps, an elite heavy cavalry regiment.<ref name= Hohenzollern>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Unreliable source?

By the late 19th century the designation could be given to the children of royalty; there are pictures of the daughters of Russian Czar Nicholas II in the uniforms of their regiments.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The German Kaiser Wilhelm II carried the title to an extreme, holding it in dozens of German and (by diplomatic courtesy) Austro-Hungarian (called Inhaber), British, Russian, and Portuguese regiments. His mother, wife, son, and daughters were also full or deputy colonels-in-chief of various units. <ref name= Hohenzollern/>

RoleEdit

In modern usage, the colonel-in-chief of a regiment is its (usually royal) patron, who has a ceremonial role in the life of the regiment. They do not have any operational role, or the right to issue orders, but are kept informed of all important activities of the regiment and pay occasional visits to its units. The chief purpose of the colonel-in-chief is to maintain a direct link between the regiment and the royal family.Template:Citation needed Some artillery regiments have a captain-general instead of a colonel-in-chief, but the posts are essentially the same.

The position of colonel-in-chief is distinct from the other ceremonial regimental posts of colonel of the regiment and honorary colonel, which are usually retired military officers or public figures with ties to the regiment.

Colonels-in-chief are appointed at the invitation of the regiment. While it is traditional for a royal personage to hold the position,Template:Cn it is at the discretion of each regiment whom they invite.

Template:As of, most colonels-in-chief in the British Army are members of the British royal family. However, one foreign monarch holds the position:Template:Citation needed

In the past non-royal persons have held, or been invited to hold, the post of colonel-in-chief. The Duke of Wellington was colonel-in-chief of the regiment that bore his name. The Governor General of Canada Adrienne Clarkson was invited to be colonel-in-chief of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> while the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps decided to ask the Governor-General of Australia to serve as its colonel-in-chief.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The role has spread to other armies in the Commonwealth of Nations, at least in countries which have royal families.Template:Cn

List of colonels-in-chiefEdit

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United KingdomEdit

Royal Navy (styled Commodore-in-Chief)Edit

British ArmyEdit

Household Cavalry and Royal Armoured CorpsEdit
Household CavalryEdit
Line CavalryEdit
Royal Tank RegimentEdit
YeomanryEdit
InfantryEdit
Foot GuardsEdit
  • Grenadier Guards – King Charles III
    • Queen Camilla (Colonel of the Regiment)
  • Coldstream Guards – King Charles III
  • Scots Guards – King Charles III
    • Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh (Colonel of the Regiment)
  • Irish Guards – King Charles III
    • Catherine, Princess of Wales (Colonel of the Regiment)
  • Welsh Guards – King Charles III
    • William, Prince of Wales (Colonel of the Regiment)
  • London Guards – vacant
    • Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh (Colonel of the Regiment)
Line Infantry and RiflesEdit
Airborne InfantryEdit
Special OperationsEdit
  • Ranger Regiment – vacant
    • 1st Battalion – Anne, Princess Royal
    • 4th Battalion – Queen Camilla
Special ForcesEdit
Combat Support and Army Air CorpsEdit
Combat Service SupportEdit
Army Medical ServicesEdit
Overseas RegimentsEdit

Royal Air Force (styled Honorary Air Commodore)Edit

Antigua and BarbudaEdit

AustraliaEdit

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> (styled Captain General)

Brunei DarussalamEdit

CanadaEdit

Template:Further

Canadian ArmyEdit

Royal Canadian Armoured CorpsEdit
Royal Canadian Infantry CorpsEdit
Royal Canadian EngineersEdit
Personnel branchesEdit

Other organisationsEdit

JamaicaEdit

MalaysiaEdit

Malaysian ArmyEdit

CombatEdit
Combat SupportEdit
Service SupportEdit

Royal Malaysian Air ForceEdit

Royal Malaysian NavyEdit

New ZealandEdit

  • New Zealand Corps of Officer Cadets – vacant

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> (styled Captain-General)

NorwayEdit

File:Nils Olav inspects the Kings Guard of Norway after being bestowed with a knighthood at Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland.jpg
Sir Nils Olav (a king penguin) inspects troops of the Norwegian Royal Guard, of which he is Colonel-in-Chief

Papua New GuineaEdit

ReferencesEdit

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