Captain General Royal Marines

Last updated

Captain General Royal Marines
British Royal Marines OF-10.svg
King Charles III (July 2023).jpg
Incumbent
King Charles III
since 28 October 2022
Flag of the Royal Marines.svg  Royal Marines
AbbreviationCapt-Gen
AppointerThe Monarch
Term length At his own pleasure
Formation1 January 1901
First holder King George V
(As Colonel-in-Chief)
King George VI
(As Captain General)

Captain General Royal Marines is the ceremonial head of the Royal Marines. The current Captain General is King Charles III. [1] This position is distinct from that of the Commandant General Royal Marines, the professional head of the corps, who is currently ranked as a General.

Contents

History

Appointed by the monarch of the United Kingdom, the ceremonial head of the Royal Marines was the Colonel in Chief until the title changed to Captain General in 1948. [2] The uniform and insignia worn by the Captain General are those of a Royal Marines Colonel or higher depending on the appointee's current or previously held rank. As Captain General Royal Marines, Prince Harry was entitled to wear the rank insignia of a Field Marshal or Major General. [3] Despite this, Prince Harry, at least on some occasions, wore the rank insignia of a Colonel, [4] [5] which is traditionally worn by some Colonels-in-chief in the British Army. [6]

King Charles III was announced as Captain General on 28 October 2022, on the 358th anniversary of the corps' founding by King Charles II in 1664. [7]

Post holders

The post has been held by the following:

No.PortraitName
(Born–died)
TitleTerm of officeRef.
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 King George 1923 LCCN2014715558 (cropped).jpg King George V
(1865–1936)
Colonel-in-Chief1 January 190120 January 193635 years, 19 days [8]
2 HRH The Prince of Wales No 4 (HS85-10-36416).jpg King Edward VIII
(1894–1972)
23 March 193611 December 1936263 days [9]
3 King George VI of England, formal photo portrait, circa 1940-1946.jpg King George VI
(1895–1952)
11 December 19368 October 194815 years, 57 days [10]
Captain General8 October 19486 February 1952 [11]
4 Prince Phillip of Edinburgh.jpg The Duke of Edinburgh
(1921–2021)
1 June 195319 December 201764 years, 201 days [12] [13]
5 Prince Harry Trooping the Colour cropped.JPG The Duke of Sussex
(born 1984)
19 December 201719 February 2021 [Note 1] 3 years, 62 days [19] [20]
6 King Charles III (July 2023).jpg King Charles III
(born 1948)
28 October 2022Incumbent1 year, 105 days [1]

See also

Notes

  1. The Queen made an agreement with the Duke of Sussex to suspend his duties on 31 March 2020. [14] [15] [16] An announcement by Buckingham Palace on 19 February 2021 confirmed the relinquishment of the Duke of Sussex's honorary military appointments. [17] [18]

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References

  1. 1 2 @RoyalFamily (28 October 2022). "Today as the @RoyalMarines celebrate their 358th birthday, The King has become their new Captain General" (Tweet) via Twitter. His Majesty trained and served alongside the Royal Marines during his Naval career.
  2. "Captain General". Royal Marines Museum. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  3. "Royal Marines and Other Ranks" (PDF). royalnavy.mod.uk.
  4. "While Meghan Markle Cooks at Home, It's a Freezing Valentine's Day for Prince Harry". vanityfair.com.
  5. "Prince Harry settles claim against Mail on Sunday publisher after being accused of snubbing Royal Marines". The Standard.
  6. "Army Dress Regulations section 1, paragraph 02.13" (PDF). whatdotheyknow.
  7. Coughlan, Sean (28 October 2022). "King takes on Royal Marines role once held by Harry". BBC News. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
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  9. "No. 34268". The London Gazette . 27 March 1936. p. 1975.
  10. "No. 34351". The London Gazette. 18 December 1936. p. 8187.
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  12. "No. 39863". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 May 1953. p. 2939.
  13. "RM Online (archived version, defunct site)". Archived from the original on 21 October 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
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  15. "Spring 2020 Transition". The official website of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Press release). Archived from the original on 30 March 2020.
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  18. "Harry and Meghan not returning as working members of Royal Family". BBC News. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  19. "No. 62148". The London Gazette . 27 December 2017. p. 23814.
  20. "Prince Harry is appointed Captain General Royal Marines". British Royal Family (Press release). 19 December 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2020.