Captain General Royal Marines

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Captain General Royal Marines
British Royal Marines OF-10.svg
Charles III (No. 4 Dress) Salute 2024.jpg
Incumbent
King Charles III
since 28 October 2022
Flag of the Royal Marines.svg  Royal Marines
AbbreviationCapt-Gen
Appointer The 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. [a] [1] The uniform and insignia currently worn by the Captain General are those of a Field Marshal.

Contents

This position is distinct from that of the Commandant General Royal Marines, the professional head of the corps, currently occupied by General Gwyn Jenkins.

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 first Captain General Royal Marines was King George VI. Following his death he was succeeded by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, consort to Queen Elizabeth II; Prince Philip is the longest serving Captain General to date. [3]

Following Prince Philip's retirement from royal duties in 2017, Prince Harry was appointed as Captain General. [4] Unlike his predecessors and successors, who had worn Field Marshal uniforms, [5] as Captain General, Prince Harry was instead entitled to wear the rank insignia of a Major General. [6] Despite this, Prince Harry, at least on some occasions, wore the rank insignia of a Colonel, [7] [8] which is traditionally worn by some colonels-in-chief in the British Army. [9]

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. [10] Charles III separately holds the position of Head of the Armed Forces, which like some of his predecessors also makes him the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Marines. [11]

Post holders

The post has been held by the following:

No.PortraitName
(Born–died)
TitleTerm of officeRef.
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 [b] King George 1923 LCCN2014715558 (cropped).jpg King George V
(1865–1936)
Colonel-in-Chief1 January 190120 January 193635 years, 19 days [12]
2 [c] HRH The Prince of Wales No 4 (HS85-10-36416).jpg King Edward VIII
(1894–1972)
23 March 193611 December 1936263 days [13]
3 [d] 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 [14]
Captain General8 October 19486 February 1952 [15]
4 Prince Phillip of Edinburgh.jpg Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
(1921–2021)
1 June 195319 December 201764 years, 201 days [16] [17]
5 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex 2020 cropped 02.jpg Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
(born 1984)
19 December 201719 February 2021 [Note 1] 3 years, 62 days [23] [24]
6 [e] King Charles III (July 2023).jpg King Charles III
(born 1948)
28 October 2022Incumbent2 years, 38 days

See also

Notes

  1. Charles III, concurrently serves as Head of the Armed Forces also making them Commander in Chief of the Royal Marines.
  2. George V, from 1910 onwards concurrently served as Head of the Armed Forces also making them Commander in Chief of the Royal Marines.
  3. Edward VIII, concurrently served as Head of the Armed Forces also making them Commander in Chief of the Royal Marines.
  4. George VI, concurrently served as Head of the Armed Forces also making them Commander in Chief of the Royal Marines.
  5. Charles III, concurrently serves as Head of the Armed Forces also making them Commander in Chief of the Royal Marines.

Notes

  1. The Queen made an agreement with the Duke of Sussex to suspend his duties on 31 March 2020. [18] [19] [20] An announcement by Buckingham Palace on 19 February 2021 confirmed the relinquishment of the Duke of Sussex's honorary military appointments. [21] [22]

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References

  1. @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.
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