The Duke of Edinburgh will take part in a rare public engagement as he transfers his role as Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles to the Duchess of Cornwall on Wednesday 22 July. Prince Philip, 99, will take part in a ceremony at Windsor Castle, before it continues at Clarence House, where Camilla, 73, will be in attendance.
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The Duke retired from royal duties in August 2017, aged 96, having completed 22,219 solo engagements since 1952. He has only been seen in public a handful of times, including at the weddings of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank in 2018.
The Queen and Prince Philip attended their granddaughter Princess Beatrice's nuptials to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi on Friday 17 July during a private ceremony at the Royal Chapel of All Saints at Royal Lodge in Windsor. Buckingham Palace released photos of the monarch and her husband with the newlyweds at the weekend.
The Duke and the Queen with Princess Beatrice and Edoardo on their wedding day (Credit: Benjamin Wheeler)
The Duke also celebrated his 99th birthday on 10 June and an image of Her Majesty and Prince Philip at Windsor Castle was released to mark the occasion. Since retiring, the Duke mainly divides his time between the Berkshire residence and Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate.
The Duke of Edinburgh has been Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles since its formation in 2007, but his connection stretches back further, as he has served as Colonel-in-Chief of successive Regiments which now make up The Rifles since 1953. The Duchess of Cornwall was appointed Royal Colonel of 4th Battalion The Rifles in 2007.
Buckingham Palace says: "The ceremony will begin at Windsor Castle where four Buglers, of The Band and Bugles of The Rifles, will sound The Rifles Assembly call upon the arrival of the Duke of Edinburgh.
The Duke, Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles, took the salute at Sounding Retreat in 2016
"The Assistant Colonel Commandant, Major General Tom Copinger-Symes, will offer the salute and thank the Duke of Edinburgh for His Royal Highness’ 67 years of support and service to The Rifles, and their forming and antecedent Regiments.
"The Buglers will then sound The Rifles Regimental Call, followed by the 'No More Parades' call, to mark the Duke of Edinburgh's final ceremony as Colonel-in-Chief.
"The ceremony will continue at Highgrove House, where the arrival of the Duchess of Cornwall will be marked by four Buglers of The Band and Bugles of The Rifles sounding The Rifles Assembly. Her Royal Highness will be addressed by The Rifles' Colonel Commandant, General Sir Patrick Sanders, who will welcome The Duchess as the new Colonel-in-Chief.
"To conclude the ceremony, the Buglers will sound The Rifles Regimental Call and The Advance, following which Her Royal Highness will meet the Buglers and a small party from 4th Battalion The Rifles, before retiring for an audience with General Sir Patrick Sanders."
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