Personal aide-de-camp

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The Duke of Cambridge wearing the insignia (aiguillette over his right shoulder and chest) of a personal aide-de-camp to the sovereign.[1]

Personal Aide-de-Camp is an appointment in the Royal Household of the United Kingdom. It is distinct from that of other Aides-de-Camp to the Queen (or King), in that it is only bestowed on members of the Royal Family holding military rank. The appointment is signified by the post-nominal letters 'ADC'. It is an honorary role with few duties or responsibilities attached;[2] in the 20th century the Personal Aides-de-Camp were specifically listed as riding close behind the Gold State Coach at each Coronation, and walking or riding close behind the Gun Carriage at each State Funeral, of a monarch.

History[]

The practice of appointing family members as Personal Aides-de-Camp was begun by Queen Victoria.[2]

Insignia[]

The emblem of the office is the royal cypher and crown (of the monarch who appointed the officer), which is worn on the uniform shoulder straps; and No. 1 gold aiguillettes, which are worn on the right shoulder. (The aiguillettes of Personal Aides-de-Camp are distinguished from those of other Aides-de-Camp by the addition of the royal cypher and crown to each tag).[3]

Current ADCs[]

Those in the Royal Family who currently hold the appointment are:

Rank Name and Date of Appointment Military branch
Years served
Appointed by Queen Elizabeth II
Field Marshal
Air Chief Marshal 		Duke of Kent (1 August 1966–present)[4]  British Army
1955–1976
Admiral of the Fleet
Field Marshal
Marshal of the Royal Air Force 		Prince of Wales (6 December 1973–present)[5]  Royal Navy
1971–1977
 Royal Air Force
1971–1977
Captain (retired) Mark Phillips (1 February 1974–present)  British Army
1969–1978
Honorary Air Commodore Earl of Wessex (1 August 2004–present)
Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence (1 August 2004–present)  Royal Navy
1973–2011
Squadron Leader
Major
Lieutenant Commander 		Duke of Cambridge (17 March 2013–present)[6]  British Army
2006–2009
 Royal Air Force
2009–2013

There are other categories of aides-de-camp to the Queen; most are serving military, naval, and air officers, usually of colonel or brigadier rank or equivalent. There are also specific posts for very senior officers, such as First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp, Flag Aide-de-Camp, Aide-de-Camp General, and Air Aide-de-Camp each with its own specific entitlement to post-nominal letters.

Former ADCs[]

Those in the Royal Family who previously held the appointment are:

Rank Name and Date of Appointment Military branch
Years served
Appointed by Queen Victoria
Field Marshal Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (26 May 1876–16 January 1942)  British Army
1868–1942
Admiral of the Fleet Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (9 December 1882–30 July 1900)  Royal Navy
August 1858–30 July 1900[7]
Major
Captain 		Duke of Clarence and Avondale (21 June 1887–14 January 1892)[8]  Royal Navy
 British Army
1877–1892
Field Marshal
Admiral of the Fleet 		Prince George of Wales (21 June 1887–6 May 1910)  Royal Navy[9]
Field Marshal Duke of Cambridge (1 November 1895–17 March 1904)  British Army
3 November 1837–17 March 1904[10]
Admiral of the Fleet Prince Louis of Battenberg (1 January 1897–11 September 1921)  Royal Navy
1868–1914[11]
General Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein (14 March 1898–28 October 1917)  British Army
July 1866–28 October 1917[12]
Appointed by King Edward VII
Major General Prince Arthur of Connaught (30 June 1905–12 September 1938)  British Army
1901–1922[13]
Lieutenant Colonel Marquess of Cambridge (3 June 1910–24 October 1927)[14]  British Army
1888–1919
Appointed by King George V
Admiral
General
Air Chief Marshal 		Duke of York (3 June 1919–11 December 1936)  Royal Navy
 Royal Air Force
1913–1919[15]
Admiral of the Fleet
Field Marshal
Marshal of the Royal Air Force 		Prince of Wales (3 June 1919–20 January 1936)
Duke of Windsor (11 December 1936–28 May 1972) 		 Royal Navy
 British Army
1910–1919[15]
Major General Earl of Athlone (3 June 1910–16 January 1957)  British Army
1894–1931[16]
Field Marshal
Marshal of the Royal Air Force 		Duke of Gloucester (2 August 1929–10 June 1974)  British Army
1919–1937[17]
Appointed by King Edward VIII
Admiral of the Fleet Lord Mountbatten of Burma (23 June 1936–27 August 1979)[18]  Royal Navy
1916–1965
Rear Admiral
Major General
Air Commodore 		Duke of Kent (23 June 1936–25 August 1942)  Royal Navy
 Royal Air Force
1916–1942[18]
Appointed by King George VI
Colonel Earl of Harewood (1 February 1937–24 May 1947)  British Army
12 February 1902–24 May 1947[19]
Admiral of the Fleet
Field Marshal
Marshal of the Royal Air Force
Captain General Royal Marines 		Duke of Edinburgh (10 June 1948–9 April 2021)[20]  Royal Navy
1939–1952
Appointed by Queen Elizabeth II
Vice Admiral Duke of York (1 February 1984–13 January 2022)[21][22]  Royal Navy
1978–2001
Major
Squadron Leader
Lieutenant Commander 		Duke of Sussex (13 October 2018–19 February 2021)[23][24]  British Army
2005–2015

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Matthews, Lyndsey (19 May 2018). "Why Does Prince William Have a Gold Braid on His Uniform?". Harper's BAZAAR. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b Allison, Ronald; Riddell, Sarah (1991). The Royal Encyclopedia. London: Macmillan Press. p. 7. ISBN 0-333-53810-2.
  3. ^ "Army Dress Regulations 2017, part 10" (PDF).
  4. ^ "Page 9031 | Supplement 44082, 12 August 1966 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  5. ^ "Page 14723 | Supplement 46148, 11 December 1973 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  6. ^ "Duke of Cambridge becomes Aide-de-Camp to the Queen". www.telegraph.co.uk.
  7. ^ "Page 6321 | Issue 25176, 12 December 1882 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  8. ^ "Page 223 | Issue 25773, 5 January 1888 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  9. ^ "No. 25773". The London Gazette. 5 January 1888. p. 102.
  10. ^ "Page 5922 | Issue 26676, 1 November 1895 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  11. ^ "No. 26809". The London Gazette. 1 January 1897. p. 3.
  12. ^ "Page 1688 | Issue 26947, 14 March 1898 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  13. ^ "Page 4547 | Supplement 27811, 27 June 1905 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  14. ^ "Page 3859 | Supplement 28380, 31 May 1910 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  15. ^ a b "Page 1823 | Issue 13453, 5 June 1919 | Edinburgh Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  16. ^ "No. 28380". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 May 1910. p. 3859.
  17. ^ "No. 33522". The London Gazette. 2 August 1929. p. 5061.
  18. ^ a b "Page 4012 | Supplement 34296, 19 June 1936 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  19. ^ "Page 98 | Issue 15359, 5 February 1937 | Edinburgh Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  20. ^ "Page 3407 | Supplement 38316, 4 June 1948 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  21. ^ "Page 1735 | Supplement 49639, 6 February 1984 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  22. ^ "A statement from Buckingham Palace regarding The Duke of York". The Royal Family. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  23. ^ Proctor, Charlie (15 October 2018). "The Queen makes Prince Harry a personal aide-de-camp – Royal Central". royalcentral.co.uk. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  24. ^ "Buckingham Palace statement on The Duke and Duchess of Sussex". British Royal Family (Press release). 19 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
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