Soldiers say it was a "honour" to welcome Queen to North Yorkshire barracks

Her Majesty has been at Catterick Garrison today

Author: PA news agency Published 22nd Apr 2024

The Queen has said her late father would be "so pleased" as she visited his regiment for the first time since becoming its Colonel-in-Chief.

Her Majesty was said to have been "awestruck" to see a tunic belonging to her father, Major Bruce Shand, and a letter written by him as she visited Catterick Garrison.

She met serving Royal Lancers and veterans at their barracks in Catterick Garrison during the visit - her first since becoming Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths' Own) last June.

It was a role last held by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

As she arrived, vehicles were on display including the Humber and Dingo from the Second World War that her father would have commanded.

The regiment performed a royal salute and the Queen inspected and addressed Lancers in the 152-person parade.

In a speech to Lancers and their families, Camilla said: "The Lancers have always struck me for their family spirit, whose comfort and support I experienced as a daughter of the regiment, and I'm delighted to see so many families and members of the Old Comrades Association here today.

"Particularly now, as so many of your loved ones look to deploy overseas."

The Queen was handed a bouquet of flowers by Edie Pritchard, five, whose six-year-old brother Kit bowed and said: "A pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty."

The Queen awarded five medals before moving to the officers' mess, where she was shown a tunic belonging to her father, which is to be put on public display at the Regimental Museum in Derby after its purchase at auction by the regiment.

Camilla also viewed a letter her father had written to the father of one of his troop sergeants, who had been awarded a medal for bravery.

The Queen signed the visitors book and was presented with a silver model of a lancer on a horse, saying she would "treasure it".

"I know wherever my father is, he'd be so pleased I've got this role," she said.

Camilla then left through a guard of honour and a street-lining procession.

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