Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge pays tribute to Armed Forces

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge got behind the wheel of a tank when she took part in training exercises for the British Army.

The 40-year-old royal joined new recruits at Pirbright Training in November, when she spent time with the 101 Operational Sustainment Brigade at Abingdon Airfield and got to see first-hand what new recruits are asked to do, including hitching up a trailer and learning the controls of an armoured vehicle.

Catherine paid tribute to the “brave men and women” of the services as she released pictures from her visit in honour of Armed Forces Day on Saturday (25.06.22).

In a personal message shared on Instagram alongside the photos of her dressed in military gear and speaking to the squaddies, she wrote: “Today on Armed Forces Day, William and I would like to pay tribute to the brave men and women, past and present, serving in all of our armed forces, at sea, on land and in the air, here in the UK and around the world. Thank you for all you and your families sacrifice to keep us safe.

“Last year, I was honoured to spend time with the @BritishArmy to see how they train serving personnel and new recruits. It was wonderful to see first-hand the many important and varied roles the military play day in, day out to protect us all, and I look forward to discovering more about the @RoyalNavy and @RoyalAirForceUK in due course.”

The message was signed with a C, indicating it had come personally from the duchess.

Catherine’s tribute comes after it was previously claimed the duchess – who has three children with husband Prince William – is being lined up to replace Prince Andrew as colonel of the Grenadier Guards after the Duke of York handed back his patronages and military titles earlier this year ahead of his civil case with Virginia Giuffre.

A source said recently: “We all admire the way she has fitted in and behaved, she never seems to put a foot wrong. Everything she has taken on she really commits to, and we want someone who will really engage with us.”

If she does receive the role, Catherine would be the regiment’s first female colonel in 80 years since Queen Elizabeth, who was then Princess Elizabeth, held the role in 1942.