King Charles has been photographed taking the controls of a British Army tank during his inaugural visit to the Royal Tank Regiment as Colonel-in-Chief in Dorset. The monarch toured the Tank Museum in Bovington, where he also presented medals to troops on parade.
After shedding his suit jacket and donning a green helmet with a microphone, the King positioned himself in the tank's commander's seat as it manoeuvred around the museum's arena. He arrived at the engagement in a 1920 Pattern Rolls-Royce armoured vehicle, quipping that it was "very slow". The late Queen had travelled in the same vehicle during her 1997 visit to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Cambrai.
Museum Tour and Medal Ceremony
During the visit, King Charles received a guided tour of the museum, including the Tank Story Hall, where personnel detailed the heritage and importance of armoured vehicles from World War I to modern times. Outdoors, he bestowed medals upon troops, including service medals for Operation Cabrit in Estonia, long-service and good-conduct awards, and commendations, according to the Express.
The King also examined a Challenger 3 tank, the army's newest battle tank, and was shown cutting-edge technological advances used by the regiment, including 3D-printed kit and reconnaissance and strike drones.
Prince Harry's Palace Invite Controversy
The visit occurred just one day before Prince Harry's anticipated arrival in the UK. On Monday morning, reports suggested Prince Harry had been invited to stay at Buckingham Palace during his London trip. However, it later transpired that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had not met the Palace's response deadline, leading to the offer being withdrawn.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said: "I am aware of multiple briefings from Buckingham Palace last week suggesting that the Duke had not accepted the offer of accommodation at a Royal Residence. Following RAVEC's decision not to provide security for his family, the Duke spent last week making alternative security arrangements. Once those arrangements were in place, he was able to formally accept the offer of accommodation for himself over the weekend. It is therefore disappointing that the offer has now been withdrawn, with Tuesday's judgment in the Associated Newspapers Limited case cited as the reason. Buckingham Palace has, however, been aware of that judgment since last Thursday. It is therefore unclear why, having formally accepted the accommodation offer, it has now been withdrawn at the last moment."
