In a poignant speech delivered in London, Queen Camilla has expressed her fervent hope that a steadfast resolve to confront tyranny will help bring a conclusion to the brutal conflict in Ukraine.
A Regimental Tribute and a Plea for Peace
The Queen made her powerful remarks on Thursday, 27 November 2025, while addressing attendees at a prestigious awards dinner. The event, held at the historic Guildhall in the City of London, was organised to celebrate the accomplishments of The Rifles, one of the British Army's principal infantry regiments.
Camilla, who has held the position of Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles since July 2020, drew a direct line from the regiment's past to the present-day crisis. She paid tribute to the regiment's antecedents, who fought alongside European allies in the Crimean War in the 1850s, a conflict that took place in what is now Ukraine.
Echoes of History in a Modern Conflict
Dressed in a striking red velvet evening gown by designer Fiona Clare, the Queen connected recent commemorations with current events. She noted the 80th anniversaries of Victory in Europe and Victory over Japan, occasions where she spoke privately with many veterans.
"During these moments of commemoration," she recounted, "I was fortunate to speak privately with so many of our surviving veterans who voiced a clear and unanimous plea: the path to peace must be pursued with the same vigour and determination that our Forces prepare for combat."
She then powerfully linked this sentiment to the ongoing war, stating: "It is only fitting, then, to rewind the clock 170 years, when The Rifles’ antecedents stood alongside our European allies in modern-day Ukraine. Let us hope, as our antecedents did then, that our resolve to stand up to tyranny in this same region can again find a resolution to another devastating and brutal war."
Personal Thanks and Regimental Ties
During her speech, the Queen also took a moment to offer a personal and heartfelt thank you to her equerry, Major Ollie Plunket. Major Plunket, a member of The Rifles, has served as Camilla's first equerry for the past three years and will soon be succeeded by Major Rob Treasure from the same regiment.
"I would like to say a huge thank you to Major Ollie Plunket, who has been my staunch equerry for the past three years," she said. "He has excelled in everything he has done for me."
The biennial awards dinner was a royal affair, with Camilla attended by the unit's other Royal Colonels: the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duchess of Edinburgh. The Queen's connection to the regiment is also a deeply personal one, as her late father, Major Bruce Shand, who died in 2006, served with the Desert Rats, a brigade which now includes two Battalions of The Rifles. She succeeded Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, as the regiment's Colonel-in-Chief.
