The King has announced he will be the Royal Marines’ next Captain General – an honorary military role that had been stripped from the Duke of Sussex.
Harry’s prestigious position was removed by the Queen after he quit as a senior working royal for financial and personal freedom and moved to America with wife Meghan and their family.
There had been speculation about which member of the royal family would become ceremonial head of the Royal Marines, with the Princess Royal tipped for the honour.
In a personal message to the Royal Marines as they marked their 358th anniversary, celebrated on Friday, the King said: “It is the greatest possible pleasure to assume the role of your Captain General.
“I am exceptionally proud to follow in the footsteps of so many members of my family over the last three and a half centuries, all of whom held the role with a deep sense of admiration.
“The Royal Marines have a distinguished and unparalleled history, both on land and at sea. I draw immense inspiration from your courage, determination, self-discipline and a remarkable capacity to endure in the most extreme environments.
“I feel greatly honoured to become part of the Corps Family and very much look forward to meeting many of you in the near future. In the meantime, this comes with my heartfelt and special wishes for a very happy 358th birthday.”
Harry became Captain General Royal Marines in December 2017, succeeding his grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh who had held the post for 64 years before standing down following his retirement from public duties.
But in February 2021, following a 12-month review of the Sussexes’ decision to quit as working royals, Harry and Meghan were stripped of their prestigious patronages as the couple confirmed Megxit was permanent.
The duke also lost his formal roles with the military including Captain General Royal Marines, Honorary Air Force Commandant of the Royal Air Force Base Honington, and Honorary Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Naval Commands’ Small Ships and Diving.
Harry, a former Army officer with a passion for the military family, had been eager to hold onto his formal links with the UK’s Armed Forces.
