Personal aide-de-camp
A personal aide-de-camp is a senior military officer who is appointed to act as the honorary military attendant to the monarch of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms or any of his or her viceroys. The Sovereign will typically commission another member of the Royal Family to act as his or her personal aide-de-camp, though other non-royal officers will be assigned to the role, especially when the monarch is in one of the realms besides the United Kingdom. Those designated as aide-de-camp to a governor general, lieutenant governor, or governor use the letters ADC or in Canada A de C[1] after their names.
Insignia
The emblem of the office is the use of the royal cypher of the monarch who appointed the officer on his shoulder straps and aiguillette (braided ropes) on the right shoulder.[2]
Current ADCs
Those in the Royal Family who currently hold the appointment are:
| Rank | Name | Military branch Years served |
|---|---|---|
| Appointed by King George VI | ||
| Admiral of the Fleet Field Marshal Marshal of the Royal Air Force |
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1939-Present) |  1939–1952 |
| Appointed by Queen Elizabeth II | ||
| Field Marshal | Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (1966-Present) |  1955–1976 |
| Admiral of the Fleet Field Marshal Marshal of the Royal Air Force |
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (6 December 1973-Present) | 1971–1977  1971–1977 |
| Captain (retired) | Mark Phillips (1 February 1974-Present) | 1969–1978 |
| Vice Admiral | Prince Andrew, Duke of York (1 February 1984-Present) | 1978–2001 |
| Honorary Air Commodore | Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (1 August 2004-Present) | |
| Vice Admiral | Sir Timothy Laurence (1 August 2004-Present) | 1973–2011 |
| Squadron Leader Major Lieutenant Commander |
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (17 March 2013-Present) [3] | 2006–2009 2009–2013 |
| Major Squadron Leader Lieutenant Commander |
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (13 October 2018-Present) [4] | 2005–2015 |
There are other categories of aides-de-camp to the Queen; most are serving military, naval, and air officers, usually of colonel or brigadier rank or equivalent. There are also specific posts for very senior officers, such as First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp, Flag Aide-de-Camp, Aide-de-Camp General, and Air Aide-de-Camp each with its own specific entitlement to post-nominal letters.
See also
References
- Canada Gazette, February 9, 1974
- Why Does Prince William Have a Gold Braid on His Uniform?, Harper's Bazaar
- Duke of Cambridge becomes Aide-de-Camp to the Queen, March 17, 2013
- Proctor, Charlie (15 October 2018). "The Queen makes Prince Harry a personal aide-de-camp – Royal Central". royalcentral.co.uk. Retrieved 15 October 2018.