Buckingham Palace Reception

by Lt Col T Quinn RM, Commanding Officer, 42 Commando RM

His Majesty The King chatting with representatives of the Corps

On 11 February Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla hosted separate receptions at Buckingham Palace to honour military personnel from their military affiliations, thanking them for their service and dedication. Naturally, with His Majesty The King being our Captain General, the Commando Force attended the King’s reception, with the Bde Comd, COs and RSMs representing the Corps.

It isn’t every day that one is invited to meet His Majesty The King, and the fact that this invitation was extended to wives and partners was particularly special. It is, after all, often our families’ sacrifices and hardship that enables so many of us to do what we do in the Corps, with them seldom able to enjoy the ‘proffs’ of foreign travel, adventurous training and the like.

So it was, with an element of surreal, understated excitement, that we rolled up to the gates of Buckingham Palace in Lovat Dress, with our (much) better halves, to represent the Royal Marines and meet the Captain General himself.

As one can imagine, Buckingham Palace is a well oiled machine. With over 300 people attending the King’s reception alone, we were efficiently ushered through the cloakroom and then into the throne room for canapés, drinks and the obligatory pre brief.

Our Senior Service status saw the HMS Queen Elizabeth and Commando Force groups positioned to meet the King first and, as he entered the hall, he was smoothly ushered through the room while staff kept drinks and an exquisite array of canapés flowing (I believe my wife had seven lemon tartlets!).

The King was on top form. He was remarkably well informed and took a keen interest in hearing from our wives and partners. It was impressive to see him ‘work’ through over two hours in the room, putting people at ease and moving between groups as if he had all the time in the world.

Following the King’s departure (and lemon tartlet supply exhausted!) the close of the evening afforded a chance to catch up with Army and Air Force oppos as we filtered through the grand hallways and into the London night for dinner. All in all an unforgettable evening and a huge honour to represent the Corps, and all the people that His Majesty was eager to pass on his very heartfelt thanks to.