The Duchess of Edinburgh and the Queen Consort made a rare joint outing together on the evening of Thursday, 27 November, when they attended the Biennial RIFLES Awards Dinner at the City of London Guildhall.
Queen Camilla was greeted at the Guildhall by a bugle fanfare and then received by various representatives including The Rifles’ Colonel Commandant, Lieutenant General Sir Tom Copinger Symes and the Commanding Officer 4th Battalion The Ranger Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Bairsto.
After the ceremonious welcome, the wife of King Charles, as well as Duchess Sophie and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, attended a reception ahead of the dinner. They were joined by Riflemen, Rangers, veterans and other specially invited guests to celebrate the achievements of the regiment.
Following the reception, representatives and the Queen began the dinner with some short speeches. See the best pictures of the event here…
© Getty ImagesQueen Camilla made the most magnificent impression as she arrived in a floor-length bold red velvet gown from Fiona Clare, over which she had layered a black overcoat with the most beautiful white detailing.
© Getty ImagesMeanwhile, Duchess Sophie also opted for a velvet number, albeit in a much darker hue, close to a midnight blue. The dress featured a classy rounded neckline, which the 60-year-old accentuated with a wonderfully dazzling diamond necklace.
© Getty ImagesThe Duke and Duchess of Gloucester arrived shortly after the other British royals, with the couple dressed in an equally elegant manner for the occasion.
© Getty ImagesQueen Camilla made sure to bring along her signature Rifles brooch, paying tribute to the regiment during her appearance at the event. However, her other accessories were equally incredible, such as her silver gemstone necklace and her ruby earrings that coordinated perfectly with her dress.
© Getty ImagesThe Duchess of Edinburgh wore her special Silver Bugle Horn brooch to represent her role as Royal Colonel of the 5th Battalion The Rifles. The Silver Bugle Horn is used as the cap badge of The Rifles.
The symbol was adopted by Light Infantry and later Rifle Regiments from the early 1800s to pass orders across the battlefield.
© Getty ImagesQueen Camilla said a few words before the celebratory dinner began. In her speech, she expressed her hope for ending the conflict in Ukraine: “Only recently we marked the 80th anniversaries of both victory in Europe and victory over Japan.
“During these moments of commemoration, 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.
“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 anther devastating and brutal war.”
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