Prince on parade
PRINCE Charles presents new colours to the Parachute Regiment yesterday – before recalling his own first jump, when he dropped upside down into the sea.
The Prince, who has been the regiment’s Colonel-in-Chief for 44 years, met soldiers, veterans and families at Merville Barracks, in Colchester, Essex.
And Charles, 72, revealed that his first parachute jump happened almost 50 years ago to the day.
He was 23 and training as a jet pilot during a four-month attachment with the RAF when he leapt from an Andover aircraft on July 29, 1971.
Charles said: “I must say, I find it hard to believe that it’s been 44 years since I became your Colonel-in-Chief.
“And nearly 50 years since I made my first parachute drop, initially upside down with my legs in the rigging lines, into Studland Bay, Dorset, where I was pulled out of the water by the Royal Marines.”
He added: “In that time, I have seen 10 Colonels Commandant and some 75 Commanding Officers come and go, at least 16 of which became Generals, some sat among us today.”
Charles – who arrived by helicopter – had the honour of presenting the regiment’s first new colours – ceremonial flags – since 1998. They are expected to last at least 20 years.
He said: “The colours I present today on behalf of the Queen continue to symbolise your loyalty and distinguished pedigree of which you can all be justifiably proud.”
A flypast of three Tiger Moth planes, two Apache helicopters and an A400M transporter plane followed, before the Red Devils parachute display team dropped into the parade square with red smoke trailing from their boots.
They presented Charles with a Denison smock, a type of jacket used by the regiment, that he wore on his first drop.
After the ceremony, the Prince spoke to more veterans at an outdoor reception.
TIME is not the only thing that flies. Half a century ago, Prince Charles jumped out of an aeroplane over Dorset’s Studland Bay. The future king initially plummeted upside down with his legs in the rigging lines and was hauled out of the water by Royal Marines.
It is no wonder he has never forgotten his 1971 RAF attachment and we are glad he is still flying high. He was ahead of his times in using his royal role to highlight pressing environmental threats and the importance of protecting our architectural heritage.
As he demonstrated on that jump, he has always known how to make a splash.