King presents Navy with new Colours
The King has presented the Royal Navy with new Colours – the most sacred standard in the Naval Service.
In an historic ceremony at Buckingham Palace on April 27, a unique flag – bearing the King’s Royal Cypher and touched by his hand – was entrusted to the Royal Navy by King Charles III.
A 56-strong Naval Guard of Honour, comprising three officers, one warrant officer and 52 ranks and rates, accompanied by musicians, including the Band of His Majesty’s Royal MarinesPortsmouth,attended the 45-minute ceremony.
The King’s Colour replaces theflagHisMajesty’slatemother presented to the Senior Servicetwodecadesago.Itfeatures the sovereign’s monogram featuringtheinitialsoftheirname and title, rex (king), alongside a representation of the crown.
The old Colours were marched off before The King and Queen Consort arrived at theNorthLawnofBuckingham
Palace’s garden where Royal Navy personnel, The King’s Company of the Grenadier Guards and The King’s Colour SquadronoftheRoyalAirForce assembled, alongside His Majesty’sBandoftheRoyalMarines Portsmouth and the Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment.
Following a Royal Salute and the National Anthem, the three Colours were blessed by the Bishop of the Forces, Hugh Nelson, in the presence of First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key and Chaplain of the Fleet The Reverend Andrew Hillier, the respective heads and senior chaplains of the Army and RAF, and Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin.
The King then presented the new Colours, followed by a final Royal Salute and the march off of the parade.