You don't get to see King Charles III (77) like this every day: At the Royal Tank Regiment's family day, the monarch made sure to take a seat in a battle tank himself. It was his first visit to the regiment since he became its Colonel-in-Chief in 2023 after his mother's death, as reported by the BBC.
Befitting his status, the King rolled up in a 1920 Rolls-Royce armored car at the Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset. The vehicle has history: His mother, Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022), had arrived in the same car in 1997 for the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Cambrai.
However, Charles was not dazzled by the charm of the aged companion. When asked his opinion of the car, the King joked that it was "very slow".
From World War One to Drones
During the tour of the museum, the King was shown the history of tanks from World War One to the present day in the "Tank Story Hall". He met four former Colonels-in-Chief and presented medals to soldiers outside on the parade ground - including awards for the "Operation Cabrit" deployment in Estonia, as well as honors for long and good service. He also took time for the regiment's family members.
Then it got down to business: Charles inspected the Challenger 3, the British Army's newest battle tank, and was shown modern technology such as 3D-printed equipment and drones. As the crowning finale, the monarch - wearing a helmet and sitting in the commander's seat - took a ride in a Challenger through the museum's arena.
In the Background: Dispute Over Harry's Accommodation
The fact that the King completed his appointments that day so calmly is remarkable, as a family drama was unfolding in parallel. As "The Sun" reports, Charles had initially offered his son Prince Harry (41) quarters at Buckingham Palace for his visit to Great Britain. However, shortly before his arrival on Monday (July 6), the offer was withdrawn.
