Colonel-in-Chief Camilla visits The Rifles

The Duchess of Cornwall has carried out her first visit to the infantry regiment The Rifles since taking over as Colonel-in-Chief from the Duke of Edinburgh.

Camilla took a trip to see the Army troops at Beachley Barracks in Chepstow, Gloucestershire, on Monday.

Wearing a Rifles green coat and a bugle brooch, the duchess was greeted with a socially distanced special royal fanfare on arrival.

She also attended an outdoor reception, meeting soldiers and their families.

Over the past few months, The 1st Battalion, The Rifles has been deployed throughout Wales supporting the fight against coronavirus.

Camilla said: “It’s my first time here and I am very much looking forward to it.”

As the duchess arrived, eight buglers played a specially composed fanfare called The Duchess to commemorate her new role.

Corporal Edward MacIntyre, 30, who wrote the piece, said he decided to compose it when he heard that Camilla was taking over from Philip.

Philip, 99, attended a ceremony at Windsor Castle on July 22 to hand over the duty, while the duchess was almost 100 miles away at her Highgrove home in Gloucestershire for a separate acceptance ceremony.

In a short speech, the duchess said: “Can I say how this is my first visit to another Rifles battalion since I’ve become Colonel-in-Chief so I just wanted to say how pleased I am to meet all of you today and to hear about what you’ve been doing and to hear what a wonderful job you’ve been doing throughout Covid.

“It’s been a huge pleasure to meet you and I hope I’ll be back again very soon.”

She wished troops who have returned from the Falklands a well-deserved rest, adding: “Onwards and upwards.”