Prince Philip makes rare public engagement as he hands over role to Camilla

Prince Philip has made a rare public engagement at Windsor Castle as he handed over one of his remaining roles to his daughter-in-law, Camilla.

Philip, 99, handed over his position of colonel-in-chief of The Rifles on Wednesday, in a very socially distanced ceremony.

Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, was about 100 miles away at Highgrove House when she received the role.

His appearance came shortly before Buckingham Palace confirmed the Queen and Philip would be travelling to Scotland for their annual summer holiday by early August.

He waved and smiled as he arrived to the sound of four buglers, and was saluted by the Assistant Colonel Commandant, Major General Tom Copinger-Symes, for 67 years of service The Rifles, and their forming and antecedent Regiments.

He stood ram-rod still as he was thanked for his association with the regiment.

The buglers played the No More Parades call, marking Philip’s final ceremony.

Then the ceremony passed over to Gloucestershire, where Camilla was welcomed by four buglers, and by The Rifles’ Colonel Commandant, General Sir Patrick Sanders.

Speaking before the ceremony, General Sanders said: “We feel it’s a bittersweet day because we’re enormously proud of our association with the Duke of Edinburgh who has been the most amazing Colonel-in-Chief and we’ve really flourished under his tenure.

“But it’s also really special to have the Duchess of Cornwall coming in because she has a long association with The Rifles.

“She has been absolutely inspiring and the support that she’s given and the way that she sustained that through some quite difficult and bloody tours.”

Read more: Prince Philip to make public engagement as he hands over a key role

During the ceremony, Camilla wore a Rifles brooch and a bespoke bottle-green dress with black trim, modelled on the Rifles’ uniform.

The buttons of the dress have bugles on them and are the same buttons as worn on the soldiers’ tunics.

After the ceremony, she met the buglers and a small party from 4th Battalion The Rifles, before retiring for an audience with General Sir Patrick Sanders.

The Rifles has only existed in its current form since 2007, but Philip was Colonel-in-Chief of successive Regiments which now make up The Rifles, a role he took up in 1953.

The Duchess of Cornwall, 73, took on the role of Royal Colonel of The Rifles in 2007.

She will continue as Royal Colonel, a role which she has carried out by writing to next of kin, sending letters to the injured, and meeting families of the Battalion during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

Camilla has also done the medal services.

She visited New Normandy Barracks in Aldershot in May last year to present service medals and meet members of the battalion and their families.

Philip has been isolating at Windsor Castle with the Queen since mid-March, when he was flown by helicopter from his usual retirement residence of Sandringham House.

Read more: Prince Philip thanks scientists working on COVID-19 vaccine

He was seen in a new photo to mark his 99th birthday, and attended the wedding of his granddaughter Princess Beatrice.

But he rarely makes public appearances as he retired in 2017, so Wednesday’s ceremony is an unusual event.

On Wednesday, a palace spokesman said: “The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh plan to move to Balmoral Castle in early August to commence their annual summer stay.

“All arrangements will be in line with the relevant guidelines and advice.”