At the ceremony in the Quadrangle at Windsor Castle, The King formally accepted the role of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner-in-Chief. It was in recognition of the RCMP’s 150th anniversary and the upcoming coronation.
On arrival, His Majesty was welcomed with a Royal Salute from four mounted members of the RCMP who have travelled to the UK to take part in the Coronation Procession. The participating ‘Mounties’ were all on horses from the Royal Mews who were previously gifted by the RCMP to Queen Elizabeth II.
To mark The King’s appointment as Commissioner-in-Chief, the commissioner of the RCMP, Mike Duheme presented the special commemorative RCMP Officer’s sword.
Design of the Sword
The sword has been designed to celebrate the RCMP’s 150th anniversary and features the four Force crests, maple leaves representing each one of the Provinces & Territories and the RCMP battle honours. The sword also carries the Cypher and Coat of Arms of King Charles III and RCMP 150th anniversary elements.
The King, when The Prince of Wales, took on the role of Honorary Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 2012 during a visit to Depot Division in Regina, Saskatchewan. This followed Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II being appointed the first ever RCMP Commissioner-in-Chief in 2012. Her Majesty was also presented with a commemorative sword to mark her appointment.
RCMP at the Coronation
A contingent of five Royal Canadian Mounted Police will take part in the Coronation procession. They will be mounted on horses from the Royal Mews who were all gifts of the RCMP. Having taken part in The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, the ‘Mounties’ went on to present Her Late Majesty with eight horses throughout her reign. Noble, a 7-year-old 16.2 hands high black mare, arrived in the UK in March.
The relationship between the RCMP and The Royal Family dates back to 1897, when a contingent of the North-West Mounted Police paraded in Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee procession in London. They received the ‘Royal’ title from King Edward VII in 1904 and have taken part in every Coronation since.
