The King went for a ride in a military tank today while visiting British soldiers who had returned home to their families at Dorset. The monarch changed into a helmet and goggles, leaving his smart suit behind, and was driven twice around a dirt track in a Challenger 2 at the Tank Museum in Bovington in front of a crowd of onlookers.
During the visit, the King praised the soldiers from the Royal Tank Regiment (RTR) for their impressive display. The soldiers had just come back from a mission in Greece and were reuniting with their families at the annual Families’ Day event.
Earlier that day, amidst tensions between Buckingham Palace and the Duke of Sussex over accommodation, the King arrived at the museum in Dorset riding a 1920 Pattern Rolls-Royce Armoured Car. The RTR personnel collaborated with museum staff to prepare this historic vehicle, previously used by Queen Elizabeth II during a visit to the regiment in 1997, for the occasion.
Inside the museum, which showcases nine exhibitions featuring over 300 armored vehicles, personal artifacts, stories, and medals of war heroes, King Charles, accompanied by four former Colonels-Commandant of the RTR, engaged with the ceremonial aspects of the regiment.
After jokingly describing the 1920 Rolls Royce as “slow,” the King interacted with museum staff in the Tank Story Hall, discussing the curation and preservation of tank history from World War I to the present day.
Outside, the King awarded medals to soldiers on parade and conversed with their families. He expressed concern for their wait in the heat and noted the joy of having their loved ones return from deployment.
Subsequently, the King visited the Vehicle Conservation Centre, where he observed drone displays and stood beside the Regiment’s latest Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank, highlighting the military’s technological advancements.
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