THE PRINCESS OF WALES

HONOURED WITH NEW TITLES BY KING CHARLES THE PRINCESS OF WALES TAKES ON A ROLE THAT HARKS BACK TO HER LATE GRANDFATHER

- SUZANNE WINTROB

Just weeks ahead of marking the poignant milestone of his first Accession Day on Sept. 8, King Charles conferred new military honours on himself and eight of his relatives, with his very capable daughter-in-law Kate earning an especially meaningful promotion.

The 41-year-old mom of three was named Commodorein-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm – which Prince Andrew, 63, held until 2022 – as well as Colonel-in-Chief of the 1st Queen’s Dragoon Guards and Royal Honorary Air Commodore of Royal Air Force Coningsby.

The latter appointment is particularly touching for the former Kate Middleton. Her late grandfather Captain Peter Middleton and her late grandfather-in-law, Prince Philip, were friends in the RAF, with Peter serving as Prince Philip’s co-pilot during a 1962 aerial tour of South America. And as the wife of a former RAF Search and Rescue pilot, Kate’s link to the organization now runs even deeper.