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Old 19th May 2018, 17:43
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Unhappy Uniforms

Does anybody know as to why the Duke of Westminster (William) very rarely wears RAF UNIFORM on State Occasions. He dir serve in the RAF for some years but he nearly always wears a uniform in a Regiment he has NEVER served in like today ???.
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Old 19th May 2018, 17:48
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Maybe because he is not the Duke of Westminster
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh...of_Westminster
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Old 19th May 2018, 17:52
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A simple case of “Which one shall I wear today”, alongside not wishing to overshadow Prince Harry I auggest. He blended tastefully into the background on Harry’s special day.
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Old 19th May 2018, 17:58
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I think the idea behind it is that the Powers That Be don't regard RAF Officers as "proper Gentlemen"; when we had a Full Dress Uniform (as worn by Flt Lt the Duke of York at his marriage in the early '20s), it wasn't too bad.
 
Old 19th May 2018, 18:32
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Sadly, Danny42C, you are right. ‘We’ have probably the dullest uniform going (with apologies to the RAC). Despite comments about the pre-WW2 dress uniforms, at least back then there was something a bit ‘special’. Now there’s nothing to brighten it up ... not even ‘colonels’ collar tabs in light blue, or the Field rank gold stripe on the Mess Dress trouserings (double for Air rank, IIRC)!


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Old 19th May 2018, 18:36
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Sorry Spit, but Prince William served in the Blues and Royals before joining the RAF.....he was commissioned from Sandhurst in 2006 and went to the Blues and Royals as a Lt, but like Harry initially, was not allowed anywhere near combat areas. He therefore decided to become a Helicopter Pilot where it was unlikely that he would be in active service. He went to Cranwell in 2008. Having served along side his brother in the cavalry, then it is perhaps appropriate that he chose the same uniform today.
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Old 19th May 2018, 18:43
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Ah, I had forgotten that. Both H Cav!!

HRH Harry has more medals, though

Shame the H Cav couldn’t muster more than half a troop for the Procession, though. And the Houshold outrider was having a mare [giggle] of his horse with those very adjacent howling crowds.
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Old 19th May 2018, 18:55
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Was there not a comment in the recent past on Pprune, that they wore the uniform of whichever branch of the services they held the highest rank in?
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Old 19th May 2018, 19:22
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why would anyone get married in an RAF uniform - you can get something that looks less like a Tesco Security Guards uniform for £50 in Topman...

nice to see the informal tradition of both of them going one up for a wedding - both retired as Captains/Captain equivilant but turned up as Majors.
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Old 19th May 2018, 19:32
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The Queen promoted them to Major's, wonder if she'd promote me to Cpl 21 years after I left ?
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Old 19th May 2018, 19:51
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Originally Posted by MPN11
Sadly, Danny42C, you are right. ‘We’ have probably the dullest uniform going (with apologies to the RAC). Despite comments about the pre-WW2 dress uniforms, at least back then there was something a bit ‘special’. Now there’s nothing to brighten it up ... not even ‘colonels’ collar tabs in light blue, or the Field rank gold stripe on the Mess Dress trouserings (double for Air rank, IIRC)!
As much as it pains me, you’re right. There’s very little dash or verve about RAF uniform when compared to the others.
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Old 19th May 2018, 21:05
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Originally Posted by Melchett01

As much as it pains me, you’re right. There’s very little dash or verve about RAF uniform when compared to the others.
But at least William appears to take great pride in sporting his Royal Air Force wings whenever he wears Army uniform. Conversely, I have never seen him wearing any wings when, very rarely, he wears Royal Navy uniform, despite being *fully* qualified to do so through his Sea King service, unlike Prince Michael who only completed abbreviated flying training but wears the wings of all three Services.

Originally Posted by MPN11
Ah, I had forgotten that. Both H Cav!!

HRH Harry has more medals, though
In a very borderline pedantic sense, really only one more at present, namely for his service in Afghanistan, since he wears the ribbon for his KCVO whilst the ribbon for the KG William has is no longer worn.

Jack
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Old 19th May 2018, 23:14
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‘We’ have probably the dullest uniform going
May I suggest that, the reputation of the Royal Air Force does not require bells and whistles to provide glitter. The achievements of our predecessors speak for themselves.
Even we, of the Cold War when, IMHO, EVERYONE was in the 'front line', achieved the aim of the task.
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Old 19th May 2018, 23:20
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I had to admit that partisan though I am, being an ex Rock, the RAF contingent on the route lining today, which included blokes from QCS, looked pretty dull alongside the other services represented. I don't suppose we will ever get a full dress uniform now, much as I'd like to see one.

In answer to the OP, Prince William does at least wear RAF uniform at the Cenotaph, and as everybody is in greatcoats there at least he isn't outshone by the pongoes.
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Old 20th May 2018, 06:39
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After the Jolly suggestion he would wear RM uniform as Capt General! What rank badges does a Capt Gen wear - swords and 3pips?
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Old 20th May 2018, 06:41
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As TTN knows well, at Kai Tak we were able to wear a No: 6 - this is a KD No: 1 but with shoulder boards (now just floppy straps) and it is similar to the summer uniform worn in some quarters by the Army.

Although not full ceremonial like the 6A in white (which the RAF insists is worn with black shoes), a No: 6 is actually very appealing and has the added 'advantage' of making the General Service Medal ribbon stand out from the uniform background of a No: 1!!!!!!

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Old 20th May 2018, 07:48
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Originally Posted by Pontius Navigator
After the Jolly suggestion he would wear RM uniform as Capt General! What rank badges does a Capt Gen wear - swords and 3pips?
P.N. Similar to Field Marshal, crown, laurel wreath with crossed batons.

Dan Gerous. Prince William is also a Colonel of the Irish Guards, so that is his senior uniform.

I think that they both wore the same uniforms just for uniformity.

It wasn't so much the uniforms that annoyed me but the marching, during the march off, the RAF combined with the AAC and at least 40% of the RAF contingent were out of step, even the RN managed better.
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Old 20th May 2018, 08:05
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Cokecan
I got married in RAF uniform complete with sword plus white gloves ... and I was damned proud of it!

Not only that, it was cheaper than hiring a whistle & flute from Moss Bros

Last edited by FantomZorbin; 20th May 2018 at 08:23.
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Old 20th May 2018, 08:30
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Originally Posted by FantomZorbin
Cokecan
I got married in RAF uniform complete with sword plus white gloves ... and I was damned proud of it!

Not only that, it was cheaper than hiring a whistle & flute from Moss Bros
Likewise, FZ. However, I was unable to persuade my bride to wear hers, so she went and spent money on a wedding dress instead. Oh, the waste ... she never wore it again!!
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Old 20th May 2018, 08:39
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Originally Posted by The Oberon

It wasn't so much the uniforms that annoyed me but the marching, during the march off, the RAF combined with the AAC and at least 40% of the RAF contingent were out of step, even the RN managed better.
The trouble with mixing up the services is that they do not always march the same way and there are also different commands. When I was attached to a RN unit, we RAF were always put at the back when marching, otherwise we would leave them behind.
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