{"id":28620,"date":"2023-11-15T06:30:52","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T06:30:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/webpromall.com\/?p=28620"},"modified":"2023-11-15T06:30:52","modified_gmt":"2023-11-15T06:30:52","slug":"kate-middleton-wears-military-uniform-to-drive-seven-tonne-armoured-vehicle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webpromall.com\/celebrity\/kate-middleton-wears-military-uniform-to-drive-seven-tonne-armoured-vehicle\/","title":{"rendered":"Kate Middleton wears military uniform to drive seven-tonne armoured vehicle"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Princess of Wales drove a seven-tonne armoured vehicle equipped with a machine gun and was described as \u201ca natural\u201d on her first visit to 1st The Queen\u2019s Dragoon Guards.<\/p>\n

Kate Middleton, 41, exclaimed \u201cit\u2019s really great\u201d after bringing the Jackal 2 vehicle to a stop, adding: \u201cIt\u2019s very responsive actually, given the size of the thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

She donned a combat jacket and helmet and was also shown weapons in a troop hide and tried her hand at flying a drone during her visit to Robertson Barracks in Swanton Morley, Norfolk.<\/p>\n

Corporal Darreyl Tukana, a driving instructor, sat beside Kate in the Jackal 2 on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

He drove her to a troop hide, then let her take the controls to drive them back to where they started.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

He said afterwards: \u201cShe was a natural. She drives a Land Rover back at home \u2013 I told her it\u2019s exactly the same, just take it slowly and go back to where we started off from.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was enjoying every bit of the journey itself. It\u2019s different from what she\u2019s driving, it\u2019s a bigger vehicle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked if he had to teach her much, he said: \u201cNot really, I just needed to switch on a few toggle switches before start-up, because it\u2019s different from a car.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I switched it on, put it into gear and I told her it\u2019s just like a normal car.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

He said the vehicles weigh about seven tonnes and can reach 70mph.<\/p>\n

Kate was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment by the King in August.<\/p>\n

During her visit, Kate, who wore a poppy on her dark jacket, spoke with senior officers, soldiers and families.<\/p>\n

Kate Ormston, 31, whose 38-year-old husband Staff Sergeant Paul Ormston is attached to the regiment, was with their two children Joey, 10, and six-year-old Jackson when she spoke to the princess.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cIt was really exciting. She asked about Army life and my husband being deployed, and just generally she was just really down to earth and friendly, it was really nice.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe spoke to everyone individually, she introduced herself to the children and asked their names and ages which was really nice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they were a little bit overwhelmed as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cShe\u2019s done it herself, hasn\u2019t she, William\u2019s been in the military so she knows what it\u2019s like.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kate was presented with the Queen\u2019s Dragoon Guards brooch, which was made in 1959 for the Queen Mother, who also served as Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment, during her visit.<\/p>\n

She awarded long service and good conduct medals and took a moment to remember those lost in active service ahead of Remembrance Sunday.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Before she left by helicopter, Kate promoted the regimental mascot, a Bay Welsh Mountain pony called Trooper \u2018Longface\u2019 Emrys Jones, from Lance Corporal to Corporal.<\/p>\n

Lieutenant Colonel Chris Kierstead, the commanding officer of the regiment, said: \u201cI think she enjoyed herself and all the soldiers and officers have enjoyed meeting her.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Queen\u2019s Dragoon Guards specialise in reconnaissance and were recently deployed to Mali, in 2021 and 2022, as part of a peacekeeping operation.<\/p>\n

The Queen\u2019s Dragoon Guards have been active for more than 300 years.<\/p>\n

The regiment was formed in 1959 from the amalgamation of the two senior Cavalry regiments, 1st King\u2019s Dragoon Guards and The Queen\u2019s Bays.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n