Duchess of Edinburgh marks first visit to Queen's Own Yeomanry in the field
British Army Reservists have received a special visit from the Duchess of Edinburgh during a major Army exercise in northern Germany.
As Colonel-in-Chief of the Queen's Own Yeomanry (QOY), the Duchess marked her first visit to the regiment by observing operational capabilities on Exercise Rhino Heart in Sennelager.
Sophie took on the post of Colonel-in-Chief of the QOY, previously held by the King, as well as becoming the new Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Irish Regiment, last August.
Based at Fenham Barracks in Newcastle, the QOY is a light cavalry regiment within the Army Reserve, with squadrons located in York, Wigan and Chester.
The regiment plays a crucial role within the 19th Light Brigade, the Army's only fully reservist brigade.
While speaking to the troops in Germany, she said: "The fact that you've been given the opportunity to prove that we've got an extremely capable and reliable reserve force is very exciting.
"From what I've seen, the atmosphere is really positive and upbeat, and everyone is getting a huge amount out of it. I wish you all the best for a successful exercise."
The Duchess of Edinburgh's visit to Germany underlined the regiment's collaboration with Nato allies.
During her visit, the Duchess also interacted with US National Guard reservists alongside the QOY, emphasising the robust international partnerships and camaraderie within Nato reserve forces.
Exercise Rhino Heart represents the largest deployment of British Army Reserves since the Cold War.
The exercise involves more than 650 personnel, including troops from the US National Guard and German Bundeswehr.
As well as showcasing the UK's mobilisation capability, it aims to strengthen alliances and reinforce Nato's deterrence posture through the active engagement of reserve units.
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