CHARLES: I SALUTE YOU

The Prince of Wales paid tribute to RAF cadets who continued their training during the pandemic as he attended a socially distanced graduation ceremony. Charles, 71, was the reviewing officer at the parade at RAF College Cranwell in Lincolnshire.

PRINCE CHARLES paid tribute to RAF cadets who had continued their training during the quarantine, as he attended their socially-distanced graduation ceremony yesterday.

The Prince was the reviewing officer at RAF College Cranwell in Lincolnshire, at an event for cadets who have completed their initial officer training.

Their families and friends were absent, but Charles – in full RAF ceremonial dress – told them: “I know that this will not have been easy and is a testament to the flexibility and determination, not only of the staff, but of every one of you.

“This same dedication, adaptability and willingness continually to push yourselves will be required time after time in your future careers.”

After a parade and flypasts of a Typhoon and the Red Arrows, he spoke to cadets gathered in circles at an outdoor reception.

Meanwhile, the Duchess of Cornwall was being photographed in the summer sunshine in the garden of her London home to mark her 73rd birthday. A new official photograph shows a smiling Camilla at Clarence House, dressed in a blue silk linen Anna Valentine dress.

The Duchess had been carrying out her Royal duties via video call during lockdown, before venturing out on face-toface engagements.

She revealed in a radio interview that she had been enjoying wearing jeans, adding: “It will be very hard to get out of them again. I think you get into a sort of way of life, don’t you?”

She and Charles, who is two years younger, had to isolate away from each other at Birkhall in Scotland to prevent the Duchess from catching coronavirus, to which her husband succumbed in March. The couple marked their 15th anniversary during the pandemic.

A testament to the flexibility and determination of every one of you.

Prince Charles talks to cadets at RAF College Cranwell.

PICTURES: PA/DAILY TELEGRAPH/GETTY LAUGHS AND SMILES: Top, Prince Charles makes a cadet laugh as he inspects the graduates and, above left, gives a socialy-distanced speech, while Camilla has some official photographs taken in the garden of her home to mark her 73rd birthday today.