Princess Kate wears military fatigues to drive seven-tonne armoured vehicle

Catherine, Princess of Wales, drives an armoured vehicle as she visits The Queen's Dragoon Guards Regiment for the first time as their Colonel in Chief. Photo / Getty Images

The Princess of Wales drove a seven-tonne armoured vehicle equipped with a machine gun during her first visit to “1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards” in Norfolk on Wednesday.

The Princess donned a combat jacket and helmet as she drove the Jackal 2 vehicle at the Robertson Barracks in Swanton Morley.

Corporal Darreyl Tukana, a driving instructor, sat beside the Princess as she manoeuvred the vehicle.

The Princess of Wales visits the Queen's Dragoon Guards Regiment for the first time as their Colonel in Chief. Photo / Getty Images

“She was a natural,” he said. “She drives a Land Rover back at home – I told her it’s exactly the same, just take it slowly and go back to where we started off from.

“She was enjoying every bit of the journey itself ... It’s different from what she’s driving, it’s a bigger vehicle.”

Asked if he had to teach her a lot, he said: “Not really, I just needed to switch on a few toggle switches before start-up, because it’s different from a car.

“But I switched it on, put it into gear and I told her it’s just like a normal car.”

The Princess said that the experience was “really great”, adding: “It’s very responsive actually, given the size of the thing.”

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She was also shown weapons in a troop hide and tried her hand at flying a reconnaissance drone.

The Princess was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment by the King in August.

During her visit, she was presented with the Queen’s Dragoon Guards brooch, which was made in 1959 for the Queen Mother, who also served as Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment.

She also awarded long service and good conduct medals and took a moment to remember those lost in active service ahead of Remembrance Sunday.

Before she left by helicopter, the Princess promoted the regimental mascot, a Bay Welsh Mountain pony called Trooper “Longface” Emrys Jones, from Lance Corporal to Corporal.

Lieutenant Colonel Chris Kierstead, the commanding officer of the regiment, said: “I think she enjoyed herself and all the soldiers and officers have enjoyed meeting her.”

The Queen’s Dragoon Guards specialise in reconnaissance and were deployed to Mali in 2021 and 2022 as part of a peacekeeping operation.

The regiment was formed in 1959 from the amalgamation of the two senior Cavalry regiments, 1st King’s Dragoon Guards and The Queen’s Bays.