Duke of Gloucester leads celebrations as new officers graduate from RAF College Cranwell

RAF College Cranwell welcomed a royal visitor for the graduation of new officers following the completion of their training yesterday.

The Duke of Gloucester, the RAF’s Honorary Air Marshall, oversaw the Sovereign’s Review alongside the college’s commandant, Air Commodore John Lyle.

The ceremony also featured aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight overhead, a flypast by a Typhoon jet from RAF Coningsby, and music from the Band of the Royal Air Force College.

“It is a privilege to welcome His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester to review our graduating officers as they embark on the start of their commissioned careers,” said Air Cmdr Lyle, who has been in charge since taking over from Air Cmdr Andrew Dickens OBE in July 2024.

“I am incredibly proud of the young women and men that have been deemed to meet the high standards required to be an officer in the Royal Air Force, and to have the chance to showcase this to the Duke.”

The 81-year-old Duke – a first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II - handed prizes to the college’s top performing cadets at the annual parade, which saw members of the Number 36 Modular Initial Officer Training Course, Number 31 Commissioned Warrant Officer Course and Number 1 Commissioning Flight Sergeant Course move forward from the world’s oldest flight academy.

Those taking top honours were:

The Sword of Honour - Officer Cadet Tynan
The Overseas Students Prize - Officer Cadet Al-Shafi
The Kings Medal - Flying Officer Day
The Jackie Moggridge Spitfire Award - Air Recruit Turnbull
MacRobert Sword of Honour Annual Award - Flying Officer Susca
The International Sword of Honour - Lieutenant Hamisch

Following the event, the Duke met with graduating officers and their invited guests, and planted a lime tree alongside children from Cranwell Primary School and the RAFAKidz nursey.

The day’s festivities were rounded off with a graduation ball and a fireworks display.