In September 2022, with the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Operation London Bridge was announced which was code name given to the funeral plan for the late Queen. This plan included the announcement of her death, the period of official mourning, and the details of her state funeral. The plan was created as early as the 1960’s and revised many times in the years before the death of Her Majesty.
Various events took place as part of the official mourning period around the Country. On 16th September 2022, His Majesty King Charles, and the then Queen Consort Camilla, visited Cardiff, which was the third of the couple’s official engagements following their attendance at ceremonies in Belfast and Edinburgh.
The Accession visit to Cardiff comprised of a service of prayer and reflection at Llandaff Cathedral, which was attended by senior faith leaders from the communities of Cardiff, after which they visited the Senedd to receive the Motion of Condolence.
Following the visit to the Senedd, The King and Queen Consort, attended a reception at Cardiff Castle which included a private audience with the King for the First Minister and Presiding Officer of the Senedd. Within the grounds of the Castle, members of the public, limited to only 2000 were able to attend to catch a glimpse of the King and Queen Consort and an opportunity for them to pass on their condolences.
As part of the event at Cardiff Castle, Cadet Force Adult Volunteers and Cadets from Dyfed and Glamorgan Army Cadet Force, along with other Cadets Forces and Armed Services from Wales, formed a guard of honour for The King and Queen Consort.
To prepare for the visit, the Adult Volunteers and Cadets had to practice their drill to ensure it was up to the highest standards for the Royal visit, and ensuring their uniform was pristine. Many hours of practice and preparation were undertaken for this visit, including long hours into the early hours of the morning.
These Adults and Cadets were selected to represent the Army Cadet Force and the wider Armed Forces community of Wales, for the visit by the King and Queen Consort.
In recognition of their involvement in the events in Cardiff, our Adults and Cadets were presented with the commemorative coins, which were designed, commissioned and issued by the Joint Military Command Wales.
