Beaming Duchess sees Rifles exercise their freedom (From Salisbury Journal)

Beaming Duchess sees Rifles exercise their freedom

1:37pm Saturday 20th November 2010 in News By Miranda Robertson

THOUSANDS of people lined the streets of Salisbury on Saturday to see the Duchess of Cornwall and cheer their Rifles heroes.

An estimated 8,000 people packed into the heart of the city to see a beaming Camilla, dressed in a special version of the Rifles uniform for the occasion.

Camilla, who is Royal Colonel of 4th Battalion The Rifles, watched more than 200 riflemen on their Freedom Parade and took the salute alongside the city Mayor.

She went on to attend a private reception for servicemen and women and their families.

The Duchess spoke to hundreds of local people during her few hours in the city, chatting animatedly to dignitaries, service personnel and members of the public.

She also talked to sisters Lydia and Jemima Down from Bemerton Heath when the pair dashed forward to give her flowers.

Jemima, 4, drew laughter from the crowd when little Lydia, 2, refused to then move away from Camilla’s podium, scooping her up and carrying her back to mum Kira Goodfellow.

Miss Goodfellow said: “They were so excited to see Camilla and to see the soldiers – I’ve been explaining about the soldiers to them and they were really looking forward to seeing them.”

Earlier in the day people gathered at the cathedral to watch the Rifles as they lined up to be inspected by the Duchess, and hear the Band and Bugles of the Rifles play.

The boy choristers of the Salisbury Cathedral Prep School were among the first to arrive, with house parents Alison and Roderick Tait, whose two-year-old daughter Olivia wore a tiara in the Duchess’s honour.

Mrs Tait said: “Olivia’s very excited to see a real princess, and expects her to wear wings and a pink gown, and carry a wand.”

Dame Elizabeth Neville – High Sheriff of Wiltshire and former Chief Constable – was among the dignitaries the Duchess spoke to.

She said: “She’s lovely – I’ve met her before as she is patron of the Bobby Van Trust, which I was involved in establishing as Chief Constable.

“She told me today that she was wearing the Rifles costume as a mark of respect.”

Mayor Brian Dalton handed over a scroll to the Colonel Commandant general Sir Nick Parker after telling those gathered: “It will give the city of Salisbury great pride to see the Rifles on parade today.”

The Duchess became Royal Colonel of the 4th Battalion The Rifles following the reorganisation of the regiments in 2006. HRH often visits the Battalion at their Bulford Barracks.

Freedom of the City of Salisbury was first granted to the Wiltshire regiment in October 1944 by the City Council in recognition of the courage and achievement of the Regiment during the Second World War. The Rifles, as the successor of The Wiltshire Regiment, have continued the long and special relationship between the City and local regiment.