The Corps of Royal Military Police has celebrated a remarkable double anniversary, marking both its centenary and the 80th year since it was granted the honour of the Royal Prefix, at a special gathering held at its Regimental Headquarters in Southwick Park, near Fareham, Hampshire.
The occasion brought together serving personnel, veterans, and the wider RMP family, all gathered to reflect on a century of service and to look ahead to whatever comes next.
An Honour a Century in the Making
The Royal Prefix is not handed out lightly. It stands among the highest honours a military organisation can receive, and for the Royal Military Police, it represents far more than ceremonial recognition. Provost Marshal Brigadier Sarah Pringle-Smith described it as a mark of pride, professionalism, and service, and a reminder that today’s standards rest on foundations laid by those who served before.
Adding to the significance of the day was the presence of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester, who attended in her capacity as Colonel-in-Chief of the Adjutant General’s Corps. Her visit was a rare and welcome moment for a corps that, given its relatively small size, does not often receive such high-level royal recognition. Corporal Holly Ballard, who serves with 160 Provost Company, said the visit lifted spirits across the ranks, and served as a reminder that the corps’ work is valued and noticed at the very highest levels.
A Century of Duty, at Home and Abroad
Since its formation, the Royal Military Police have deployed wherever the Army has needed them, from Korea and Malaysia to Northern Ireland, the Falklands, the Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Their role has always stretched well beyond traditional policing duties. RMP personnel have handled detainees, secured vital routes, provided close personal protection, and supported commanders directly on operations, often in the most demanding and dangerous conditions the Army faces.
In 1992, the Corps became part of the Provost Branch within the newly formed Adjutant General’s Corps, a structural change that has not diminished its distinct identity or its proud history.
Marking History at Southwick House
As part of the day’s commemorations, the Duchess of Gloucester was taken through a specially built time tunnel, tracing the RMP’s history and evolution across the past hundred years. She later unveiled a portrait of herself inside the historic Southwick House, the very building from which the D-Day landings were launched, a fitting setting given the corps’ own long association with Britain’s military history.
Reflecting on the milestone as her time as Provost Marshal draws to a close, Brigadier Pringle-Smith said that having Her Royal Highness present was a recognition of the service and commitment shown by generations of Royal Military Police personnel. She noted that few are given the chance to lead their organisation through such a proud chapter in its history, and that the day belonged as much to those who served in the past, and those yet to serve, as to those in uniform today.
A Veteran’s Pride
Among the guests of honour was 106-year-old Owen Filer, from Cwmbran, the last surviving member of the Corps of Military Police (India), who joined the RMP during the Second World War. Attending the celebrations, he said it was wonderful to see so many gathered together, and that he felt incredibly proud of his service.
Looking to the Future
The day closed with a special high tea for veterans and their families in the grounds of Southwick House, where each was presented with a commemorative coin to mark the occasion.
As the Corps of Royal Military Police steps into its second century, Brigadier Pringle-Smith set out a clear vision for what lies ahead. As part of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, she said, the RMP’s modernisation means embracing new technology, supporting Britain’s NATO commitments, and maintaining world-class policing and investigative capability, all while remaining ready to support the Army wherever, and whenever, it is called to serve.
A century on from its formation, and eighty years since being granted the Royal Prefix, the Royal Military Police continue to embody the discipline, professionalism, and quiet dedication that have long defined their service to the British Army and to the nation.
