Prince of Wales recalls first parachute

The Prince of Wales recalled his first parachute landing in Dorset nearly 50 years ago, “Initially it was inverted and my legs were on the rigging line”.

Charles, 72, gave a speech while showing the new colors to the parachute regiment at a ceremony held at Merville Barracks in Colchester, Essex.

On July 29, 1971, he was 23 years old when he landed from Andover to Studland Bay in Dorset.

At that time, he received training as a jet pilot during a four-month internship in the Royal Air Force.

After he was appointed as a colonel of the parachute regiment in 1977, he asked to join the parachute training course of the British Royal Air Force Britz Norton in 1978.

Speaking to soldiers, veterans and family members on Tuesday, he said: “It’s hard to believe that I have been your colonel for 44 years, and it’s been almost 50 years since my first parachute landing. At first, my legs were hanging upside down. The rigging line entered Studland Bay in Dorset, where I was pulled out of the water by the Royal Marines.”