Military service by British royalty

A number of abbreviations, acronyms and initialisms are used, to save space:

Service information

Name of royal	Branch of service	Rank whilst active	Years of service	Current rank worn	Wartime service	Unit	Military training and qualifications	Medals	Appointments and other roles
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom†	Auxiliary Territorial Service, British Army	Subaltern (equivalent to Army Lieutenant),  Junior Commander (equivalent to Army Captain)	1945–1949		World War II ATS Service	None	None	War Medal 1939-1945 , Defence Medal	Ceremonial Colonel-in-Chief of Commonwealth armies and Air Commodore-in-Chief of Commonwealth air forces
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh† as Admiral of the Fleet	RN, British Army and RAF	Commander[9]	1940–1952[9]	Admiral of the Fleet,  Field Marshal,  Marshal of the Royal Air Force	World War II – Allied invasion of Sicily, Battle of Crete, Battle of Cape Matapan	British Pacific Fleet	Royal Naval College, Greenwich, Britannia Royal Naval College RAF pilot's flying badge/brevet (wings)	War Medal 1939-1945 with Oak Leaf, Atlantic Star, Africa Star, Burma Star with Rosette, Italy Star, Greek War Cross, Croix de Guerre 1939-1945 with Palm (The above are the current ribbons worn).[10]	Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom and Field Marshal of the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force, Marshal of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, Colonel-in-Chief-The Royal Canadian Regiment, Colonel-in-Chief - Army Cadet Force.
George VI of the United Kingdom† as Admiral of the Fleet during the Second World War	RN, RAF	Lieutenant (RN),   Squadron Leader	1909–1919	(as monarch)  Admiral of the Fleet,  Field Marshal  Marshal of the Royal Air Force	World War I	HMS Collingwood Royal Naval Air Service RAF Cranwell Independent Air Force	Britannia Royal Naval College RAF pilot's flying badge/brevet (wings)	Royal Victorian Chain, 1914 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal with Mention in Despatches, Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Medal, King Edward VII Coronation Medal, King George V Coronation Medal, King George V Silver Jubilee Medal, 1939-45 Star, Italy Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal (United Kingdom), War Medal 1939–1945, Canadian Forces Decoration	Colonel-in-Chief – Commonwealth armies (Canadian Army, Australian Imperial Force/Australian Army Reserve, New Zealand Expeditionary Force) and Air Commodore-in-Chief of Commonwealth air forces (RCAF, RAAF, RNZAF); Field Marshal of the British Army/Admiral of the Fleet of the Royal Navy/Marshal of the Royal Air Force
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom† as a Second Lieutenant during the First World War	British Army, RAF	Lieutenant	1914–1918	N/A	World War I	Grenadier Guards	Osborne Naval College, Royal Naval College at Dartmouth RAF pilot's flying badge/brevet (wings)	Military Cross	Colonel-in-Chief – Commonwealth armies (Canadian Army, Australian Imperial Force/Australian Army Reserve, New Zealand Expeditionary Force) and Air Commodore-in-Chief of Commonwealth air forces (Royal Canadian Air Force, RAAF, RNZAF); Field Marshal of the British Army/Admiral of the Fleet of the Royal Navy/Marshal of the Royal Air Force[11]
George V of the United Kingdom† as Marshal of the Royal Air Force (1935)	RN	Commander	1877–1891	N/A	None	HMS Bacchante	None	None	Admiral of the Fleet of the Royal Navy, Field Marshal of the British Army and Marshal of the Royal Air Force
William IV of the United Kingdom†	RN	Rear-Admiral	1780–1789	N/A	American War of Independence	HMS Andromeda, HMS Pegasus	None	None	General of the British Army/Admiral of the Royal Navy
Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester† as Governor General of Australia (c. 1945)	British Army	Major (last active service rank)	1919-1937 (active service) and 1940-1945 (war service)	Honorary Captain of the RNVR,  Field Marshal and Marshal of the Royal Air Force (after retiring from Army)	World War II, Battle of France	King's Royal Rifle Corps, 10th Royal Hussars, British Expeditionary Force	Royal Military College Sandhurst	None	Colonel in Chief-Gloucestershire Regiment, Colonel in Chief-Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Colonel-Ceylon Light Infantry, Colonel-Scots Guards, Marshal of the Royal Air Force
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Milford Haven† The Marquess of Milford Haven	RN	Admiral of the Fleet	1868–1914		Anglo-Egyptian War, First World War		HMS Royal Alfred	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George	First Sea Lord
George Mountbatten, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven† The Marquess of Milford Haven	RN	Captain	1904–1937		First World War		Royal Naval College, Dartmouth	Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Order of St Vladimir, 4th class, with Swords, Knight of the Military Order of Savoy, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma† as Admiral of the Fleet of the Royal Navy (1976)	RN	Admiral of the Fleet	1913–1965		First World War, Second World War	Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia (SACSEA) 1943-1945	Royal Naval College, Dartmouth	Knight of the Garter, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, Member of the Order of Merit, Knight Grand Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, Knight Grand Commander of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, British War Medal, See list	Chief of the Defence Staff, First Sea Lord, Supreme Allied Commander  South East Asia Command, Chief of Combined Operations, Colonel of the Life Guards, Colonel Commandant of the Royal Marines

Notes

1. Medals that are shown in the "Medals" column, generally only include awards that include a medal ribbon that is worn in uniform, as opposed to some decorations which may be represented by other means. Click or tap on the ribbon to see the name and details.
2. Ranks that are shown in the "Rank whilst active" column are generally the highest rank achieved by the royal. Rank achieved later (i.e. after retirement from active service and movement to reserve list) is displayed in the "Current rank worn" column.
3. Rank is received and awarded by members of the Royal Family in generally two ways:

• They receive a regular commission after undergoing officer training with one of the Armed Services at their respective establishments; (Britannia Royal Naval College, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Royal Air Force College Cranwell).[12]
• They are appointed to an honorary rank, either in addition to their regular rank or instead of, if they are not actively serving officers.[13]

N.B. Upon leaving active service, royal members are generally promoted to the rank they would have received, if they had stayed in the Armed Services.[14]