Chelsea Pensioners Send Message to The Duchess of Cornwall
12th June 2020
Following on from our scaled back Founder's Day last week, the most important event of the Royal Hospital Chelsea’s normally busy events schedule. The Governor, Pensioners and staff were sad not to be able to welcome Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cornwall to this year’s Parade as Royal Reviewing Officer and have delivered the below message.
Founder's Day, also known as Oak Apple Day, is always held on a date close to 29th May – the birthday of Charles II and the date of his restoration as King in 1660. The Oak reference commemorates the escape of the future King Charles II after the Battle of Worcester (1651) when he hid in an oak tree to avoid capture by the Parliamentary forces, and is expressed through all Chelsea Pensioners wearing oak leaves on their famous scarlet uniforms.
