Nerves, excitement, and ‘total pride’ were felt by a dad and his son from Exmouth when they chatted to King Charles during his visit to the Commando Training Centre in Lympstone.
Benjamin Cockett, aged 10, and dad Darrell, 38, from Brixington, in Exmouth, recently found themselves in the enviable position of meeting the King after a pass out ceremony of Royal Marines.
Benjamin Cockett, from Exmouth, with King Charles.
Photo: with permission/Arthur Edwards.
Marpool Primary School pupil Benjamin, a Royal Marine Cadet, said he was ‘happy and nervous’ when the King approached.
“I was excited and I was a bit nervous,” said Benjamin. “When he was one away from me, I felt a little bit of joy and a little bit of nerves.”
“He spoke first, and it was like, ‘the King is right in front of you’. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
The youngster, who hopes to be a Royal Marine if his professional footballer dreams fail, added: “I had the shock of nerves but I wasn’t very nervous when I was speaking to him. He wasn’t that scary to speak to. He was like a normal person.”
Benjamin Cockett, from Exmouth, seen here shaking hands with King Charles at CTC Lympstone. Proud dad, Darrell is standing behind, right.
Photo: Royal Navy
Benjamin, the youngest on parade to meet King Charles, said he was grateful to his Cadet instructors for the opportunity.
“I was chosen out of loads of people to do that and I am thankful to my instructors who let me do that,” said Benjamin.
Dad Darrell, an Army Air Corps Reservist, told of his ‘total pride’, watching his son meet the monarch, and ‘awe’ when he himself caught the attention of King Charles.
After King Charles leaned in to shake hands with family members, he spotted Darrell’s tie and stopped for an impromptu chat.
Darrell, a security supervisor, said: “I was wearing Army Air Corps tie. Prince Harry was in the Army Air Corps before he left the Army.
“He asked me about the Army Air Corps. I said ‘I’m just a Reservist, I give them whatever time I can’. He gave me the nod and said ‘keep up with it’, that sort of thing.
“It was such a moment of awe. I couldn’t believe it. I was stood there chatting to the King. He was complimenting me for Benjamin, then he noticed the tie.”
“It’s a day I’ll never forget. It’s a huge deal. I dedicate as much time as I can to the Army, so getting to meet our Commander in Chief was amazing.”
Proud dad Darrell Cockett with his son, Benjamin, during King Charles’s visit to CTC, Lympstone.
Photo: with permission.
Benjamin watches the parade ground at CTC, Lympstone.
Photo: with permission.
Benjamin Cockett with his dad, Darrell, in front of the Exmouth war memorial pictured after the Remembrance parade.
Photo: Jane Haslam.
Royal Marine Cadet Benjamin Cockett.
Photo: Jane Haslam.
In his capacity as Captain General Royal Marines, the King watched 28 recruits of 362 Troop pass out at the Commando Training Centre in Lympstone, East Devon.
For the first time since his grandfather King George VI in 1939, His Majesty presented the coveted King’s Badge to the recruit deemed the most impressive of those passing out, before watching the remaining successful recruits receive their iconic green berets, earned over 32 gruelling weeks.
King Charles at during his visit to CTC Lympstone.
Photo: Royal Navy.
His Majesty’s visit to Lympstone – where he went through Commando training 50 years ago – opened with a welcome from Colonel Innes Catton RM, Commandant CTCRM.
He said: “For the King to take time to come down to Lympstone to present the King’s Badge and Commando Green berets to the King’s Squad, as well as speak to his Marines will be an enduring memory for my staff and the whole Royal Marines family.”
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