In the various Commonwealth armies, the Colonel-in-Chief of a regiment is its (usually royal) patron. This position is distinct from that of Colonel of the Regiment. They do not have an operational role. They are however kept informed of all important activities of the regiment, and pay occasional visits to its operational units. Their chief purpose is to maintain a direct link between the regiment and the Royal Family.
Currently in the British Army, two foreign monarchs hold the position of Colonel-in-Chief of British regiments:
- HM The King of Jordan - The Light Dragoons
- HM The Queen of Denmark - The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)
While it is traditional for a royal personage to hold the position, it is at the discretion of the regiment or corps whom they invite to be their Colonel-in-Chief. This can be seen by the fact that the Duke of Wellington was Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment that bore his name, and through the invitation to Adrienne Clarkson to be Colonel-in-Chief of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, while the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps decided to ask the Governor-General of Australia to serve as its Colonel-in-Chief. These exceptions, however, do not change the raison d'être of the post, which is to serve as a personal link between regiment and Monarch. The role of Colonel in Chief is not to be confused with that of Honorary Colonel.