The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh saw the deep bonds of UK-Nepal friendship through the Gurkhas – from the care provided to veterans and their dependents in Nepal, to the 274 young Nepali men who today formally joined the British Army at the annual Attestation Parade.

At the Attestation Parade, Their Royal Highnesses witnessed the important moment for the young Nepalis who have reached the end of the selection process, marking the beginning of the military career for 274 Nepalis who will join the British Army. After the formal event, The Duke and the Duchess met some of the families of the new recruits. 

This year, 274 trainee riflemen will join the British Army following a highly competitive recruitment process. The Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas led the march-out of the Parade, attended by proud family members of the new recruits who hail from across Nepal.

The Duke of Edinburgh said: “You are now a Gurkha. One amongst only 274 new Gurkhas from over 13,000 potential recruits this year. This has been one of the greatest challenges of your lives. You deserve to feel very proud of your achievement," reads a statement issued by the British Embassy in Kathmandu.

The 274 successful trainee riflemen join the British Army after a rigorous, open and transparent, year-long selection process. They will head to the Infantry Training Centre (ITC) in Catterick in the UK, where they will undergo a nine-month training programme. 

Others in attendance included British Ambassador to Nepal, Rob Fenn; Colonel Commandant of the Brigade of Gurkhas Major General Strickland DSO MBE; Major General The Lord Lancaster TD PC, Deputy Colonel Commandant Brigade of Gurkhas; Colonel Dan Rex MVO, Commander British Gurkhas Nepal (BGN); and Lieutenant Colonel Rajeshkumar Gurung, Deputy Commander BGN witnessed the Attestation of the new recruits. 38 Coronation Medals and 2 Long Service & Good Conduct Medals were also presented to Gurkha and British Staff on parade.    

The Duke and The Duchess also visited the Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT) “Area Welfare Centre” (AWC) Kaski and saw how the UK – through different charities – provides support in Nepal to those who have served in the British Army. They also spent some time seeing the work of the GWT Residential Home, that cares for 20 of the most vulnerable former-Gurkhas or their widows with accommodation and support. In addition, Their Royal Highnesses received a briefing on the work of the Kadoorie Agricultural Aid Association KAAA in Nepal. 

As part of the visit to the Residential Home, The Duke and Duchess met 104-year-old Ash Kumari Tamang, whose late husband was a Gurkha soldier who served with the 4th Gurkha Rifles during the Second World War, and she has been living in the Residential Home since 2011.