The Royal Family is always a hot topic whenever there is a major event to celebrate. And what could be more special than the 100-year anniversary of the founding of the Royal Army Cadet Force (RACF)?
As part of the celebrations, the Queen has personally chosen a group of young people to serve as honorary guards in her own unique style. Their role will be to provide additional security for the event and to represent the Queen at various functions during the year. For their service, the guards will be awarded the coveted Queen’s Own Cadet and given a life story written by the Queen herself.
The Queen has chosen Robert Pattinson to be one of her young cadets. The English actor and musician has been a household name for years thanks to his starring role in the Twilight films. Inevitably, the anniversary of the film’s release brings with it a flood of media attention.
Here we examine the fascinating life of this well-known and much-loved actor and ask ourselves, what would make Queen Elizabeth choose him?
An Audience With The Queen
One of the most exciting aspects of being a Queen’s cadet is the opportunity to have your life story written by the Queen. The honorific title, The Honourable, is not just for show. It means you will serve the Queen directly and with the utmost respect. It also means you will be provided with with a private audience with The Queen on a regular basis. Every cadet is guaranteed one session a week, generally on Tuesday afternoons.
According to the rules, the Queen selects her young people based on a number of factors, including their behavior and respect toward others. And it’s clear that the 92-year-old monarch takes a great interest in the wellbeing of her subjects. The role of a cadet is generally considered to be a semi-officially-sanctioned position of trust, and as such, many of her young people have gone on to successful careers in public service. Amongst those who have been drafted in the past are several members of the current royal family. (And yes, the Queen does write about these meetings in her diary!).
An audience with the Queen is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will no doubt be cherished by Robert Pattinson.
The Royal Academy
Another important aspect of being a Queen’s cadet is the opportunity to study under the most prestigious educational establishments in the United Kingdom. One of the Queen’s favorite educational institutions to nominate for royal patronage is the Royal Academy. Located in Kensington, the academy was originally established in 1868 as the Royal College of Art. The institution is highly prestigious, and the list of artists who have studied there includes some of the greatest names in history. (If you’re an artist or designer and you didn’t attend the Royal Academy, it’s safe to say you didn’t really make it in this world).
And it’s not just the alumni that make the academy so special. The Queen herself was educated at the Royal Academy, as was Princess Elizabeth. The Duchess of Cambridge is also a graduate of the Royal Academy, as is the Duchess of Sussex. The institution trains future leaders and inspires them to create a better world. It also provides valuable job opportunities in sectors that the Queen deems worthy of support. Naturally, the academy would be over the moon to have such an esteemed member as the Duchess of Cambridge as its president.
Nowadays, the institution has four separate schools, all of which are located in London and award undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate degrees. The Royal Academy offers a diverse range of undergraduate courses, from arts and design to science and technology, law, medicine and business. There are also numerous honors courses available, such as German language and international affairs. Finally, the academy is home to some of the UK’s greatest museums. Its collection of paintings is considered the finest in Europe, and it boasts a unique collection of vintage cars. On the more practical side, the Royal Academy publishes several journals, gives out several prizes and awards and hosts exhibitions both within and outside the academy.
A Foot In The Door
The other three schools that the Queen chooses for her young people are the Royal Military Academy, the Royal Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy. The academy awards honorary degrees to future leaders, and as such, many of its graduates become high-ranking officers in the Armed Forces. Similarly, the other three schools also provide students with valuable job opportunities once they graduate.
One of the unique things about the RCA, RNAS and RAF academy is the opportunity to pursue further education after you graduate. All three of the academies offer students the chance to specialize in particular areas of military science, technology and engineering. This could lead to a career in one of the most in-demand industries in the world. Naturally, they would all be over the moon to have such an opportunity.
Many of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs have also studied at one of the three academies. The most notable example is Richard Branson, who attended the Royal Military Academy before starting his own company. Since then, he has become the second-richest person in the world, (only Bill Gates owns more), with a net worth of over US$14 billion. (He also has a very impressive art collection, which is on display in his apartment in New York City).
Similarly, Henry Blooms is one of the UK’s most successful businessmen. He started off in insurance and today, he owns a number of companies, including the mobile phone shop chain Blue Banana. He was awarded an honorary degree by Cambridge in 2008 and was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2012. The RAF academy even has its own dedicated business school, the Royal Air Force Business School. Finally, the founder of global beer brand, Carlsberg, Anheuser-Busch InBev, studied mechanical engineering at the University of Manchester.
It’s clear that, for the Queen, supporting young people through education is a key priority. And it’s clear that supporting the Armed Forces is also a key priority. Supporting young people who may one day become officers in the Army is also a key priority. Naturally, the three academies would all be over the moon to have such an opportunity to contribute to society.
A Cadet’s Life
Being a Queen’s cadet will certainly be an experience that Robert Pattinson will never forget. He will graduate from the academy with lifelong friends, memories and an incredible story to tell.
Every cadet is required to attend several ceremonies and events throughout the year. These events provide the young people with an opportunity to prove themselves to be worthy of their position. And who better to do this than the Queen herself?
It’s clear that, for the Queen, supporting young people through education is a key priority. And it’s clear that she sees the role of a cadet as a valuable stepping stone to greater achievements. There is also no doubt that the annual Christmas ball, which Queen Elizabeth hosts for her children, staff and various other guests, is one of the highlight of the year. (It’s tradition for the Queen to give her Christmas address from here).
Being a cadet will undoubtedly be an experience that Robert Pattinson will never forget. And it’s clear that the opportunity to contribute to society through his role as a Royal Cadet is an experience that he will never forget, either. Naturally, the three academies would all be over the moon to have such an opportunity to contribute to society.