Aide-de-camp

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An aide-de-camp (French for camp assistant) is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state. The first aide-de-camp is the foremost personal aide.

In some countries, aide-de-camp is considered to be a title of honour (which confers the post-nominal letters ADC), and participates at ceremonial functions.

In the United Kingdom junior officers also serve as Aides-de-Camp to certain senior officers. Flag Lieutenant is the Royal Navy equivalent. Equerries are equivalents to Aides-de-Camp in the Royal Household, in which ADC's are restricted to senior officers with a primarily honorific role.

There are several categories of these senior aides de camp to The Queen. Most are serving military, naval and RAF officers, usually of colonel or brigadier rank or equivalent. There are also specific posts for very senior officers, such as First and Principal Naval Aide de Camp, Flag Aide de Camp, Aides de Camp General, and Air Aides de Camp. Analogous offices include the Lieutenant of the Admiralty, the Rear Admiral of the United Kingdom, and the Gold Stick.

Certain members of the Royal Family with military rank may be appointed Personal Aides de Camp to The Queen. Those currently holding this appointment are Field Marshal Edward, Duke of Kent, Vice Admiral Charles, Prince of Wales, Captain Mark Phillips, 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, Captain Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Royal Navy, and Rear Admiral Timothy Laurence.

Similarly, Geraud Duroc was made an aide-de-camp to Napoleon in 1796, and first aide-de-camp in 1798.

The badge of office for an aide-de-camp is the aiguillette, a braided cord in gold or other colours, worn with a uniform on the left (or sometimes right) shoulder. Template:Mil-rank-stub