General
The Regiment has a Colonel Commandant and two Deputies.
Selection and Tenure
The Colonel Commandant and his Deputies may be serving or retired officers of the rank of Colonel or above. However, normally it is a serving officer. They are selected by the RTR Council and their names are laid before the Sovereign for approval.
The tenure of appointment is initially for 5 years which may subsequently be extended to a maximum of 10 years, but not normally beyond the age of 65 years.
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Colonel Commandant and his Deputies are:
To guard regimental traditions, to foster esprit-de-corps, and to represent regimental interests.
To deal with all matters affecting the Colonel-in-Chief of the Regiment.
To foster territorial connections and regimental alliances.
To advise the Colonel Commandant, Royal Armoured Corps on matters on which they may be consulted.
To advise on regimental organisations, charities, funds, properties, museums and memorials.
To maintain good will and liaison between all parts of the Regiment.
Colonels Commandant
Below is a list of the Colonels Commandant.
| Name | Colonel Commandant | Representative |
|---|
| Major General Sir John Capper KCB KCVO | 1917-1923 (Director General) | |
| Major General Sir John Capper KCB KCVO | 1923-1934 | |
| Major General Sir Ernest Swinton KBE CB DSO | 1934-1938 | 1934-1938 |
| Field Marshal Sir Archibald Montgomery-Massingberd GCB KCMG LLD ADC | 1934-1939 | |
| General Sir Hugh Elles KCB KCMG KCVO DSO | 1934-1945 | 1939 |
| Major General G M Lindsay CB CMG DSO | 1938-1947 | 1940-1943 |
| Lieutenant General Sir Charles Broad KCB DSO | 1939-1948 | 1944-1947 |
| Field Marshal The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein KG GCB DSO DL | 1939-1948 | 1944-1947 |
| Major General Sir Percy Hobart KBE CB DSO MC | 1947-1951 | 1948-1951 |
| General Sir John Crocker GCB KBE DSO MC | 1949-1961 | |
| Major General N W Duncan CB CBE DSO | 1952-1959 | 1952-1957 |
| Major General H R B Foote VC CB DSO | 1957-1964 | 1958-1961 |
| Lieutenant General Sir Harold Pyman KCB CBE DSO | 1959-1965 | |
| Major General H M Liardet CB CBE DSO DL | 1961-1967 | 1962-1967 |
| Major General A Jolly CB CBE DSO | 1965-1968 | |
| General Sir Michael Carver GCB CBE DSO MC ADC | 1968-1973 | 1970-1971 |
| Major General P R C Hobart CB DSO OBE MC | 1968-1978 | 1971-1974 |
| General Sir Richard Ward CB DSO MC | 1970-1976 | 1974-1976 |
| Lieutenant General Sir Allan Taylor KBE MC | 1973-1980 | |
| Major General J G R Allen CB | 1976-1981 | 1977-1980 |
| Major General R L C Dixon CB MC | 1978-1983 | 1982-1983 |
| Lieutenant General Sir Richard Lawson KCB DSO MC | 1980-1982 | 1980-1982 |
| Major General I H Baker CBE | 1981-1986 | |
| Major General R M Jerram MBE | 1982-1988 | 1983-1985 |
| General Sir Antony Walker KCB | 1983-1987 | 1985-1991 |
| Major General Sir Laurence New CB CBE | 1986-1992 | |
| | | Colonel Commandant |
| General Sir Jeremy Blacker KCB | 1988-1992 | 1992-1994 |
| | Deputy Colonel Commandant | |
| Major General R W M McAfee CB | 1993-1994 | 1995-1999 |
| Brigadier A C I Gadsby | 1994-2000 | |
| Lieutenant General A P Ridgway CB CBE | 1995-1999 | 1999-2006 |
| Lieutenant General A D Leakey CMG CBE | 1999-2006 | 2006- |
| Major General P Gilchrist CB | 2000-2008 | |
| Major General C M Deverell MBE | 2006- | |
| Brigadier S Caraffi MBE ADC | 2008- | |