[Enchante]

So the Australian Army lacks royal sanction?

just kidding, bless the great ADF!!

[naturalman1975]

It's an historical/traditional thing - after the English Civil War of 1642-1651 (which was between forces lead by the King and forces lead by Parliament) the English created the Bill of Rights of 1689, and as part of that the right to raise a standing Army was given to Parliament - so the Army belonged to Parliament and the People, rather than to the King. So Britain has a Royal Air Force, and a Royal Navy, but does not have a Royal Army - it is the British Army - to reflect Parliamentary control and authority.

Australia adopted the same tradition in naming our armed forces (so did Canada and New Zealand) - Air Force and Navy are Royal - Army isn't.

Individual Army Regiments can bear Royal titles (so we have the Royal Australian Regiment, the Royal Australian Artillery, and the Prince of Wales's Light Horse for example) but never the Army as a whole.

[Oztrich Boy]

Yeah it comes from the British Army (also without Royal sanction) being formed as Monck’s Regiment of Foot in 1650, under Cromwell. Some antecedents cannot be forgiven