Who leads the Canadian Forces?
Canadian Armed Forces
The Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces is the reigning Canadian monarch, QueenElizabeth II,[19] who is represented by the Governor General of Canada.[20][21] The Canadian Armed Forces is led by the Chief of the Defence Staff, who is advised and assisted by the Armed Forces Council.
The Canadian Crown and the Canadian Armed Forces
In 2011, to mark his 90th birthday, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was appointed to the top ranks in all three branches of the Canadian Forces—General of the Land Force Command (later Canadian Army), General of the Air Command (later Royal Canadian Air Force), and Admiral of the Maritime Command (later Royal Canadian Navy)—making him the first to receive such appointment at the highest level. Though non-royals have been appointed as colonels-in-chief, the practice is rare, and the placement of former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson as Colonel-in-Chief of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry caused some controversy as a break with tradition.