THE King and Queen of Norway were the special guests when North Yorkshire's own regiment said farewell to its Colonel.

Lieutenant General Richard Dannatt is retiring as Colonel of the Green Howards after nine years in the post.

His successor in the role is to be Brigadier John Powell, who takes over on Sunday, May 11.

The King and Queen were the guests of senior members of the regiment at a retirement dinner which was held at the Tower of London.

King Harald V is Colonel-in-Chief of the Green Howards and is the fourth member of his family to hold the honour.

The dinner took place 63 years to the day since the 1st Battalion The Green Howards landed in Norway in 1940, to assist the Norwegians who were then under attack from invading German troops.