The Colonel-in-Chief is the ceremonial head and patron of the corps. The position was first held by Lord Kitchener, who served in the role from 1911 until his death in 1916. Kitchener was himself a former Royal Engineer and some of the RNZE regimental silver comes from the Kitchener estate. The second Colonel-in-Chief was Prince George, Duke of Kent. The Duke of Kent held the position from 1938 until his death in 1942. The third and most recent Colonel-in-Chief was Queen Elizabeth II, who held the position from 1953 until her death in 2022.
