Air Commodore-in-Chief is a type of honorary air force

Air force

An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...

 appointment which originated in the Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...

 and now exists in the air forces of various Commonwealth realm

Commonwealth Realm

A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...

s. Initially only the British monarch

Monarchy of the United Kingdom

The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...

 held air commodore-in-chief appointments. However, since the second half of the 20th century, other members of the Commonwealth realms' shared Royal Family

British Royal Family

The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...

 have been appointed to such positions.

Air commodore-in-chief appointments do not confer a rank, be it air commodore

Air Commodore

Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...

 or otherwise. Air commodore-in-chief appointments are more senior than honorary air commodore appointments. The equivalent naval

Navy

A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...

 title of Commodore-in-Chief

Commodore-in-Chief

Commodore-in-Chief is an honorary Royal Navy appointment bestowed by the Queen on various members of the Royal Family on 8 August 2006.Previously there have been honorary Royal Colonels in the British Army and honorary Air Commodores in the Royal Air Force, but no parallel affiliations with the...

 was introduced in 2006.

Prince Edward, Prince of Wales

Prince Edward, Prince of Wales

Edward VIII of the United Kingdom

Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...

 (later King Edward VIII and then Duke of Windsor), held the following appointments:
United Kingdom 1932 –1936 : Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Auxiliary Air Force

King George VI

King George VI

George VI of the United Kingdom

George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...

 held the following appointments:
United Kingdom

• 
  1941  – 1952: Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Air Training Corps
  Air Training Corps
  The Air Training Corps , commonly known as the Air Cadets, is a cadet organisation based in the United Kingdom. It is a voluntary youth group which is part of the Air Cadet Organisation and the Royal Air Force . It is supported by the Ministry of Defence, with a regular RAF Officer, currently Air...
  
   1947  – 1952: Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Air Force Regiment
• 1950  – 1952: Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Observer Corps
  Royal Observer Corps
  The Royal Observer Corps was a civil defence organisation operating in the United Kingdom between 29 October 1925 and 31 December 1995, when the Corps' civilian volunteers were stood down....
  
     – 1952: Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force
  Royal Auxiliary Air Force
  The Royal Auxiliary Air Force , originally the Auxiliary Air Force , is the voluntary active duty reserve element of the Royal Air Force, providing a primary reinforcement capability for the regular service...
  
  

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II held or holds the following appointments:
  Australia 1954  – : Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Australian Citizen Air Force

  Canada 1953  – 1968: Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Canadian Air Force Auxiliary

New Zealand 1953  –: Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Territorial Air Force of New Zealand

United Kingdom 1952  –: Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force

Royal Auxiliary Air Force

The Royal Auxiliary Air Force , originally the Auxiliary Air Force , is the voluntary active duty reserve element of the Royal Air Force, providing a primary reinforcement capability for the regular service...

 1953  –: Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Air Force Regiment

• 1953  – 1996: Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Observer Corps
  Royal Observer Corps
  The Royal Observer Corps was a civil defence organisation operating in the United Kingdom between 29 October 1925 and 31 December 1995, when the Corps' civilian volunteers were stood down....
  
  

Prince Philip

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....

, holds the following appointments:

  /   Canada /   1953 –: Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets

Royal Canadian Air Cadets

Royal Canadian Air Cadets is a Canadian national youth program for persons aged 12 to 18. It is administered by the Canadian Forces and funded through the Department of National Defence with additional support from the civilian Air Cadet League of Canada...

United Kingdom

• 
  1953 –: Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Air Training Corps
  Air Training Corps
  The Air Training Corps , commonly known as the Air Cadets, is a cadet organisation based in the United Kingdom. It is a voluntary youth group which is part of the Air Cadet Organisation and the Royal Air Force . It is supported by the Ministry of Defence, with a regular RAF Officer, currently Air...
  
  

Prince Charles

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales

Charles, Prince of Wales

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...

, holds the following appointments:

  Canada 1977 –: Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Air Reserve Group of Air Command

New Zealand 1977 –: Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal New Zealand Air Force

Royal New Zealand Air Force

The Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...