Lieutenant General Sir Charles Roland Vincent Walker, KCB, DSO (born 14 May 1970) is a senior British Army officer, serving as Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations) since April 2021.^[1] He will take up the post of Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, in 2024.

Walker was born on 14 May 1970 in Nairobi, Kenya, to Patrick Walker and Daphne Walker (née Armour).^[2] Following his father's death, his mother married Frederick Conyngham, 7th Marquess Conyngham in 1980.^[2] He was educated at the Dragon School, a private preparatory school in Oxford, and then at Harrow School, an all-boys independent boarding school in London. Sponsored by the British Army as a university cadetship officer,^[3] he studied at the Royal Agricultural College, graduating with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree.^[4]

Walker was commissioned into the Guards Division of the British Army as a second lieutenant (on probation) on 9 September 1990 as part of his undergraduate cadetship.^[3] He began active service in the Irish Guards in 1993, and saw operational tours in Northern Ireland and Iraq.^[4] In 1997 he joined 22 Special Air Service Regiment.^[5] Following his time with Special Forces, he became commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards from 2008 to 2010.^[4][6] With the Grenadiers, he served a tour in Afghanistan, during which the Ridgeback PPV in which he was travelling was blown up by an improvised explosive device (IED): all six soldiers inside escaped uninjured, but the vehicle was thrown into the air, had its wheels blown off and its armour shredded.^[6] Walker was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in September 2010 in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Afghanistan.^[7]

Walker commanded the 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade from 2013 to 2015,^[4] and was promoted to brigadier on 30 June 2014.^[8] He has since held staff appointments at Army Headquarters and the Ministry of Defence.^[4] He was promoted to major general on 8 March 2018,^[9] and appointed Director Special Forces.^[10] He was promoted to lieutenant general and became Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations) on 16 April 2021.^[11] He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2023 New Year Honours, thereby granted the title sir.^[12]

Walker has been selected to be the next Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, and will take up the post in June 2024.^[13][14]

Walker served as Colonel Commandant of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps from 1 March 2017 to 1 June 2022,^[15] and Regimental Lieutenant Colonel of the Grenadier Guards from 18 June 2017 to 18 June 2022; both ceremonial appointments.^[16][17]

In 1998, Walker married Kate White-Thomson. They have three daughters and live in Herefordshire.^[4]