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The Gold Stick and the Silver Stick are formal bodyguard positions in the British Royal Household, serving as personal attendants to the Sovereign on ceremonial occasions. [1] [2]
Although now only in evidence on ceremonial and state occasions, the office of Gold Stick dates from Tudor times, when two officers were placed close to the Sovereign's person to protect him or her from danger. [3] The office is held jointly by the Colonels of the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals, the two regiments of the Household Cavalry. The Gold Sticks, of whom one at any time is on duty as Gold Stick-in-Waiting, were originally entrusted with the personal safety of the Sovereign. Since the reign of Queen Victoria these officers' duties have been mainly ceremonial; they attend all state occasions and take part in the processions for the Coronation and the State Opening of Parliament. On these occasions, Gold Stick conveys the Sovereign's orders to the Household Cavalry. The name derives from the staff of office, which has a gold head.
Anne, Princess Royal, the daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth II and younger sister of King Charles III, became Colonel of the Blues and Royals in 1998. [4] Lieutenant General Sir Edward Smyth-Osbourne became Colonel of the Life Guards in 2019. [5]
The Silver Stick is the Commander of the Household Cavalry and holds the rank of colonel. [7] Silver Stick-in-Waiting is the deputy (assistant) to Gold Stick-in-Waiting, but there are occasions when Silver Stick only is summoned for duty—for example, on the arrival of a head of state on a state visit.
The office was created in 1678, [8] and until 1950 was held by the lieutenant-colonels in command of the Household Cavalry regiments, serving by monthly rotation. Originally, only the 1st and 2nd Life Guards were included, but in 1820 the Royal Horse Guards were added (the 1st and 2nd Life Guards were amalgamated together in 1922 and the Royal Horse Guards were amalgamated with the Royal Dragoons to form the Blues and Royals in 1969).
Now the (Colonel) Commander Household Cavalry holds the office alone. Through the authority of the Gold Stick he has the detail of regiments and individuals to carry out royal duties. In general, the Silver Stick has charge of all ceremonial duties for the Sovereign.[ vague ]
Silver Stick's principal aide when on duty is termed Silver Stick Adjutant.
There are separate Gold and Silver Sticks in Scotland, who are the senior officers of the Sovereign's Bodyguard of the Royal Company of Archers.
The King's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard is a bodyguard of the British monarch. The oldest British military corps still in existence, it was created by King Henry VII in 1485 after the Battle of Bosworth Field.
A staff of office is a staff, the carrying of which often denotes an official's position, a social rank or a degree of social prestige.
Trooping the Colour is a ceremonial event performed every year on Horse Guards Parade in London, United Kingdom, by regiments of Household Division, to celebrate the official birthday of the British sovereign. It is also known as the Sovereign's Birthday Parade. Similar events are held in other countries of the Commonwealth. In the UK, it is, with the State Opening of Parliament, the biggest event of the ceremonial calendar, and watched by millions on TV and on the streets of London.
The Royal Regiment of Horse Guards, also known as the Blues, or abbreviated as RHG, was one of the Cavalry regiments of the British Army, and part of the Household Cavalry. In 1969, it was amalgamated with the 1st The Royal Dragoons to form the Blues and Royals.
The Household Cavalry (HCAV) is a corps of the Household Division that is made up of the two most senior regiments of the British Army – The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals. They have taken part in every major conflict since 1660. These regiments are divided between the Household Cavalry Regiment stationed at Wing Barracks in Wiltshire, with an armored reconnaissance role, and the ceremonial mounted unit, the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, garrisoned at Hyde Park Barracks in London. Both the HCMR and HCR are made up of elements of the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals. The Household Cavalry is part of the Household Division and is the King's official bodyguard. Although the Household Cavalry Regiment is armoured, it is not part of the Royal Armoured Corps, being assigned to the Household Division.
The Blues and Royals (RHG/D) is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. The Colonel of the Regiment is Anne, Princess Royal. It is the second-most senior regiment in the British Army.
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The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (HCMR) is a cavalry regiment of the British Army tasked primarily with ceremonial duties. Part of the Household Division, it is classed as a regiment of guards, and carries out mounted ceremonial duties on State and Royal occasions. The HCMR is one of two operational units that form the Household Cavalry (HCav), the other being the Household Cavalry Regiment (HCR), a formation reconnaissance regiment, with front-line combat duties.
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The Albert helmet is a type of dragoon helmet introduced by the British military in the 19th century. The helmet was developed by Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1842, and was first introduced for service with the Household Cavalry in 1843. The helmet was introduced to other heavy cavalry units in the British Empire in 1847.
From this royal order date the offices of the Gold Stick-in-Waiting and the Silver Stick-in-Waiting. The latter is a serving officer, while Gold Stick is a senior retired officer who appears only on State occasions but then takes precedence over all ...
It was their duty to attend the Sovereign on all ceremonial occasions. They did duty for alternate months and whilst so doing were styled 'Gold Stick in Waiting'. The field officer of the same regiment as the colonel doing duty was known as 'Silver Stick in Waiting'. The colonel of the Royal Horse Guards was added to the duty ...
Gold Stick and Silver Stick These court appointments date from Tudor times, when two officers were placed close to the Sovereign's person to protect him or her from danger. Their name derives from their staff's of office, which have a gold or a ...
The Silver Stick in Waiting The Lieutenant Colonel Commanding Household Cavalry holds the office of Silver Stick in Waiting, an appointment in the Royal Household. In the absence of the Gold Stick in Waiting he assumes his duties and ...
The second development was the King's insistence, after the events of 1678 and the hysteria engendered by Titus Oates, a populist ... or truncheon, with a gold head, engraved with His Majesty's cypher and crown', and was subsequently called the 'Gold Stick-in-Waiting'. ... Officer, with an ebony staff and silver head', afterwards styled the 'Silver Stick-in-Waiting', 'who is ready to relieve the Captain on ...