The Royal Household Cricket Club is a cricket team representing the Royal Households of the United Kingdom. The club plays its home matches at Frogmore in Windsor, within the Home Park of Windsor Castle. It was founded in 1905 by King Edward VII, who was a keen supporter and granted the club permission to use the royal racing colours of scarlet, purple and gold. The club also uses the royal crown as its emblem. [1] The club plays many charity games each year, in support of The Royal Foundation as well as Military sides from across the Armed Forces. They also travel abroad on overseas tours in support of the Royal Family which have previously included Vatican City, Akrotiri Cyprus, Porto, Singapore and Corfu. [1]
Biannually the Club runs 2 week long Cricket Festivals in support of charities.
Although the club's members are mostly Royal Household staff supplemented by local cricketers if they are short-handed, members of the British royal family have previously made appearances for the club. In 1905, two future kings, Edward VIII (then Prince Edward) and George VI (then Prince Albert) played on opposite sides in a match between the club and Eton College. More recently, Prince Philip has played for the club [1] and served as its President since 1953 until his death. [2] Queen Elizabeth II was the club's Patron throughout her reign.
The clubs current President is Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh, and their Patron is King Charles III.
The British royal family comprises King Charles III and his close relations. Charles is the head of the House of Windsor. There is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is a part of the royal family. Members often support the monarch in undertaking public engagements, and pursue charitable work and interests. The royal family are regarded as British and world cultural icons.
Eton College is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore, making it the 18th-oldest school in the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC). Originally intended as a sister institution to King's College, Cambridge, Eton is particularly well known for its history, wealth, and notable alumni.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he was consort of the British monarch from Elizabeth's accession on 6 February 1952 until his death in 2021, making him the longest-serving royal consort in history.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, is a member of the British royal family. She is married to Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, the youngest sibling of King Charles III.
Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh,, is a member of the British royal family. He is the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the youngest sibling of King Charles III. He is currently 14th in the line of succession to the British throne.
The House of Windsor is a British royal house, and currently the reigning house of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. Since it was founded in 1917, there have been five British monarchs of the House of Windsor: George V, Edward VIII, George VI, Elizabeth II, and Charles III. The children and male-line descendants of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip also genealogically belong to the House of Oldenburg since Philip was by birth a member of the Glücksburg branch of that house.
Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood, was a member of the British royal family. She was the only daughter of King George V and Queen Mary, the sister of kings Edward VIII and George VI, and aunt of Elizabeth II. In the First World War, she performed charity work in support of servicemen and their families. She married Henry Lascelles, Viscount Lascelles, in 1922. Mary was given the title of Princess Royal in 1932. During the Second World War, she was Controller Commandant of the Auxiliary Territorial Service. The Princess Royal and the Earl of Harewood had two sons, George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood, and The Honourable Gerald Lascelles.
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, is a member of the British royal family. He is the second son of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, and the youngest of the nine grandchildren of King George V and Queen Mary. He is currently 31st in the line of succession to the British throne, and the highest person on the list who is not a descendant of George VI, who was his uncle. At the time of his birth, he was 5th in line to the throne.
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, is a member of the British royal family. Queen Elizabeth II and Edward were first cousins through their fathers, King George VI, and Prince George, Duke of Kent. Edward's mother Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark was also a first cousin of the Queen's husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, making him both a second cousin and first cousin once removed to King Charles III. He is 41st in the line of succession to the British throne.
Prince Michael of Kent, is a member of the British royal family, who is 52nd in the line of succession to the British throne as of May 2023. Queen Elizabeth II and Michael were first cousins through their fathers, King George VI, and Prince George, Duke of Kent. Michael's mother Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark was also a first cousin of the Queen's husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, making him both a second cousin and first cousin once removed to King Charles III.
Princess Helena, later Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, was the third daughter and fifth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
Lady Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor is the elder child and only daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. She is a granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the youngest niece of King Charles III. She is 16th in line to the British throne as of 2023.
George Philip Nicholas Windsor, Earl of St Andrews is an English philanthropist, former diplomat and a member of the British royal family. He was a member of HM Diplomatic Service in New York and Budapest. St Andrews became chancellor of the University of Bolton in 2017. He is the trustee of the Next Century and Global eHealth foundations and patron of the Welsh Sinfonia. He is the elder son of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and Katharine, Duchess of Kent, and heir-apparent to the Dukedom of Kent. He is 42nd in the line of succession to the British throne.
The Hurlingham Club is an exclusive private social and athletic club located in the Fulham area of London, England. Founded in 1869, it has a Georgian-style clubhouse set in 42 acres (17 ha) of grounds. It is a member of the Association of London Clubs.
A Royal Command Performance is any performance by actors or musicians that occurs at the direction or request of a reigning monarch of the United Kingdom.
Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history.
The Home Park, previously known as the Little Park, is a private 655-acre (265 ha) Royal park, administered by the Crown Estate of the United Kingdom. It lies on the eastern side of Windsor Castle in the town and former civil parish of Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. To its south is Windsor Great Park.
Elizabeth II was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during her lifetime and remained the monarch of 15 realms by the time of her death. Her reign of over 70 years is the longest of any British monarch and the longest verified reign of any female head of state in history.
The Guards Polo Club is an English polo club in Windsor, Berkshire. It was most closely associated with the British Royal Family. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was President of the club from its formation on 25 January 1955 until his death in April 2021. Queen Elizabeth II was its patron.
Edward VIII, later known as the Duke of Windsor, was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Empire and Emperor of India from 20 January 1936 until his abdication in December of the same year.