King Charles III and Princess Anne led a major ceremonial event at Windsor Castle on Monday, presenting new Union Standards to the Household Cavalry in a display steeped in military tradition and royal symbolism. The siblings inspected the troops and presided over the formal consecration and handover of the new flags to the two most senior regiments of the British Army.
The Household Cavalry's New Standards Parade featured The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals, with Princess Anne attending in her capacity as Colonel of the latter and the King appearing as Colonel-in-Chief of the entire Household Cavalry. The regiments form part of the Monarch's personal guard and are both ceremonial and operational units within the British Army.
Upon arrival, King Charles was greeted in the Quadrangle with a Royal Salute and the National Anthem before joining Princess Anne and Lieutenant General Sir Edward Smyth-Osbourne to inspect the assembled ranks.
The Chaplain General led the consecration of the new Union Standards-large ceremonial flags crafted from silk damask with gold and silver embroidery-before they were laid upon silver kettle drums at the parade's center. Following the blessing, the King officially presented the Standards to the regiments' Commanding Officers.
Unlike the Sovereign's Standards, which are reserved exclusively for Royal and State occasions, these newly consecrated Union Standards will be used regularly in deployments and ceremonial appearances across the country and abroad.
The Sovereign's Standard was also marched on parade, and the event concluded with a Royal Fanfare and the traditional parade march past.
The ceremony marked a rare joint public appearance by the King and his sister, underscoring their deep ties to the British Army. The Band of the Household Cavalry, alongside Dismounted Squadrons and Mounted Troops, provided a full musical and visual backdrop to the pageantry.
The event followed the presentation of the Sovereign's Standards in April 2023, just ahead of King Charles's coronation. Since their founding in 1660, the Household Cavalry has served as the official guard of the monarch and the public face of the British Army.
