Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms
Encyclopedia
Her Majesty's Bodyguard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms is a bodyguard
to the British Monarch
. Until 17 March 1834 they were known as The Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners.
to act as a mounted escort, armed with spear
and lance
to protect the sovereign, in battle or elsewhere. Henry decided to have "this new and sumptuous Troop of Gentlemen composed of cadet
s of noble families and the highest order of gentry as his personal Body Guard or "Nearest Guard"".
As his Body Guard it accompanied Henry to France in 1513 and took part in the Battle of Guinegate
(better known as the Battle of the Spurs) and then at the Field of Cloth of Gold in 1520. In 1526, they became a dismounted bodyguard armed with battleaxe
s. They last saw service in battle during the English Civil War
(during which a Gentleman Matthews saved the Prince of Wales
at the Battle of Edgehill
(1642) from one of the Earl of Essex
's troopers). They were always intended as a primarily ceremonial unit, but were on regular duty until the 19th century.
Under Henry VIII the Troop of Gentlemen varied in size, according to funding available. As the "Nearest Guard" to the Monarch the unit attracted an aristocratic and aspiring membership, which could be utililsed as a cadre of young officers when levies were raised for overseas service.
and the ceremonies of the various orders of chivalry, including the Order of the Garter
. The Gentlemen now parade for the State Opening of Parliament
, state visit
s, Royal Garden Parties
, the Garter service, Diplomatic Corps
receptions, royal weddings, coronation
s, the Investiture
of the Prince of Wales
, and lying in state
. They also have three mess dinners annually.
, the Lieutenant
, the Standard Bearer, the Clerk of the Cheque and Adjutant and the Harbinger
) and 27 Gentlemen. The senior Officer is the Captain, a political appointee who is now always the Government Chief Whip
in the House of Lords
. The senior permanent officer is the Lieutenant. The Clerk of the Cheque and Adjutant issues all orders to the Corps. The Harbinger runs the Mess
and assists the Clerk. The Mess, at St. James's Palace
, is run by a permanent Axekeeper and Butler also assisted by The house keeper. All Officers (except the Captain) must have served in the Corps prior to promotion to officer rank. In the 1600s there was also the office of Paymaster of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms
and Co-Paymaster of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms
.
and colonel
). They must retire at 70 years.
Although all Gentlemen are retired officers, uniquely one recent member is also a clergyman. Colonel
the Reverend Richard ("Dick") H. Whittington, MBE
joined the Corps in 1999 after retiring from the Corps of Royal Engineers
. He was ordained a deacon
in 1993 and a priest
in 1994. He has been Chaplain
of the Royal Hospital Chelsea
since Jan 2001.
officer of the 1840s. It has a skirted red coat with Garter
blue velvet
cuffs and facings embroidered with the Tudor
royal badge of the portcullis
. Helmets with white swan
feather plumes are worn when on duty, even in church. Officers wear, in addition, gold aiguillette
s, and carry sticks of office - gold
for the Captain, silver
for the Lieutenant, Standard Bearer and Clerk of the Cheque, and ivory
for the Harbinger - which they receive from the Sovereign on appointment. Cavalry
sword
s are worn, and long ceremonial battle-axes, over 300 years old, are carried by all the Gentlemen.
, similar to that carried by cavalry and infantry regiments of the British Army
, upon which is mounted the corps' various accoutrements and a selection of its battle honours. In the case of the Gentlemen at Arms, this is a swallowtailed
standard of crimson edged in gold. The cross of St George is at the hoist. Next to this is the Royal Cipher of the reigning monarch, with the name of the corps ("Gentlemen at Arms") put diagonally from top to bottom. Between the two pieces of text is the corps' portcullis badge, while at the end of the standard are a selection of battle honours. In 2009, at a celebration of the Corps' 500 years of personal service to the Sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II presented a special riband to be displayed on the Standard.
Sovereign's Bodyguard
Sovereign's Bodyguard is the name given to three ceremonial units in the United Kingdom who are tasked with guarding the Sovereign. These units are:*Her Majesty's Bodyguard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms - formed 1509...
to the British Monarch
British monarchy
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...
. Until 17 March 1834 they were known as The Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners.
Formation
The corps was formed as the Troop of Gentlemen in 1509 by King Henry VIIIHenry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
to act as a mounted escort, armed with spear
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
and lance
Lance
A Lance is a pole weapon or spear designed to be used by a mounted warrior. The lance is longer, stout and heavier than an infantry spear, and unsuited for throwing, or for rapid thrusting. Lances did not have tips designed to intentionally break off or bend, unlike many throwing weapons of the...
to protect the sovereign, in battle or elsewhere. Henry decided to have "this new and sumptuous Troop of Gentlemen composed of cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
s of noble families and the highest order of gentry as his personal Body Guard or "Nearest Guard"".
As his Body Guard it accompanied Henry to France in 1513 and took part in the Battle of Guinegate
Battle of Guinegate (1513)
The Battle of Guinegate or Battle of the Spurs took place on August 16, 1513. As part of the Holy League under the on-going Italian Wars, English and Imperial troops under Henry VIII and Maximilian I surprised and routed a body of French cavalry under Jacques de La Palice.The English army was...
(better known as the Battle of the Spurs) and then at the Field of Cloth of Gold in 1520. In 1526, they became a dismounted bodyguard armed with battleaxe
Battle axe
A battle axe is an axe specifically designed for combat. Battle axes were specialized versions of utility axes...
s. They last saw service in battle during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
(during which a Gentleman Matthews saved the Prince of Wales
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
at the Battle of Edgehill
Battle of Edgehill
The Battle of Edgehill was the first pitched battle of the First English Civil War. It was fought near Edge Hill and Kineton in southern Warwickshire on Sunday, 23 October 1642....
(1642) from one of the Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex was an English Parliamentarian and soldier during the first half of the seventeenth century. With the start of the English Civil War in 1642 he became the first Captain-General and Chief Commander of the Parliamentarian army, also known as the Roundheads...
's troopers). They were always intended as a primarily ceremonial unit, but were on regular duty until the 19th century.
Under Henry VIII the Troop of Gentlemen varied in size, according to funding available. As the "Nearest Guard" to the Monarch the unit attracted an aristocratic and aspiring membership, which could be utililsed as a cadre of young officers when levies were raised for overseas service.
Duties
Today, the duties are purely ceremonial - the Gentlemen attend the Sovereign at various ceremonies, including state visits by Heads of State, the State Opening of ParliamentState Opening of Parliament
In the United Kingdom, the State Opening of Parliament is an annual event that marks the commencement of a session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is held in the House of Lords Chamber, usually in November or December or, in a general election year, when the new Parliament first assembles...
and the ceremonies of the various orders of chivalry, including the Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
. The Gentlemen now parade for the State Opening of Parliament
State Opening of Parliament
In the United Kingdom, the State Opening of Parliament is an annual event that marks the commencement of a session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is held in the House of Lords Chamber, usually in November or December or, in a general election year, when the new Parliament first assembles...
, state visit
State visit
A state visit is a formal visit by a foreign head of state to another nation, at the invitation of that nation's head of state. State visits are the highest form of diplomatic contact between two nations, and are marked by ceremonial pomp and diplomatic protocol. In parliamentary democracies, heads...
s, Royal Garden Parties
Garden party
A garden party is a social gathering with food provided, in the open in a park or a garden. An event described as a garden party is usually more formal than other similar gatherings, which may be called just parties, picnics, barbecues, etc,...
, the Garter service, Diplomatic Corps
Diplomatic corps
The diplomatic corps or corps diplomatique is the collective body of foreign diplomats accredited to a particular country or body.The diplomatic corps may, in certain contexts, refer to the collection of accredited heads of mission who represent their countries in another state or country...
receptions, royal weddings, coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
s, the Investiture
Investiture
Investiture, from the Latin is a rather general term for the formal installation of an incumbent...
of the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
, and lying in state
Lying in state
Lying in state is a term used to describe the tradition in which a coffin is placed on view to allow the public at large to pay their respects to the deceased. It traditionally takes place in the principal government building of a country or city...
. They also have three mess dinners annually.
Officers and administration
The Corps today consists of five Officers (the CaptainCaptain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms
The Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms is a UK government post since 1945 held by the Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords. Prior to 17 March 1834, the Gentlemen-at-Arms were known as the Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners....
, the Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, the Standard Bearer, the Clerk of the Cheque and Adjutant and the Harbinger
Harbinger
-Places:* Montes Harbinger, lunar mountains* Harbinger, an unincorporated community in Currituck County, North Carolina-Transportation:* Harbinger , ship also called Norfolk in 1797* Harbinger , thoroughbred racehorse...
) and 27 Gentlemen. The senior Officer is the Captain, a political appointee who is now always the Government Chief Whip
Chief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. The senior permanent officer is the Lieutenant. The Clerk of the Cheque and Adjutant issues all orders to the Corps. The Harbinger runs the Mess
Mess
A mess is the place where military personnel socialise, eat, and live. In some societies this military usage has extended to other disciplined services eateries such as civilian fire fighting and police forces. The root of mess is the Old French mes, "portion of food" A mess (also called a...
and assists the Clerk. The Mess, at St. James's Palace
St. James's Palace
St. James's Palace is one of London's oldest palaces. It is situated in Pall Mall, just north of St. James's Park. Although no sovereign has resided there for almost two centuries, it has remained the official residence of the Sovereign and the most senior royal palace in the UK...
, is run by a permanent Axekeeper and Butler also assisted by The house keeper. All Officers (except the Captain) must have served in the Corps prior to promotion to officer rank. In the 1600s there was also the office of Paymaster of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms
Paymaster of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms
The office of Paymaster of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms and the office of Co-Paymaster of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, were offices created under the Great Seal. These offices were appointed under Letters Patent, which were mostly for the life of the office holder so...
and Co-Paymaster of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms
Paymaster of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms
The office of Paymaster of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms and the office of Co-Paymaster of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, were offices created under the Great Seal. These offices were appointed under Letters Patent, which were mostly for the life of the office holder so...
.
Membership and age limits
All subordinate officers, and all Gentlemen, must be under the age of 55 years on joining, and are on average 52. The Gentlemen retain their prior military ranks (currently most rank between majorMajor
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
and colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
). They must retire at 70 years.
Although all Gentlemen are retired officers, uniquely one recent member is also a clergyman. Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
the Reverend Richard ("Dick") H. Whittington, MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
joined the Corps in 1999 after retiring from the Corps of Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
. He was ordained a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
in 1993 and a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
in 1994. He has been Chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
of the Royal Hospital Chelsea
Royal Hospital Chelsea
The Royal Hospital Chelsea is a retirement home and nursing home for British soldiers who are unfit for further duty due to injury or old age, located in the Chelsea region of central London, now the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is a true hospital in the original sense of the word,...
since Jan 2001.
Uniform
The uniform is that of a Dragoon GuardsDragoon guards
Dragoon Guards was the designation used to refer to certain heavy cavalry regiments in the British Army from the 18th century onwards. While the Prussian and Russian armies of the same period included dragoon regiments amongst their respective Imperial Guards, different titles were applied to these...
officer of the 1840s. It has a skirted red coat with Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
blue velvet
Velvet
Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric in which the cut threads are evenly distributed,with a short dense pile, giving it a distinctive feel.The word 'velvety' is used as an adjective to mean -"smooth like velvet".-Composition:...
cuffs and facings embroidered with the Tudor
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
royal badge of the portcullis
Portcullis
A portcullis is a latticed grille made of wood, metal, fibreglass or a combination of the three. Portcullises fortified the entrances to many medieval castles, acting as a last line of defence during time of attack or siege...
. Helmets with white swan
Swan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
feather plumes are worn when on duty, even in church. Officers wear, in addition, gold aiguillette
Aiguillette
An aiguillette is an ornamental braided cord most often worn on uniforms, but may also be observed on other costumes such as academic dress, where it will denote an honour. Originally, the word "aiguillette" referred to the lacing used to fasten plate armor together...
s, and carry sticks of office - gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
for the Captain, silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
for the Lieutenant, Standard Bearer and Clerk of the Cheque, and ivory
Ivory
Ivory is a term for dentine, which constitutes the bulk of the teeth and tusks of animals, when used as a material for art or manufacturing. Ivory has been important since ancient times for making a range of items, from ivory carvings to false teeth, fans, dominoes, joint tubes, piano keys and...
for the Harbinger - which they receive from the Sovereign on appointment. Cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
s are worn, and long ceremonial battle-axes, over 300 years old, are carried by all the Gentlemen.
Standard
The corps' carries a standardColours, standards and guidons
In military organizations, the practice of carrying colours, standards or Guidons, both to act as a rallying point for troops and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt some 5,000 years ago...
, similar to that carried by cavalry and infantry regiments of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, upon which is mounted the corps' various accoutrements and a selection of its battle honours. In the case of the Gentlemen at Arms, this is a swallowtailed
Swallowtail (flag)
In flag terminology, a swallowtail is either# a V-shaped cut in a flag that causes the flag to end in two points at the fly; or# any flag which has this V-shaped cut....
standard of crimson edged in gold. The cross of St George is at the hoist. Next to this is the Royal Cipher of the reigning monarch, with the name of the corps ("Gentlemen at Arms") put diagonally from top to bottom. Between the two pieces of text is the corps' portcullis badge, while at the end of the standard are a selection of battle honours. In 2009, at a celebration of the Corps' 500 years of personal service to the Sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II presented a special riband to be displayed on the Standard.
Battle honours
- 1513 Guinegate
- 1520 Field of Cloth of Gold
- 1544 Siege of Boulogne
- Honours in bold are displayed on the corps' standard.