King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery
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The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery is a ceremonial unit of the British Army. It was named The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery in 1947 when King George VI decided that, following the mechanisation of the last batteries of horse drawn artillery, a troop of horse artillery should be kept to take part in the great ceremonies of state. So, he declared that the Riding Troop of the Royal Horse Artillery would be known as 'His Troop' or 'The King's Troop'. On her accession, Queen Elizabeth II declared that the name 'King's Troop' would remain in honour of her father.
The King's Troop forms part of the Household Troops and, when on parade with its guns, takes precedence over all other regiments in the British Army. Although the King's Troop is primarily a ceremonial unit, with responsibility for firing gun salutes on state occasions, it has an operational role as part of the territorial defence of the United Kingdom. The unit is most often seen providing gun salutes on state occasions in Hyde Park, but they also mount the Queen's Life Guard at Horse Guards when the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment go away for their summer training.
The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery performed at every Royal Tournament from its formation in 1947 to the final Royal Tournament on 2 August 1999.
Together with the Household Division they appear every June at Trooping the Colour, on Horse Guards Parade to celebrate the Queen's Official Birthday. Their lead gun represents their colour and is acknowledged by the Queen. After the ceremony, the King's Troop repairs to Green Park, adjacent to Buckingham Palace, firing a 41-gun salute.
See also
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