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The Household Cavalry

The Household Cavalry consists of The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals. They are the oldest and most senior regiments in the British Army and are split between two different units equipped to perform two quite different roles.

The Household Cavalry Regiment (HCR) has an operational role in armoured fighting vehicles which has seen them at the forefront of Britain's military operations including the Falklands (1982), the Gulf (1990), Bosnia, Kosovo and most recently in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Regiments are Guards Regiments and, with the five Foot Guards Regiments, form the Household Division.

The second unit is the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (HCMR) equipped with horses. It is their unique privilege to meet the requirement to carry out mounted and some dismounted ceremonial duties on State and Royal occasions which include the provision of a Sovereign's Escort most commonly seen at The Queen's Birthday Parade in June each year. 

Other occasions include Sovereign's Escorts for Her Majesty The Queen during State Visits by visiting Heads of State, and as required by Her Majesty anywhere in the Kingdom.

They maintain a world-famous tradition dating back to 1660.

A unique job calls for special soldiers: young men who can adapt themselves to the added responsibility and variety that a career in the Household Cavalry offers.

Very often the men that form The Queen's Life Guard in Whitehall, in gleaming State ceremonial uniforms (known as Mounted Review Order), were only recently operating armoured vehicles or parachuting in their airborne role.

Life Guards

As equipment and weapons become more sophisticated, so the demand for quick wits, initiative and self-reliance in a soldier is greater than ever before.

Should you accept the challenge, you will acquire not only new skills and greater confidence but you will also have those special qualities for which the Household Cavalry is famous: self-discipline, attention to detail and willingness to make that little extra effort; and these qualities will stand you in good stead for life.

Entering a compound

Uniquely in the British Army, the Household Cavalry use their qualities to excellent effect by combining their role in armoured fighting vehicles (primarily Scimitar) with the mounted State ceremonial role.

Whether on horseback in London or in armoured fighting vehicles in support of the United Nations or NATO in places such as Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Iraq or Afghanistan you can expect to see the Household Cavalry at the forefront of the British Army.