Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms

Her Majesty's Bodyguard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms
Badge of the Gentlemen-at-Arms
Active	1509-
Country	England
Type	Dismounted bodyguard
Role	Royal Bodyguard
Size	One Troop
Part of	Sovereign's Bodyguard
Garrison/HQ	London
March	The Nearest Guard
Engagements	Guinegate, Boulogne
Commanders
Colonel in Chief	HM The Queen
Captain	Lord Taylor of Holbeach
Insignia
Collar badge	Portcullis
Plume	White

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.

The corps was formed as the Troop of Gentlemen in 1509 by King Henry VIII 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 cadets of noble families and the highest order of gentry as his personal Body Guard or 'Nearest Guard'", cadets being the younger sons of nobles.

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 battleaxes. 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 utilised as a cadre of young officers when levies were raised for overseas service.

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 Parliament, 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 visits, Royal Garden Parties, the Garter service, Diplomatic Corps receptions, royal weddings, coronations, the Investiture of the Prince of Wales, and lying in state. They also have three mess dinners annually.