Household cavalry

Household Cavalry
Life Guards of the Household Cavalry mounting the guard at Horse Guards
Active	Since 1992 (roots dating back to 1660)
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Horse Guards
Role	Household Cavalry Regiment – Armoured Cavalry Regiment Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment – Public duties
Size	Corps of two regiments The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals
Part of	Household Division
Garrison/HQ	RHQ – London
Motto(s)	"Honi soit qui mal y pense" (Anglo-Norman) "Shamed be he who thinks evil of it"
Commanders
Colonel-in-Chief	HM The Queen
Insignia
Tactical Recognition Flash
Abbreviation	HCav

Household Cavalry Regiment – Armoured Cavalry Regiment

Corps of two regiments

The Household Cavalry (HCav) is made up of the two most senior regiments of the British Army, the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons). These regiments are divided between the Armoured Regiment stationed at Combermere Barracks in Windsor and the ceremonial mounted unit, the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, garrisoned at Hyde Park Barracks (Knightsbridge Barracks) in London. The Household Cavalry is part of the Household Division and is the Queen's official bodyguard.

The British Household Cavalry is classed as a corps in its own right, and consists of two regiments: the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons). They are the senior regular regiments in the British Army, with traditions dating from 1660, and act as the Queen's personal bodyguard. They are guards regiments and, with the five foot guard regiments, help constitute the seven guards regiments of the Household Division.

The Household Cavalry as a whole is split into two different units that fulfil very distinct roles. These are both joint units, consisting of personnel from both regiments. Like other Cavalry formations, the Household Cavalry is divided into regiments (battalion-sized units) and squadrons (company-sized sub-units). The whole corps is under the command of the Commander Household Cavalry (formerly Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding Household Cavalry), who also holds the Royal Household appointment of Silver Stick in Waiting. He is a Colonel, and is assisted by a retired lieutenant colonel as Regimental Adjutant. The current Commander is Colonel S H Cowen RHG/D.