King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery

The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery
A King's Troop sentry outside Horse Guards
Active	17 April 1946 – present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Saluting Battery
Role	Ceremonial
Part of	HQ London District
Garrison/HQ	Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich, London
Nickname(s)	"The Troop"
Patron	George VI
Anniversaries	Troop Day 24 October
Equipment	13 pounder gun
Website	The King's Troop RHA

The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery is a ceremonial unit of the British Army, quartered at Woolwich. It is a mounted unit and all of its soldiers are trained to care for and drive teams of six horses pulling each of six First World War-era 13-pounder field guns used today to fire salutes on state occasions. Its duties include the firing of royal salutes on royal anniversaries and state occasions, and providing a gun carriage and team of black horses for state and military funerals. The unit is most often seen providing gun salutes on state occasions in Hyde Park, and Green Park.

After the Second World War, King George VI expressed the view that, following the mechanisation of the last batteries of horse-drawn artillery, a troop of horse artillery should be retained to take part in the great ceremonies of state. Accordingly the Riding Troop was reformed on 17 April 1946 at Shoeburyness as a six-gun Royal Horse Artillery battery for the Household Division.

At the suggestion of Brigadier John Anquetil Norman, the King declared that the Riding Troop would be known as 'The King's Troop'. The King enacted his proclamation on 24 October 1947 by amending the page on the visitors' book by striking out the word "Riding" and inserting "King's". On her accession, Queen Elizabeth II declared that the name 'The King's Troop' would remain in honour of her father.

On 6 September 1997, the coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales was carried on a gun carriage by members of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery.