Sovereign's Standard, Household Cavalry

Sovereign's Standard, Household Cavalry, comprising a single side of damask silk taken from one of three flags issued in 1853, embroidered with the Royal Arms, VR cypher, and Battle Honours 'PENINSULA' and 'WATERLOO' awarded respectively in April and December 1815 Framed and glazed.

In 1853 the three regiments of the Household Cavalry (1st Life Guards, 2nd Life Guards, and Royal Horse Guards) were issued with new standards (the present example included). From 1824 the Household Cavalry regiments had been permitted to carry four flags each (one per squadron) in acknowledgement of their special role and status in relation to the head of state. The two regiments of Life Guards each carried one standard with the Royal Arms (the Sovereign's standard) and three Union standards. The Royal Horse Guards carried one Sovereign's standard, a Union standard, a standard bearing the Royal cypher and one bearing the Regimental cypher. In pursuit of conformity in 1863 responsibility for purchasing standards for the Household Cavalry passed from the Lord Chamberlain's Office (part of the Royal Household) to the War Office, thereby putting the Household Cavalry on the same footing as the rest of the Army. The Household Cavalry however continued to use its existing 1853 standards and furthermore ignored the 1858 Regulations reducing the number of standards carried to one per regiment. When design proposals for a new set of Household Cavalry standards was submitted in 1873, the Inspector of Regimental Colours objected on the grounds that the Battle Honours had been placed above the Royal Arms or other Royal devices. The 1873 standards were revised accordingly in contrast to the 1853 design. But as a further acknowledgement of Household Cavalry's privileged position within the Army, it was permitted to continue the practice of carrying the same number standards as before.