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Regulation Colours
Regulation Colours
Regulation Colours
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The Queen's colour of the Coldstream Guards in 2018.

The Regulation Colours are the standard colours used in the armed forces of the countries of the Commonwealth of Nations.

British Armed Forces colours

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British Armed Forces units usually carry two Regulation Colours: the Regulation King's Colour and Regulation Regimental Colour. These are often referred to as the standard or ensign.

Colours are the identifying battle flags carried by military regiments to show where their respective soldiers should rally in battle. Originally these were 6 feet 6 inches (198 cm) × 6 feet (183 cm) in size, though have now been reduced to 3 feet 9 inches (114 cm) × 3 feet (91 cm), as regiments no longer carry their colours on the battlefield.

British Army

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The Kings's colour of Barrell's Regiment of Foot that was carried at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. National Museum of Scotland, accession number M.1931.299.2[1]

Prior to 1743, each infantry regiment of the British Army was responsible for the design and quantity of standards carried, often with each company having its own design. In that year King George II issued a royal warrant to require each regiment to have, as their first colour, the King's colour. It was also to consist of the Union Jack throughout, as a symbol of royal allegiance[citation needed]. The second colour was to be the colour of the facings (uniform linings) of each regiment, with the Union flag in the upper canton. When regiments had red or white facings, this was to be replaced by the red cross of St George on a white background. Regiments with "Royal" designation or named after the members of the royal family, regardless of facings, used royal blue regimental colours (plus the optional Union Jack canton), Irish regiments green facings. A second royal warrant was issued in 1747, requiring the regimental number to be displayed on the colours. As many regiments at that time were known by the name of the regimental colonel instead of a number, this requirement was often ignored. On 1 July 1751 a third royal warrant was issued stating "No Colonel is to put his Arms, Crest, Device, or Livery on any part of the Appointments of the Regiment under his Command." Company colours were phased out altogether, with the battalion colours of the regiment using the designs issued being the only sanctioned ones used.

Over time, these colours have evolved to include the battle honours awarded to each regiment, though these have also been limited.

The last British Army regiment to carry its regimental colours into battle was the 58th (Rutlandshire) Regiment of Foot in January 1881 at the Battle of Laing's Nek during the First Boer War.[2]

Colours of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment

Two British regiments carry more than two colours on parade. The Royal Yorkshire Regiment, who carry four colours. The second pair consists of a stand of honorary battle flags, which are the original size of 6 ft 6 in × 6 ft. These honorary colours, 'King's Honorary Colour' and 'Regimental Honorary Colour,' were originally awarded to the 76th Regiment of Foot, which later became the 2nd Battalion of the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) in 1808, by the Honorable East India Company for their distinguished services during the Battle of Ally Ghur and again at Delhi between 1802 and 1804.[3] In 1948 the 1st and 2nd Battalions merged and retained the Honorary Colours. In 2006 the Duke of Wellington's Regiment merged with the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire and the Green Howards to form the 'Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot)'.[4] The Honourable Artillery Company has both a stand of colours (king's and regimental) and guns. The latter are also regarded as colours and accorded the same compliments just as the Royal Artillery regard their guns as their colours.

Rifle regiments (today The Rifles) plus the Brigade of Gurkhas do not use colours at all owing to their role. The latter, however, carries the Queen's Truncheon awarded in 1857 instead.

Guards Division

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Unlike the rest of the Army, all five Foot Guards infantry regiments sport a different variant pattern.

Given the status of the guards regiments as units under royal patronage and for the defence of the British Royal Family and facilities belonging to them, the design of the colours are:

  • Queen's/King's Colour - crimson with the regimental insignia, arms and battle honours (Union Flag canton on the colours of any additional battalions)
  • Regimental Colours - Union Flag with regimental insignia and any battle honours

Unlike most infantry regiments, all five carry all battle honours on both colours.

Until the 1820s, the Guards infantry carried company colours alongside the regimental battalion colours.

A third colour, the Guards State Colour, is unique to the Grenadier, Coldstream, and Scots Guards, and only used when the monarch is present. Their design is scarlet with the regimental insignia and arms at the centre with the Royal Cypher at the corners. No battle honours are present.

References

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See also

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Regulation Colours

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Regulation Colours are the standard ceremonial flags borne by infantry regiments in the and other Commonwealth nations' armed forces, comprising the King's Colour and the Regimental Colour, which embody the unit's loyalty to the Sovereign, historical legacy, and accumulated battle honours. These colours function as symbolic standards, historically serving as rallying points on the to maintain amid chaos, while today they are paraded during formal ceremonies to honour tradition and esprit de corps. The tradition of Regulation Colours traces back to the early , with their formal standardization occurring in 1743 under King George II, who decreed that each carry two colours: the first (King's Colour) and the second (Regimental Colour). The practice of inscribing battle honours on the colours began in 1768, evolving from earlier ad hoc recognitions of victories dating to the late , allowing regiments to visually chronicle their campaigns—such as (1680), Waterloo (1815), and more recent actions like the (1991). Over time, the design has been refined; for instance, in 1858, the size was reduced to 4 feet by 3 feet 6 inches to enhance portability, and regulations limit the number of honours to 43 on the King's Colour (from the two World Wars) and up to 46 on the Regimental Colour (for other engagements). Antecedent regiments, such as those forming modern units like the Royal Yorkshire Regiment, inherited hundreds of honours—totaling 382 across its forebears—reflecting centuries of service from the to contemporary operations. In design, the King's Colour is typically a crimson silk field (or white for Foot Guards) featuring the Union Jack in the upper hoist canton, the regiment's insignia, the Monarch's crown, and embroidered gold-thread battle honours, often numbering around 44 for select units like the Coldstream Guards. The Regimental Colour, by contrast, is regiment-specific, commonly displaying a white field with the red Cross of St George for English and Welsh units, overlaid with the regimental badge, additional honours (e.g., Alma, Inkerman, Sevastopol for the 19th Regiment), and symbolic elements like the Sphinx superscribed "Egypt" for Nile campaign veterans. These colours are meticulously handcrafted by specialist weavers, such as those at Wyedean Weaving, taking up to five months to complete with intricate embroidery that ensures durability for ceremonial use. They are presented in consecration ceremonies—often by the King or a royal representative, as seen with the Coldstream Guards' 2025 colours blessed at Windsor Castle—and replaced every 10 to 20 years for regular battalions to maintain their condition. The significance of Regulation Colours extends beyond aesthetics, representing the "soul" of the as a tangible record of sacrifices and triumphs, fostering pride and continuity in military culture. Strict protocols govern their handling, including salutes from troops and secure storage in officers' messes or museums when laid up, as with the Duke of Wellington's Regiment's final set in 2007 or the Royal Yorkshire Regiment's 3rd Battalion colours in 2013. In forces, such as those in or , similar standards adapt the format while preserving the core principles of loyalty and heritage, ensuring the tradition's global resonance.

History

Origins in European Military Tradition

The practice of using banners and standards in military contexts originated in ancient Rome, where the vexillum served as an early form of cloth flag, primarily carried by cavalry units to identify subgroups within legions and act as rallying points during battle. These standards, often square or rectangular and attached to a crossbar on a pole, facilitated command and cohesion by allowing troops to locate their unit leaders amid the chaos of combat, a function that influenced subsequent European traditions. By the medieval period, European armies evolved this concept into more elaborate banners, which knights and feudal levies carried to maintain formation and signal allegiance, emphasizing unit identity and morale in disorganized melee warfare. In the 16th and 17th centuries, European armies introduced greater standardization to these banners, transforming them into regimental colours that denoted specific units and enhanced battlefield organization. The Spanish tercios, pike-and-shot formations that dominated during this era, employed distinctive flags such as the capitana (the principal standard) and other company colours, often featuring the royal arms or crosses on crimson or white grounds to mark the tercio's core and subdivisions. Similarly, French ordinances under mandated uniform regimental flags for infantry, often featuring royal emblems to ensure consistency across the and reinforcing national hierarchy. These reforms reflected a shift toward professionalized forces, where colours not only guided maneuvers but also embodied collective discipline. From their inception, military colours carried profound symbolic weight in European traditions, representing a unit's honor and serving as the focal point of loyalty; their capture by the enemy was viewed as a profound , often leading to the disbandment of the affected or severe punitive measures. This symbolism underscored the colours' role beyond utility, as sacred emblems that troops were oath-bound to defend at all costs, a rooted in chivalric codes and amplified by the era's emphasis on martial prestige. In the (1642–1651), these traditions manifested in the use of regimental colours by both Parliamentarian and forces, where standards—such as those with cantons bearing the commander's arms on fields of red, blue, or yellow—functioned as identifiers and rallying symbols amid the fluid tactics of blocks and . For instance, Parliamentarian regiments like those under the employed patterned colours to denote company status within the unit, prefiguring more rigid regulations in later British practice.

Development in the British Armed Forces

The establishment of regulated colours in the British Army began with a series of Royal Warrants issued under King George II in the mid-18th century, formalizing the use of two colours per infantry battalion to symbolize loyalty and unit identity. The 1747 warrant introduced the standard of one King's Colour, based on the Union flag, and one Regimental Colour matching the regiment's facing colour, replacing the earlier practice of multiple company colours and personal devices by colonels. This was further refined by the 1751 warrant, which explicitly prohibited colonels from adding personal arms, crests, devices, or liveries to any regimental appointments, including colours, to ensure uniformity across the forces. The 1768 warrant provided detailed specifications, mandating that the King's Colour be the Great Union throughout and the Regimental Colour bear the union in the upper canton nearest the pike, with the regimental number in the center, thereby embedding royal symbolism at the core of military tradition. Following the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), colours began to incorporate battle honours as a means to commemorate significant victories, marking an early evolution toward recognizing regimental achievements on these symbols. Although rare at the time, the 15th Regiment of Foot was granted permission in 1768 to inscribe "Emsdorff" on their colours for their actions at the Battle of Emsdorf, setting a for such additions after major conflicts. Concurrently, practical adaptations addressed the vulnerabilities exposed in campaigning; initial silk constructions, while ceremonial, proved fragile in field conditions, prompting a gradual shift to more durable silk damask and reinforced edges by the late to better withstand wear during prolonged service. The (1799–1815) reinforced the emphasis on standardized designs that underscored unwavering loyalty to the Crown, as the existing warrant frameworks were applied rigorously to maintain cohesion amid expansive operations. This period saw colours evolve as focal points for discipline and morale, with uniform patterns preventing confusion in multinational coalitions and battle lines, while the addition of emerging battle honours—though still selective—highlighted the Crown's role in bestowing martial prestige. In the early , Queen Victoria's accession prompted further refinements to align colours with the evolving . Her 1837 regulations specified that the Queen's Colour adopt a field instead of the full Union design for non-royal regiments, reducing visual overlap with the and enhancing regimental distinction while preserving royal precedence.

Key Regulatory Changes

In 1836, the Horse Guards promulgated regulations that standardized the facings and tassels of regimental colours to promote uniformity across and units, specifying materials like silk for standards and silk mixed with gold for cords and tassels. These measures built upon early 18th-century foundations by addressing variations that had arisen in regimental practices during the . Following the Second Boer War (1899–1902) and (1914–1918), regulatory updates permitted the embroidered addition of battle honours to colours, reflecting imperial expansions and the unprecedented scale of modern conflict; limits were established, such as up to 43 honours from the World Wars on the Queen's Colour and up to 46 non-World War honours on the Regimental Colour, to balance commemoration with design practicality. This adaptation marked a shift from static designs to dynamic records of service, accommodating the growing number of engagements without overwhelming the flags' visual coherence. Upon Queen Elizabeth II's accession in 1952, the nomenclature shifted from "King's Colour" to "Queen's Colour" to reflect the new sovereign. In April 2023, King Charles III presented new Standards and Colours to units including the and at , marking the first such ceremony to include representatives from all three Armed Services.

Types of Colours

Sovereign's Colour

The Sovereign's Colour serves as the primary symbol of a British 's loyalty to the , embodying the unit's direct to as the sovereign's personal troops. Formalized through royal warrants beginning in 1743 under King George II, with further specifications in 1747 and 1751, it was originally designated as the "Royal Colour" to standardize the first of two colours carried by each , distinguishing it from the unit-specific secondary colour. This colour underscores the 's ownership of the , functioning historically as a rallying point in battle and today as a ceremonial of honour and devotion. In design, the Sovereign's Colour features a crimson silk field fringed in gold, with a in the upper canton near the staff, the reigning sovereign's embroidered in the center or corners, and the star of the prominently displayed as a badge of royal favour. For regiments, it measures approximately 3 feet 6 inches along the hoist by 4 feet across the fly, constructed from hand-embroidered silk for durability and symbolic prestige, with the pike staff typically 8 feet 6 inches long. Following the accession of Queen Elizabeth II in 1952, the designation shifted from "King's Colour" to "Queen's Colour" to reflect the reigning sovereign, a practice that continues today under King Charles III as the "King's Colour" or generically the "Sovereign's Colour." Symbolically, the represents the regiment's unwavering fidelity to the , never to be dipped in except in the direct presence of the , a tradition that reinforces its supreme status over all other unit identifiers. It is paraded at the right of the line during ceremonies, complementing the Regimental Colour to form a complete stand that honors both national and regimental identity. For units of the , such as the Grenadier or , the design includes distinctive variations like the sovereign's rendered in elaborate gold thread embroidery in the lower corners, along with select battle honours inscribed on scrolls beneath the central star, emphasizing their elite role as the monarch's household troops; their King's Colour is , while the Regimental Colour uses the Union Flag with the regimental badge and honours. These elements, approved personally by the sovereign, ensure the colour's uniqueness while adhering to regulation standards.

Regimental Colour

The Regimental Colour serves as the secondary standard for regiments in the , embodying the unit's unique identity through its customized design and record of battle honours. For , it features a solid silk damask field in the colour of the regiment's facings—such as yellow for certain regiments like the 17th Foot—with a Union Flag canton in the upper hoist quarter; for , it is the Union Flag with the regimental badge and battle honours. Battle honours are embroidered in gold on the field, with regulations limiting the total to up to 46 for non-World War engagements as of the early , arranged in a specific order to chronicle the regiment's most significant engagements, while the central device typically includes the regiment's numerical rank within a . Regulations governing the Regimental Colour were formalized in the Royal Clothing Warrant of 1751, which standardized the design elements, including the requirement for construction and the positioning of the Union canton, while setting initial dimensions at approximately 6 feet 6 inches by 6 feet 2 inches to ensure uniformity across non-royal units. Over time, sizes were adjusted for practicality; in 1858, they were reduced to 3 feet 6 inches by 4 feet, a standard that has remained in use for modern presentation. The use of damask persisted as the preferred material due to its durability and ceremonial sheen, with fringe and tassels adorning the edges and pike. Battle honours are added to the Regimental Colour through a formal process initiated after major campaigns, where the monarch grants approval on the recommendation of the Army Board to recognize exemplary service. For instance, following the in 1815, regiments such as the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Scots had "Waterloo" embroidered onto their colours between 1815 and 1817, alongside other honours like "" and "Niagara." Similarly, after the Falklands Campaign in 1982, participating regiments were authorized to add relevant honours in accordance with established Army practice, ensuring the colour perpetuates the unit's legacy. Fusilier regiments represent a notable exception to the standard , incorporating their traditional arm —typically a flaming —prominently in the center of the coloured field instead of a plain expanse interrupted only by honours and the numerical wreath. This customization distinguishes fusilier colours, such as those of the 7th (Royal ) Regiment, by integrating the device with the facing colour (e.g., buff) and Union canton, while still accommodating embroidered battle honours around the . During ceremonial parades, the Regimental Colour is carried alongside the Sovereign's Colour by designated ensigns to symbolize regimental pride and national allegiance.

Cavalry Standards and Guidons

Cavalry units in the employ distinct forms of regulation colours tailored for mounted operations, primarily standards for and guidons for and , which emphasize mobility through their compact, non-square designs compared to colours. These symbols serve as regimental identifiers, points, and bearers of battle honours, featuring embroidered devices such as the St. George's Cross overlaid with unit-specific emblems like cyphers, badges, or numerals. Standards, carried by regiments including the and , consist of square silk damask flags measuring 2 feet 6 inches in width by 2 feet 3 inches in depth (excluding fringe), mounted on an 8-foot-6-inch and bordered with gold fringe. The central design incorporates a field with the St. George's Cross in gold, augmented by regimental devices such as the monarch's cypher or heraldic symbols positioned in the corners or center. Guidons, utilized by light cavalry formations like dragoons, hussars, and , are smaller swallow-tailed flags of , approximately 3 feet 5 inches in length by 2 feet 3 inches deep on the , with curved forks at the fly end for aerodynamic suitability during mounted parades. Introduced under the Royal Clothing Warrant of 1751, these guidons feature a plain background embroidered with the regimental title, number, or devices in gold, often without the full but including scrolls for battle honours. Following Queen Victoria's accession in 1837, regulations mandated updates to cavalry colours, including the addition of the revised royal arms—reflecting the separation from the —integrated into the designs of both standards and guidons, alongside a shift for to exclusively square standards. Due to space constraints on their compact surfaces, these colours bear a limited selection of battle honours, typically up to 16, inscribed on crimson scrolls in gold lettering, akin to the abbreviated honour lists on infantry . In contemporary practice, standards and guidons remain integral to ceremonial duties for active and regiments, such as the or , paraded during or state occasions but no longer in combat since the late . Twentieth-century updates, including the adoption of synthetic gold fringes and durable fabrics for weather resistance, ensure their preservation while maintaining traditional silk damask fields for authenticity.

Applications in the British Armed Forces

British Army

In the , regulation colours serve as symbols of regimental identity, history, and battle honours, primarily carried by and units during parades and ceremonies. All battalions carry a paired set of colours consisting of the Sovereign's Colour—typically a emblazoned with the Union Flag in the upper canton, royal cyphers, and selected battle honours—and the Regimental Colour, which features the regimental facings colour as its field, also bearing honours and unit insignia. These colours, standardized under royal warrants since 1743, measure 4 feet by 3 feet 6 inches and are made of silk damask with fringes and . The , comprising the regiments, employs distinctive larger silk versions of these colours to reflect their elite status and proximity to the . For instance, the Regimental Colour of the Grenadier Guards exceeds 6 feet square, richly embroidered in gold thread with tassels, national badges ensigned by crowns, and the King's cypher, mounted on poles topped with silver-gilt crowns. This enhanced design underscores the Division's ceremonial role, with colours presented directly by the , as seen in the 2023 presentation to the Grenadier Guards and Life Guards. Specific variations exist for certain units to align with their traditions. Rifle regiments, such as , forgo traditional colours altogether, instead displaying battle honours on horns—the stringed being their regimental —and laurel wreaths on drums and appointments, a practice rooted in their heritage emphasizing mobility over fixed rallying points. Similarly, special forces units like the (SAS) avoid carrying traditional regulation colours, prioritizing operational secrecy and lacking the standard ceremonial structure of line units. Battle honours for these colours are allocated through a centralized system overseen by the , formalized by the 1925 Battle Honours Committee under the , which standardized awards following and deleted prior inconsistent lists via Army Order 55. Honours are emblazoned selectively on the colours' central scrolls, limited to space constraints, with examples including "Arnhem 1944" awarded to units of the Parachute Regiment for their role in . This system ensures a unified record of regimental achievements from historic campaigns like Tangier 1662 to modern conflicts such as 2003. As of 2025, the maintains approximately 100 active colours across its and units, with each of the 33 regular battalions bearing a pair and additional standards/guidons for armoured regiments. These are replaced every 10-12 years to preserve their condition, after which the old sets are laid up in regimental chapels or museums as sacred relics.

Royal Navy

In the , flags serving roles analogous to regulation colours include the and commissioning pennants, which act as key identifiers for commissioned vessels at sea. The , adopted exclusively for ships in 1864 via an , features a red St. George's Cross on a white field with the Union Flag in the upper canton nearest the hoist, symbolizing national sovereignty and naval authority. This flag is hoisted at the stern of all His Majesty's Ships (HMS) in commission, distinguishing them from merchant or auxiliary vessels, and shares symbolic ties to the Sovereign's colours used in other British forces. Commissioning pennants, a longstanding naval tradition dating to regulations established in 1673 during the Third Anglo-Dutch War, are triangular or tapering white flags bearing a red St. George's Cross at the hoist, flown from the main masthead to denote a ship's active commissioned status. Their dimensions vary by ship rank and size, with larger vessels employing longer pennants proportional to their masts for visibility, while smaller craft use shorter versions; these are governed by BRd 2 protocols ensuring uniformity in design across the fleet. In 1950, regulations were updated specifically for aircraft carriers, permitting the incorporation of squadron badges—heraldic emblems in twisted-rope frames—onto pennants to reflect embarked aviation units, enhancing unit identification without altering the core design. Ceremonially, the commissioning pennant is "broken" (hoisted with a flourish) at a ship's formal commissioning , marking its entry into active service, and remains flown continuously thereafter unless displaced by a senior officer's flag. It is hauled down only at decommissioning, signaling the vessel's withdrawal from operational status, often during a paying-off where a special elongated variant—matching the ship's length plus one foot per year of service—may be flown, embroidered with the ship's name, ports visited, and motifs but excluding battle honours, as these are reserved for other ship markings rather than pennants. This practice underscores the pennant's role in naval identity and tradition, distinct from land-based colours yet integral to the broader British heritage.

Royal Air Force

In the Royal Air Force, standards analogous to regulation colours primarily manifest as squadron standards and the King's Colour, adapted from traditional military heraldry to reflect the service's aerial domain and identity. Squadron standards, awarded to qualifying units, consist of a light-blue silk banner measuring 4 feet by 2 feet 8 inches, bordered with gold and blue fringe and featuring the Union Flag in the upper hoist, a central squadron badge, and embroidered battle honours on scrolls. These standards are mounted on an 8-foot-1-inch pike topped with a gilded RAF eagle finial, emphasizing the force's emblematic heritage. The overall design draws briefly from British Army regimental colour traditions but incorporates RAF-specific elements like the blue field symbolizing the sky. Regulations for these colours were formalized through Air Ministry Orders, with the system for squadron standards instituted on 1 April 1943 by King George VI to mark the RAF's 25th anniversary, requiring units to have 25 years of service or the 's commendation for exceptional operations. Presentation ceremonies, often conducted by the or a royal representative, include consecration by an Armed Forces chaplain and are followed by parading on formal occasions such as squadron anniversaries or inspections. Battle honours, embroidered in gold thread, commemorate significant campaigns; for instance, " 1940" is emblazoned on standards of participating squadrons like Nos. 1, 74, and 92, signifying their role in the pivotal defense against the . Squadrons may select up to eight honours for display, subject to approval, ensuring the colours encapsulate unit legacy without overwhelming the design. Variations include station colours for RAF bases, which feature a field with a central encircling the station's and , often in to denote operational significance and esprit de corps. Unlike units, the RAF employs no guidons, but fin flashes—vertical stripes in red, white, and blue on fins—serve as modern identification equivalents, evolving from rudder markings to distinguish RAF planes in flight and on the ground. These flashes maintain heraldic continuity in a dynamic aerial context. Current practices uphold these traditions amid evolving service needs, with the most recent update occurring in 2023 when King Charles III presented a new King's Colour to the RAF at Buckingham Palace, replacing the prior version to align with the change of reign and ensuring ceremonial parity across the Armed Forces. This square, hand-embroidered RAF blue silk standard, measuring 3 feet 9 inches and carried by the dedicated King's Colour Squadron, is paraded during state events and guards duties, such as at the Tower of London. Numerous active squadrons continue to maintain and lodge their standards upon disbandment, preserving over a century of aviation heritage in ceremonial and archival roles.

Traditions and Ceremonies

Presentation of New Colours

The presentation of new colours is a solemn in the , where the or an appointed representative bestows updated regulation colours—such as the King's Colour and Regimental Colour—upon a , , or equivalent unit. This event underscores the enduring bond between the and the armed forces, symbolizing the unit's renewed pledge of loyalty, honour, and service. The ceremony typically occurs on dedicated grounds, like those at , , or regimental barracks, and involves the assembled troops forming up for inspection and the trooping of the new colours through their ranks. The tradition traces its origins to the mid-18th century, when King George II issued regulations standardizing the design and use of colours for infantry regiments as part of a series of orders in 1743, 1747, and 1751. These reforms established the two-colour system still in use today, with the King's Colour bearing the Union Flag and the Regimental Colour incorporating unit-specific on a field of the regiment's facing colour. A notable modern precedent occurred on 27 April 2023, when King Charles III, accompanied by , presented new Standards and Colours to representative units from the Royal Navy, ( and Life Guards), and at —the first tri-service presentation since 1953. A recent example occurred on 13 June 2025, when King Charles III presented new colours to the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the at , marking the regiment's 375th anniversary. During the ceremony, the process begins with the arrival of the royal presenter, followed by a royal and the consecration of the new colours by a , who blesses them as sacred emblems. The presenter then hands the colours to selected ensigns amid a formation, after which the units march past in slow and quick time, dipping their swords or standards in . The event concludes with addresses from the presenter and , reinforcing the colours' role as focal points of regimental pride. Old colours, having served their term, are formally marched off and subsequently laid up—retired with —in the regiment's associated or church, where they remain as memorials to past service until natural decay. Under current regulations, new colours are presented periodically to account for wear from ceremonial use and exposure, typically every 10 to 12 years, ensuring the emblems remain vibrant symbols of . This cycle maintains the colours' while allowing for the addition of new battle honours or updates to design as approved by the Inspector of Regimental Colours.

Parading and Saluting the Colours

In the , regulation colours are carried by a dedicated colour party during ceremonial parades and inspections, consisting of two ensign officers who bear the King's Colour and Regimental Colour respectively, escorted by three sergeants (or equivalent), with the senior between the Colours and the others to the rear for protection and alignment. The colours are mounted on polished ash pikes measuring 9 feet 10 inches in length, topped with ornate union finials featuring a spearhead and crimson-and-gold tassels to denote regimental prestige. These pikes are secured in belts worn by the ensigns, ensuring steady carriage at the slope during marches or at the carry when halted, with the escort maintaining a precise formation to prevent interference. Saluting protocols for regulation colours emphasize their symbolic reverence, with all ranks rendering the highest honours by presenting arms or turning eyes right/left as the colours pass, but the colours themselves are dipped—lowered to a 45-degree angle—only during a Royal Salute to the or within a church during divine service. Officers in the colour party return individual hand or salutes to entitled persons, while the ensigns ensure the colours remain uncased and prominent, flying free except during these specific ceremonial lowers. This restraint in dipping underscores the colours' embodiment of regimental loyalty, distinguishing routine parades from exceptional royal or religious contexts. On parade grounds, regulation colours occupy a central position in the , placed between the centre companies with markers—non-commissioned officers holding fixed positions—to guide troop alignment and maintain formation integrity during inspections or marches. In events like the annual ceremony, as seen in the 2025 King's Birthday Parade on , the designated regimental colour is marched through the ranks in quick and slow time, serving as a focal point for the entire formation while the reviews from the saluting base. These formations adapt to the parade's scale, with the colour party wheeling precisely to integrate with bands and drums, ensuring the colours remain the rallying emblem amid synchronized movements. Variations across services reflect operational environments while upholding core protocols. In the , silk-faced colours are guarded by dedicated sentries during static displays, emphasizing their vulnerability to weather. The Royal Navy adapts parading to maritime settings, conducting colours ceremonies aboard ships at sunrise and sunset to hoist and lower the , with the captain saluting as the ensign flies from the jackstaff. For the Royal Air Force, colours are paraded on ceremonial occasions augmented by fly-pasts, where aircraft formations perform fly-pasts as an aerial salute, coordinating with ground troops presenting arms below. These practices build upon the formal presentation of new colours, integrating them into ongoing ceremonial duties.

Role in Modern Operations

In contemporary British Army operations, regimental colours maintain a significant symbolic function, serving as emblems of unit identity and heritage during deployments and training exercises. Although advancements in communication and technology have rendered their historical role as physical rallying points in obsolete, the colours are still transported to operational to foster and a sense of continuity with past campaigns. For example, the colours of the 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment were carried on multiple tours in and , where they were displayed in forward operating bases to remind soldiers of their regimental legacy amid challenging conditions. These colours embody the regiment's enduring spirit, with new presentations incorporating battle honours from recent conflicts to honour post-9/11 service. Honours such as those for operations in (2001-2021) and (2003-2009) are embroidered onto the silk, linking modern personnel to the sacrifices of their predecessors and reinforcing collective pride during . This practice ensures that the colours remain a living record of operational achievements, displayed prominently in bases and during briefings to sustain motivation in prolonged engagements. In training environments, including large-scale drills, the colours contribute to building discipline and esprit de by being paraded at key events, symbolizing the regiment's commitment to duty without direct tactical use. Their presence underscores the psychological importance of , helping units maintain cohesion in simulated high-stress scenarios that mirror real-world operations. The legal protections afforded to regimental colours emphasize their sanctity; while not classified as symbols under the , their loss or compromise is treated as a profound dishonour within the . Officers and colour bearers swear oaths to defend them, and historical precedents under military law, including the Army Act, stipulate severe penalties such as for leading to their capture or damage, a that persists in modern disciplinary codes to preserve regimental integrity.

References

  1. https://www.army.mod.uk/news/an-unbroken-thread-of-history-the-birth-of-a-british-army-colour/
  2. https://www.royalyorkshireregiment.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ROYAL-YORKSHIRE-REGIMENT-REGIMENTAL-HANDBOOK_v4.1.pdf
  3. https://www.dwr.org.uk/the_regiment/regimental-colours/
  4. https://fiav.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/ICV20-28-Schmoger-The-Roman-vexillum.pdf
  5. https://www.vindolanda.com/blog/rosaliae-signorum-rose-festivals-of-the-standards
  6. https://deremilitari.org/2014/07/caste-skill-and-training-the-evolution-of-cohesion-in-european-armies-from-the-middle-ages-to-the-sixteenth-century/
  7. https://people.stfx.ca/lstanley/stanley/flagbook/Chapter3.htm
  8. https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/save-colours
  9. https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/british-civil-wars
  10. https://www.academia.edu/42553799/Systems_Stripes_and_Gyrons
  11. https://queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/colours/colours-historical-note.html
  12. https://www.royal-irish.com/stories/queens-and-regimental-colours-royal-irish-regiment
  13. https://www.redcoat.org/Colours.html
  14. http://dupagemilitaryflag.com/743917.html
  15. https://www.napoleonguide.com/infantry_ukcol1.htm
  16. https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/gb-regt.html
  17. https://archive.org/download/flagsofourfighti00john/flagsofourfighti00john.pdf
  18. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-13995369
  19. https://www.royal.uk/news-and-activity/2023-04-27/the-king-presents-new-standards-and-colours-at-buckingham-palace
  20. https://www.royal.uk/presentation-of-colours
  21. https://stories.durham.ac.uk/understanding-colours/
  22. https://fifedrum.org/crfd/1751.htm
  23. https://www.62ndregiment.org/colours.htm
  24. https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/gb%5Earmy.html
  25. http://www.tradeshouselibrary.org/uploads/4/7/7/2/47723681/the_flags_of_our_fighting_army_including_standards_guidons_colours_and_drum_banners_~_1918.pdf
  26. https://www.theroyalscots.co.uk/colours-of-the-3rd-battalion-the-royal-scots-the-waterloo-colours/
  27. https://7thregimentoffoot.weebly.com/7th-regiment-colors.html
  28. https://fifedrum.org/crfd/1751-2.htm
  29. https://www.thepotteries.org/mark/arms/1837.htm
  30. https://www.forcesnews.com/news/what-are-military-colours
  31. https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/regimental-badges
  32. https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/research/history-regiments/regimental-colours
  33. https://riflemansmuseum.co.uk/traditions
  34. https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/219062-battle-honours-how-many/
  35. https://paradata.org.uk/content/4634394-arnhem-operation-market-garden
  36. https://www.ssgreatbritain.org/the-white-ensign/
  37. http://www.luxe-motor-kei.co.uk/documents/NavalFlagsandEnsigns.pdf
  38. https://cd.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/rnweb/footer-pages-documents-and-images/brd_2_bookv6.pdf
  39. https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2017/june/bluejackets-manual-flag-bag
  40. https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110810104637610
  41. https://www.rafht.co.uk/index.php/2016/06/26/raf-battle-honours/
  42. https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/133826-fin-flashes-reason-origin
  43. https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/his-majesty-king-charles-iii-presents-new-colour-to-royal-air-force/
  44. https://rauxaf.org/general-features-the-sovereigns-colour/
  45. https://www.royal.uk/news-and-activity/2025-06-13/king-presents-new-colours-to-the-coldstream-guards
  46. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5acf2fb740f0b617df33589e/2018-03287.pdf
  47. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a805f88e5274a2e87db9712/QR_Army.pdf
  48. https://www.army.mod.uk/news/what-is-trooping-the-colour/
  49. https://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/research/history-regiments/regimental-traditions
  50. https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news/2023/april/27/20230427-his-majesty-the-king-presents-the-royal-navy-with-new-colours-in-historic-ceremony
  51. https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/kings-birthday-flypast-2025/
  52. https://www.army.mod.uk/news/the-mercian-regiment-colours-laid-up-in-historic-ceremony-in-lichfield/
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