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TheGold Stick and theSilver Stick are formalbodyguard positions in the BritishRoyal Household, serving as personal attendants to theSovereign on ceremonial occasions.[1][2]
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Although now only in evidence on ceremonial and state occasions, the office of Gold Stick dates fromTudor times, when two officers were placed close to the Sovereign's person to protect him or her from danger.[3] The office is held jointly by theColonels of theLife Guards and theBlues and Royals, the tworegiments of theHousehold Cavalry. The Gold Sticks, of whom one at any time is on duty as Gold Stick-in-Waiting, were originally entrusted with the personal safety of the Sovereign. Since the reign ofQueen Victoria these officers' duties have been mainly ceremonial; they attend all state occasions and take part in the processions for theCoronation and theState Opening of Parliament. On these occasions, Gold Stick conveys the Sovereign's orders to the Household Cavalry. The name derives from the staff of office, which has a gold head.
Anne, Princess Royal, the daughter of the late QueenElizabeth II and younger sister of KingCharles III, became Colonel of the Blues and Royals in 1998.[4] Lieutenant General SirEdward Smyth-Osbourne became Colonel of the Life Guards in 2019.[5]
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TheSilver Stick is the Commander of theHousehold Cavalry and holds the rank of colonel.[7] Silver Stick-in-Waiting is the deputy (assistant) to Gold Stick-in-Waiting, but there are occasions when Silver Stick only is summoned for duty—for example, on the arrival of ahead of state on astate visit.
The office was created in 1678,[8] and until 1950 was held by thelieutenant-colonels in command of the Household Cavalry regiments, serving by monthly rotation. Originally, only the1st and2nd Life Guards were included, but in 1820 theRoyal Horse Guards were added (the 1st and 2nd Life Guards were amalgamated together in 1922 and the Royal Horse Guards were amalgamated with theRoyal Dragoons to form theBlues and Royals in 1969).
Now the (Colonel) Commander Household Cavalry holds the office alone. Through the authority of the Gold Stick he has the detail of regiments and individuals to carry out royal duties. In general, the Silver Stick has charge of all ceremonial duties for the Sovereign.[vague]
Silver Stick's principal aide when on duty is termed Silver StickAdjutant.
There are separate Gold and Silver Sticks inScotland, who are the senior officers of the Sovereign's Bodyguard of the Royal Company of Archers.
From this royal order date the offices of the Gold Stick-in-Waiting and the Silver Stick-in-Waiting. The latter is a serving officer, while Gold Stick is a senior retired officer who appears only on State occasions but then takes precedence over all ...
It was their duty to attend the Sovereign on all ceremonial occasions. They did duty for alternate months and whilst so doing were styled 'Gold Stick in Waiting'. The field officer of the same regiment as the colonel doing duty was known as 'Silver Stick in Waiting'. The colonel of the Royal Horse Guards was added to the duty ...
Gold Stick and Silver Stick These court appointments date from Tudor times, when two officers were placed close to the Sovereign's person to protect him or her from danger. Their name derives from their staff's of office, which have a gold or a ...
The Silver Stick in Waiting The Lieutenant Colonel Commanding Household Cavalry holds the office of Silver Stick in Waiting, an appointment in the Royal Household. In the absence of the Gold Stick in Waiting he assumes his duties and ...
The second development was the King's insistence, after the events of 1678 and the hysteria engendered byTitus Oates, a populist ... or truncheon, with a gold head, engraved with His Majesty's cypher and crown', and was subsequently called the 'Gold Stick-in-Waiting'. ... Officer, with an ebony staff and silver head', afterwards styled the 'Silver Stick-in-Waiting', 'who is ready to relieve the Captain on ...