| The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths' Own) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 2 May 2015 – present |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Type | Light cavalry |
| Role | Reconnaissance |
| Size | One regiment with four squadrons |
| Part of | Royal Armoured Corps |
| Garrison/HQ | RHQ –Prince William of Gloucester Barracks Regiment –Catterick |
| Nickname | The Death or Glory Boys |
| Motto | Death or Glory[1] |
| March | Quick:Wellington Slow:Coburg |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel-in-Chief | Queen Camilla |
| Colonel of the Regiment | General SirJames Everard |
| Commanding Officer | Lt Col Robin D. Davies |
| Insignia | |
| Tactical Recognition Flash |  |
| Arm Badge | Lances and Prince of Wales's feathers from 9th/12th Royal Lancers |
| Abbreviation | RL |
The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths' Own) is anarmoured cavalry regiment of theBritish Army. The regiment was formed by an amalgamation of the9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) and theQueen's Royal Lancers on 2 May 2015. It serves as the armoured cavalry reconnaissance regiment for3rd Deep Reconnaissance Strike Brigade, part of3rd (UK) Division.
The amalgamation of the9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) and theQueen's Royal Lancers was envisaged as part ofArmy 2020.[2] The amalgamation was announced in July 2012, and the regiment was formed with an amalgamation parade before their Colonel-in-Chief,Queen Elizabeth II, atRichmond Castle on 2 May 2015.[3][4]
On 5 April 2017, to mark her 70th anniversary as Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Lancers and its predecessors, The Queen granted the regiment the honorific suffix "Queen Elizabeths' Own", to recognise their service to Queen Elizabeth II andQueen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.[5]
On 8 June 2023,Queen Camilla was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment following thedeath of Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022.[6]
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The regiment is an armoured cavalry reconnaissance regiment.[7] Previously equipped with theScimitar armoured reconnaissance vehicle, the regiment converted to theWarrior tracked armoured vehicle as an interim surrogate platform in 2022 and is in the process of converting to theGeneral Dynamics Ajax as part of the Army's modernisation programme.[8] The Ajax armoured cavalry programme will reach itsinitial operating capability (IOC) in December 2025.[9] ThePanther Command and Liaison Vehicle is also currently used.[1]
The regiment consists of three Sabre Squadrons of sixteen vehicles each and a Headquarters Squadron.[10] The Royal Lancers forms part of theRoyal Armoured Corps.[10] It is based inCatterick as part of the3rd Deep Reconnaissance Strike Brigade acting as Divisional Reconnaissance for the3rd (UK) Division.[11]
Since 2015, the regiment has deployed soldiers operationally on Operation Elgin (Bosnia / Kosovo),[12]Operation Tosca (Cyprus),[13]Operation Orbital (Ukraine), and as part of theNATO Enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in Poland.[14]
Regimental Commanding Officers included:[17]
The regiment retains order of precedence from the more senior antecedent regiment, the9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's).
| Preceded by | Cavalry Order of Precedence | Succeeded by |
The Royal Lancers is now the last regiment in the British Army to retain the title of "lancers". It has directly or indirectly inherited the traditions of the six British lancer regiments that were in existence until a series of amalgamations began in 1922.
The Regimental Cap Badge is referred to as the 'Motto' and stands for 'Death or Glory'.[18]
The regiment may remain seated during the playing of the National Anthem following the service of the 17th Lancers aboardHMSSuccess and the acquisition of the nickname ‘The Horse Marines”.[19]
The historiclance, complete withpennant, is still carried by detachments of the regiment on ceremonial occasions.[20] After the Battle of Aliwal 1846 the pennants of the 16th Lancers were found to be so encrusted with blood that they stood upright and stiff. A regimental tradition carried forward through the QRL and into the modern regiment is that lance pennants are starched and crimped 16 times in commemoration. Today, on parade half of the regiment's pennants will always be crimped.[21]
Canada –Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)
Pakistan –12th Frontier Force (Sam Browne's Cavalry)
Royal Navy –HMS Prince of Wales
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