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CECIL BEATON (1904-80)

Princess Elizabeth (b. 1926) as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards

1942

RCIN 2999910

Following the death in January 1942 of her great-great-uncle and godfather, the Duke of Connaught, Princess Elizabeth was appointed on 24 February to succeed him as the Colonel of the Grenadier Guards. To mark the occasion, the officers of the regiment presented the Princess with a diamond brooch in the form of the regimental badge, as seen in the portrait. The brooch was presented on 20 April 1942 at the Princess’s first official audience, and the following day – on her sixteenth birthday – an inspection of the Grenadier Guards was the Princess’s first official public engagement. The Grenadier Guards are the most senior of the five regiments of Foot Guards – the others being the Coldstream Guards, the Scots Guards, the Irish Guards and Welsh Guards. Together, the Foot Guards serve as the personal troops of the Sovereign, guarding the Royal Family and fulfilling ceremonial functions as well as normal military duties. The Queen is Colonel-in-Chief of all five regiments.

    The income from your ticket contributes directly to The Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity. The aims of The Royal Collection Trust are the care and conservation of the Royal Collection, and the promotion of access and enjoyment through exhibitions, publications, loans and educational activities.