Piper to the Sovereign
Encyclopedia
The Piper to the Sovereign (or the Queen's Piper) is a position in the British
Royal Household
in which the holder of the office is responsible for playing the bagpipes
at the Sovereign's
request.
The position was established in 1843 when Queen Victoria
and Prince Albert visited the Marquess of Breadalbane
at Taymouth Castle
a year earlier and discovered the Marquess had his own personal piper. The Queen was taken with the idea of having one for herself, writing to her mother, the Dowager Duchess of Kent:
The office has been held continuously since then (apart from a brief interruption during World War II
) and the piper's main duty is to play at 9am for 15 minutes under the Sovereign's window, and on state occasions.
The first Piper to the Sovereign was Angus MacKay, a noted composer of piobaireachd
. All subsequent pipers were serving non-commissioned officer
and experienced Pipe Major
from a Scottish regiment
. While the Piper is a member of the Royal Household, he retains his military rank for the duration of the secondment.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Royal Household
Royal Household
A Royal Household in ancient and medieval monarchies formed the basis for the general government of the country as well as providing for the needs of the sovereign and his relations....
in which the holder of the office is responsible for playing the bagpipes
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
at the Sovereign's
British monarchy
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
request.
The position was established in 1843 when Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
and Prince Albert visited the Marquess of Breadalbane
John Campbell, 2nd Marquess of Breadalbane
John Campbell, 2nd Marquess of Breadalbane KT, PC, FRS , styled Lord Glenorchy until 1831 and as Earl of Ormelie from 1831 to 1834, was a Scottish nobleman and Liberal politician.-Background and education:...
at Taymouth Castle
Taymouth Castle
Taymouth Castle is situated just north-east of the village of Kenmore, Perth and Kinross in the Highlands of Scotland.It stands on the site of the much older Balloch Castle , which was demolished to be rebuilt on a much larger scale in the early 19th century by the Campbells of Breadalbane.It was...
a year earlier and discovered the Marquess had his own personal piper. The Queen was taken with the idea of having one for herself, writing to her mother, the Dowager Duchess of Kent:
- We have heard nothing but bagpipes since we have been in the beautiful HighlandsScottish HighlandsThe Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
and I have become so fond of it that I mean to have a Piper, who can if you like it, pipe every night at FrogmoreFrogmoreThe Frogmore Estate or Gardens comprise of private gardens within the grounds of the Home Park, adjoining Windsor Castle, in the English county of Berkshire. The name derives from the preponderance of frogs which have always lived in this low-lying and marshy area.It is the location of Frogmore...
.
The office has been held continuously since then (apart from a brief interruption during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
) and the piper's main duty is to play at 9am for 15 minutes under the Sovereign's window, and on state occasions.
The first Piper to the Sovereign was Angus MacKay, a noted composer of piobaireachd
Piobaireachd
Pibroch, Piobaireachd or Ceòl Mór is an art music genre associated primarily with the Scottish Highlands that is characterised by extended compositions with a melodic theme and elaborate formal variations...
. All subsequent pipers were serving non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
and experienced Pipe Major
Pipe Major
The Pipe Major is the director of bagpipe music in a Scottish or Irish pipe band. Like Drum Major, the position of Pipe Major is derived from British Army traditions. During the early twentieth century, the term Sergeant Piper was used for the role in place of "Pipe Major".Civillian and military...
from a Scottish regiment
Scottish regiment
A Scottish regiment is any regiment that at some time in its history has or had a name that referred to Scotland or some part, thereof, and adopted items of Scottish dress...
. While the Piper is a member of the Royal Household, he retains his military rank for the duration of the secondment.
- 1843–1854: Angus MacKay
- 1854–1891: PM William Ross, 42nd Highlanders (Black Watch)Black WatchThe Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
- 1891–1910: PM James Campbell, 42nd Highlanders (Black Watch)Black WatchThe Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
- 1910–1941: PM Henry Forsyth, Scots GuardsScots GuardsThe Scots Guards is a regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, whose origins lie in the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland...
- 1941–1945: None
- 1945–1965: PM Alexander MacDonald, Scots GuardsScots GuardsThe Scots Guards is a regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, whose origins lie in the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland...
- 1965–1973: PM Andrew Pitkeathly, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
- 1973–1980: PM David Caird, Royal Highland FusiliersRoyal Highland FusiliersThe Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland....
- 1980–1995: PM Brian MacRae, Gordon Highlanders
- 1995–1998: PM Gordon Webster, Scots GuardsScots GuardsThe Scots Guards is a regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, whose origins lie in the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland...
- 1998–2003: PM Jim Motherwell, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
- 2003–2006: PM Jim Stout, The Highlanders, 1st Battalion
- 2006–2008: PM Alastair Cuthbertson, 1st Battalion, The Royal Scots
- 2008–present: PM Derek Potter, Royal Scots Dragoon GuardsRoyal Scots Dragoon GuardsThe Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, and the senior Scottish regiment. It was formed on 2 July 1971 at Holyrood, Edinburgh, by the amalgamation of the 3rd Carabiniers The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) (SCOTS DG) is a cavalry regiment of...