Queens' Guard (College of William and Mary)
Encyclopedia
The Queens' Guard is a ceremonial unit at the College of William & Mary. The unit is recognized by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
and is composed of students of the College. It is the only unit called "Queens' Guard" recognized by the British monarchy in the United States of America. It is not an organization attached to any military, but is under the advisement of the William & Mary Department of Military Science.
The name uses the possessive plural Queens in recognition of the three Queens of Great Britain considered patrons of the College: Queen Mary II
, who with her joint Sovereign William III
granted the royal charter for the creation of the College; Queen Anne
, who in 1708 granted money for the rebuilding of the College after a devastating fire; and Queen Elizabeth II, who visited the College in 1957 and 2007 and for whom the Queens' Guard was created.
, a unit of cadets from the College's US Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps
was selected to serve as an honor guard for Her Majesty and His Royal Highness, Prince Philip. A successor to this honor guard, known as the Queens' Guard, was established on February 8, 1961, the 268th anniversary of the chartering of the College. A letter dated September 11, 1961 and signed by a representative of the Queen expresses Her Majesty's approval of and support for the creation of the unit. The original name was the Queen's Guard as the first duty was to act as ceremonial guards to Elizabeth II.
uniforms were sent back as a gift, and were the inspiration for the uniform, which consists of a red tunic and black trousers, worn with a busby
and a sash in the Royal Stuart tartan.
, a military fraternity. The Queens' Guard has both ROTC cadets and civilian students as members. Its primary function is to serve as a ceremonial drill unit for the College. The Queens' Guard was mustered for the May 4, 2007 visit of Queen Elizabeth II to the William & Mary Campus.
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...
and is composed of students of the College. It is the only unit called "Queens' Guard" recognized by the British monarchy in the United States of America. It is not an organization attached to any military, but is under the advisement of the William & Mary Department of Military Science.
The name uses the possessive plural Queens in recognition of the three Queens of Great Britain considered patrons of the College: Queen Mary II
Mary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
, who with her joint Sovereign William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
granted the royal charter for the creation of the College; Queen Anne
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
, who in 1708 granted money for the rebuilding of the College after a devastating fire; and Queen Elizabeth II, who visited the College in 1957 and 2007 and for whom the Queens' Guard was created.
Creation
During Elizabeth II's visit to the College on October 16, 1957 in commemoration of the 350th anniversary of the colonization of Jamestown, VirginiaJamestown, Virginia
Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia. Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 14, 1607 , it was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States, following several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke...
, a unit of cadets from the College's US Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a college-based, officer commissioning program, predominantly in the United States. It is designed as a college elective that focuses on leadership development, problem solving, strategic planning, and professional ethics.The U.S...
was selected to serve as an honor guard for Her Majesty and His Royal Highness, Prince Philip. A successor to this honor guard, known as the Queens' Guard, was established on February 8, 1961, the 268th anniversary of the chartering of the College. A letter dated September 11, 1961 and signed by a representative of the Queen expresses Her Majesty's approval of and support for the creation of the unit. The original name was the Queen's Guard as the first duty was to act as ceremonial guards to Elizabeth II.
Uniform
When the unit was created in 1961, the Queens' Guard wrote to Her Majesty, asking for suggestions for a distinctly British-style uniform. Some Scots GuardsScots Guards
The 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...
uniforms were sent back as a gift, and were the inspiration for the uniform, which consists of a red tunic and black trousers, worn with a busby
Busby
Busby is the English name for the Hungarian prémes csákó or kucsma, a military head-dress made of fur, worn by Hungarian hussars. In its original Hungarian form the busby was a cylindrical fur cap, having a bag of coloured cloth hanging from the top. The end of this bag was attached to the right...
and a sash in the Royal Stuart tartan.
Current activities
Since the 1980s, the Queens' Guard has been combined with Company W-4 of the National Society of Pershing RiflesPershing Rifles
The Pershing Rifles is a military fraternal organization for college-level students, founded by then 2nd Lieutenant John J. Pershing in 1894 as a drill unit at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln...
, a military fraternity. The Queens' Guard has both ROTC cadets and civilian students as members. Its primary function is to serve as a ceremonial drill unit for the College. The Queens' Guard was mustered for the May 4, 2007 visit of Queen Elizabeth II to the William & Mary Campus.