ROYAL GUARD

When was the Household Cavalry formed, did Prince Harry serve with them and what are they doing in the Royal Wedding?

THE Household Cavalry regiment of the British Army is set to play an integral part at the upcoming nuptials of Prince Harry and bride-to-be Meghan Markle.

Here's what you need to know about how it was formed and what they're doing at the Royal Wedding...

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Pictured above, the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment perform the Ceremonial Queen's Life Guard Inspection at Hyde Park BarracksCredit: Getty - Contributor

When was the Household Cavalry formed?

The Household Cavalry Regiment (HCR) is an Armoured Cavalry regiment of the British Army based at Combermere Barracks in Windsor.

The brother regiment of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment based at Hyde Park Barracks in London, both regiments together form the Household Cavalry.

The Household Cavalry was formed in 1992, under the Options for Change reforms of the Army, by the union of The Life Guards and the Blues and Royals in order to preserve the distinct identities of the regiments.

The Soldiers of The Life Guards and the Blues and Royals equally mann the HCR and HCMR.

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Prince Harry as a Household Cavalry officer pictured at a memorial in Edinburgh to troops who fell during his tour of AfghanistanCredit: PA:Press Association

Did Prince Harry serve with them?

Prince Harry served in the Army for ten years, rising to the rank of Captain and undertaking two tours of Afghanistan.

He entered The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in May 2005 to begin his training as an Officer Cadet, and it was on January 25, 2006 that the Prince was to join the Blue and Royals regiment in May 2006.

On February 28, 2008 The Ministry of Defence confirmed that Prince Harry had been serving with the British Army in Helmand, Afghanistan for more than two months with the Household Cavalry, with whom he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in April 2008.

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He later attained the rank of Captain in 2011.

He returned to Afghanistan in 2012 with the Army Air Corps - serving as an Apache helicopter co-pilot and gunner.

He formally left the British Army after a decade of full time service in 2015.

In December 2017, the Queen formally appointed Prince Harry Captain General Royal Marines, assuming the role in succession to The Duke of Edinburgh.

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Prince Harry became a Captain in 2011Credit: PA:Press Association

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What are the Household Cavalry doing in the Royal Wedding?

Troopers from Prince Harry’s old unit the Household Cavalry will form the guard of honour at the Royal Wedding.

They will line the steps of Windsor’s St George’s Chapel as Harry and Meghan Markle pose for the world’s media after the ceremony.

The Ministry of Defence announced on March 28 that units with close links to Harry had been chosen for the wedding celebrations.

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