Sergeant Adrian Harlen, Defence Imagery, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Irish Guards hold their annual Parade every year on St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th). Per tradition, a sprig of shamrock is presented to member of the regiment and the Irish Wolfhound regimental mascot.
Typical Schedule
- Parade
- Present Sprigs of Shamrocks to officers and guardsman
- They will in turn issue the shamrocks among the ranks.
- Royal Salute and March-Past
- Present Sprigs of Shamrocks to officers and guardsman
- Present long service awards and good conduct medals
- Official Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess photograph
- Meet with soldiers and their families in the Sergeants’s Mess
Background
The Irish Guards is one of the Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. The regiment is based at Mons Barracks in Aldershot, England, UK about a 40 minute drive from Windsor.
The regiment was formed in 1900 by Queen Victoria and named to honor the Irishmen who had fought in the Second Boer War. The regiment primarily recruited in Ireland, there was no rule requiring a solider to be Irish. (In 1900, Ireland was still part of the UK.)
Having regiments with a distinct regional identity (e.g. the Irish Guards, Scotts Guards) helped to streamline recruitment, increased retention and fostered unit cohesion and a sense of “military family.” Regiments with a distinct regional identity maintained certain traditions, culture and symbols of that region.
In 1922, Ireland formally split into two: The Republic of Ireland, an independent country, and Northern Ireland, which remained in the United Kingdom. Recruitment for the regiment stopped in the Republic of Ireland, due to the Republic’s Defence Act 1954. Recruitment continued in Northern Ireland and other parts of the UK.
Today, the Irish Guards recruit widely across the UK, but maintain particularly strong recruiting links with Northern Ireland and Irish communities in Britain.
(Note: This regiment should not be confused with the Royal Irish Guards, who also have an annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The Royal Irish Guards’ parade is occasionally attended by a member of the royal family.)
King Charles III’s Reign (2022-Present)
Princess Kate*’s Tenure as Royal Colonel (2022-Present)
| Year | Prince William |
Princess Kate* |
Other | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | ||||
| 2029 | – | – | – | – |
| 2028 | – | – | – | – |
| 2027 | – | – | – | – |
| 2026 | x | – | – | |
| 2025 | 125th Anniv 10th time Kate* has presented. |
|||
| 2024 | Shamrocks presented by Lady Ghika, wife of Lieutenant Colonel |
Princess Kate* was on Sick Leave recovering from Abdominal Surgery |
||
| 2023 | x | x | Handoff of Royal Colonel Position between William & Kate* | |
Note:
- Princess Kate* became Royal Colonel in December 2022, a few months after King Charles ascended the throne.
Queen Elizabeth II’s Reign (1952-2022)
Prince William’s Tenure as Royal Colonel (2011-2022)
| Year | Prince William |
Princess Kate |
Other | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | ||||
| 2022 | X | X | ||
| 2020 | Shamrocks presented by wife of Chief of General Staff? |
The normal parade was canceled due to the pandemic. A smaller, private parade was held for new recruits. |
||
| 2020 | Shamrocks presented by Lady Carlton-Smith, wife of Lieutenant Colonel |
Smaller parade as much of the regiment was in South Sudan & Iraq. | ||
| 2010s | ||||
| 2019 | X | X | ||
| 2018 | ||||
| 2017 | ||||
| 2016 | ||||
| 2015 | X | |||
| 2014 | ||||
| 2013 | ||||
| 2012 | William was deployed to the Falkland Islands | |||
| 2011 | Shamrocks presented by Lord Eames, Former Archbishop of Armagh |
Parade at Forward Operating Base Shawqat, Afghanistan. Prince William was appointed in February, about a month before the parade. |
||
Note:
- Prince William’s tenure ended a months into King Charles reign, when the position was passed to William’s wife.
Non-Royals Tenure as Royal Colonel (2000-2011)
| Year | Princess Anne | Other | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | – | – | – |
| 2000s | |||
| 2009 | X | ||
| 2008 | |||
| 2007 | |||
| 2006 | Sir Tim | ||
| 2005 | |||
| 2004 | |||
| 2003 | Non-Royal | Parade in Kuwait | |
| 2002 | – | – | – |
| 2001 | – | – | – |
Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg’s Tenure as Royal Colonel (1984-2000)
**Not a complete list of Royal Attendance.**
Grand Duke Jean had previously served in the Irish Guards. He was the first Royal Colonel of the Regiment and held the post until his abdication.
| Year | Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg |
Queen Mum | Other | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | X | X | 100th Anniv of Irish Guards | |
| 1990s | ||||
| 1999 | Prince Edward | On behalf of the Queen Mum | ||
| 1998 | – | – | – | – |
| 1997 | X | X | ||
| 1996 | – | – | – | – |
| 1995 | X | X | Queen Elizabeth II | |
| 1994 | – | – | – | |
| 1993 | – | – | – | – |
| 1992 | X | In Berlin | ||
| 1991 | – | – | – | – |
| 1990 | – | – | – | – |
| 1980s | ||||
| 1989 | – | – | – | – |
| 1988 | – | – | – | – |
| 1987 | X | X | ||
| 1986 | – | – | – | – |
| 1985 | X | |||
Non-Royals Tenure as Colonel (1952-1984)
| Year | Queen Mum | Other | Other | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | ||||
| 1984 | – | – | – | |
| 1983 | – | – | – | |
| 1982 | – | – | – | |
| 1981 | X | |||
| 1980 | ||||
| 1970s | ||||
| 1979 | X | – | – | – |
| 1978 | – | – | – | – |
| 1977 | – | – | – | – |
| 1976 | X | |||
| 1975 | General Sir Basil Eugster (Colonel of the Irish Guards) |
75th Anniversary | ||
| 1974 | – | – | – | – |
| 1973 | X | |||
| 1972 | ||||
| 1971 | – | – | – | – |
| 1970 | – | – | – | – |
| Year | Queen Mum | Princess Mary (The Princess Royal) |
Other | Notes |
| 1960s | ||||
| 1969 | X | Dead | ||
| 1968 | – | – | – | |
| 1967 | Non-Royal | |||
| 1966 | Non-Royal | |||
| 1965 | – | – | – | – |
| 1964 | Princess Mary (The Princess Royal) |
In Germany | ||
| 1963 | – | – | – | – |
| 1962 | – | – | – | – |
| 1961 | – | – | – | – |
| 1960 | Non-Royal (Earl Alexander of Tunis) |
|||
| 1950s | ||||
| 1959 | – | – | – | – |
| 1958 | – | – | – | – |
| 1957 | – | – | – | – |
| 1956 | – | – | – | – |
| 1955 | Princess Mary (The Princess Royal) |
|||
| 1954 | – | – | – | – |
| 1953 | – | – | – | – |
| 1952 | – | – | – | – |
King George VI’s Reign (1936-1952)
Non-Royals Tenure as Royal Colonel
Not a complete list of Royal Attendance.
| Year | Princess Mary (The Princess Royal) |
King George VI | Other | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | – | – | – | – |
| 1950 | X | 50th Anniv | ||
| 1940s | ||||
| 1949 | – | – | – | – |
| 1948 | – | – | – | – |
| 1947 | – | – | – | – |
| 1946 | – | – | – | – |
| 1945 | – | – | – | – |
| 1944 | – | – | – | – |
| 1943 | – | – | – | – |
| 1942 | – | – | – | – |
| 1941 | – | – | – | – |
| 1940 | – | – | – | – |
| 1930s | ||||
| 1939 | – | – | – | – |
| 1938 | – | – | – | – |
| 1937 | – | – | – | – |
King Edward VIII’s Reign (1936)
Non-Royals Tenure as Royal Colonel
Not a complete list of Royal Attendance.
| Year | ? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1936 | – | – |
King George V’s Reign (1910-1936)
Non-Royals Tenure as Royal Colonel
Not a complete list of Royal Attendance.
| Year | Queen Alexandra | King George V | Other | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | ||||
| 1935 | – | – | – | – |
| 1934 | – | – | – | – |
| 1933 | – | – | – | – |
| 1932 | – | – | – | – |
| 1931 | – | – | – | – |
| 1930 | – | – | – | – |
| 1920s | ||||
| 1929 | – | – | – | – |
| 1928 |
Princess Elizabeth, The Duchess of York (Later Queen Mum) |
At Buckingham Palace | ||
| 1927 | – | – | – | – |
| 1926 | – | – | – | – |
| 1925 | – | – | – | 25th Anniversary |
| 1924 | – | – | – | – |
| 1923 | – | – | – | – |
| 1922 | – | – | – | – |
| 1921 | – | – | – | – |
| 1920 | Non-Royal | |||
| 1910s | ||||
| 1919 | – | – | – | – |
| 1918 | – | – | – | – |
| 1917 | – | – | – | – |
| 1916 | – | – | – | – |
| 1915 | – | – | – | – |
| 1914 | – | – | – | – |
| 1913 | – | – | – | – |
| 1912 | – | – | – | – |
| 1911 | – | – | – | – |
| 1910 | – | – | – | – |
| 1900s | ||||
| 1909 | – | – | – | – |
| 1908 | – | – | – | – |
| 1907 | – | – | – | – |
| 1906 | – | – | – | – |
| 1905 | – | – | – | – |
| 1904 | – | – | – | – |
| 1903 | – | – | – | – |
| 1902 | – | – | – | – |
| 1901 | X | First St. Patrick’s Day since regiment was founded. | ||
Annual Events By Country
Leave a Comment!