On 15th July 1898, Queen Victoria presented the State Colour to the Scots Guards in Windsor Great Park.
Like most mornings spent at Windsor, Victoria began that “very fine hot day” by having breakfast at Frogmore before visiting the mausoleum, and later attending a family luncheon. In the early afternoon, the elderly monarch went to inspect the Standard, which she would be presenting later that day. In her journal, she notes how it was “beautifully embroidered, but very big & frightfully heavy.”
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Soon before 5pm, Victoria embarked in her carriage to the lawn, with her daughter, Princess Helena, and daughter-in-law, Princess Margaret Louise, Duchess of Connaught. It was here that they found the two Battalions of the Scots Guards who were stood “forming 3 sides of a square”. Accompanied by an escort, the Sergeant Major took the Standard and placed it on “a pile of drums” in front of the Queen’s carriage, which sat along the square’s fourth edge.
The consecration was then performed by the “Presbyterian Champlain of the Regiment”. In his capacity as Colonel in Chief, the Queen’s seventh child, Prince Arthur passed the Standard to his mother; who then presented it to Lieutenant Willoughby. As she did this, the Queen stated:
“It is with great pleasure that I present this State Colour to you, as a mark of the close & long connection between the Sovereign & the Brigade of Guards. I am sure that Guards who have so nobly fought for their Sovereign & Country, will ever value this personal gift of mine.”
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In response, Arthur made a speech recognising the importance of the event:
“In the name of all ranks of the Scots Guards, I thank Yr Majesty for the great honour you have done the Regiment this day, by presenting us with the State Colour. Yr Majesty’s ancestors King George IV & King William IV honoured the Grenadier & Coldstream Guards with a similar mark of favour during their reigns & we specially rejoice to receive this Colour from the hands of a Sovereign, who had so endeared herself to the Army. During Yr Majesty’s reign the Scots Guards have seen service in the Crimea, in Egypt in 1882 & in the Soudan in 1885, detachments of the Regiment have also taken part in the Nile Expedition of 1886 & in the Ashanti expedition of 1896. In thanking Yr Majesty again for your gracious gift, which will ever be most highly treasured by the Scot’s Guards, Yr Majesty long life & happiness”.
Next, the standard was unfolded and saluted by the Regiment. This was followed by “the march past, & the Regiment advanced in Review Order by giving a Royal Salute”. To conclude the ceremony, Arthur called for three loud cheers, which Victoria said to be a “very pretty sight”. Before she left, the Queen “drove down the line of Guard of Honour of Grenadiers,” before returning to Frogmore for tea.
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