The Royal Gibraltar Regiment will be conducting Public Duties in London between 21st March and 15th April 2022.

A statement from the MoD continued: “The Regiment last conducted London Public Duties in 2012, and to do so again in Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Year is a great honour for the Regiment.

“To conduct Public Duties and guard the Sovereign in London is a great honour for any Regiment. The changing of the guard has been conducted in the same manner and location since Queen Victoria moved to Buckingham Palace in 1837. The Queen’s Guard has had a detachment at St James Palace and one at Buckingham Palace ever since. However, the changing of the guard can be seen to originate at the Palace of Whitehall, which was the Sovereign’s official residence in London until 1689.

“During the tour of duty in the United Kingdom, The Queen has graciously approved that the Regiment shall receive new Colours. His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex will present the new Colours to the Regiment at Windsor Castle on 31st March. This will be the third time the Regiment has been presented new Colours, and it is an honour to receive them at Windsor Castle. The new Colours will be paraded for the first time in Gibraltar during The Queen’s Birthday Parade in June.

“Originally a Regiment’s Colours served as a rallying point for troops, to mark the location of commanders, and to organise Regiments and large bodies of soldiers with ease. Colours were first presented to the Regiment in 1971 by the then Governor of Gibraltar, Admiral Sir Varyl Cargill Begg. Before this, the Royal Gibraltar Regiment would treat their guns with the same symbolic status, as is the Royal Artillery’s tradition. The Colours symbolise the spirit of a Regiment and a Regiment’s loyalty to the Sovereign. They are treated with reverence by those serving and are always guarded when paraded, as well as paid compliments.

“The Royal Gibraltar Regiment will deliver Public Duties at Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace, The Tower of London, and Windsor Castle in March and April.

“When not on duty, the Regiment will be based in Woolwich Garrison where they will keep their military skills up to standard and prepare for a live firing package in Lydd and Hythe at the end of their deployment.”