Incredible Cap Badges herald new era for British Army
Cap Badges of Forty-six of the British Army’s Corps and Regimental showing His Majesty The King's cypher have been unveiled.
Worn for the first time by military personnel taking part in the Coronation, they will become the official new symbol for the Regiments and Corps. The design of the badges reflect the cypher and the Tudor Crown, which appears in The King's cypher.
Cap Badges
They include such famous names as The Queen’s Royal Hussars, The Parachute Regiment, the Gurkhas and the Grenadier Guards.
The British Army’s Tri-Service Ceremonial policy and plans lead, Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Kestrel Simson said: “The cap badge goes to the very heart of what the Army is about. The last thing a soldier or officer does when they leave their accommodation or quarter is put on their beret and on that beret is the cap badge. It identifies the soldier as belonging to one of the Army’s 74 Regiments or Corps.
“A bit like a football fan’s scarf, it identifies who you are and what you are. When you have lots of different corps and regiments together you will see people gravitate towards their own cap badge.”
The cap badges currently carry the cypher of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The King's cypher features the letter C intertwined with the letter R or Rex – Latin for King – with III within the R, denoting Charles III, and the Tudor Crown sitting above the letters.
British Army Brand Manager, Ross Addison said: “It has been a tremendous honour and privilege to play a part in this historical occasion.
“As we prepare to celebrate the Coronation, we will not forget the steadfast support shown by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to her Armed Forces.”
Commodity Assurance Manager for Defence Clothing at Defence Equipment and Support, Laurence Harvey said: “We are proud to be playing a key role in the Coronation and have worked rapidly to ensure that the new cap badges and other ceremonial dress items are ready for the event.
We know that serving members and veterans of the Armed Forces wear their cap badges with great pride and to see the new ones on display on the international stage will be a special moment.”
After the Coronation the new design of unit cap badges, including those not on parade, will be seen on social media and websites. The physical transition will be gradual following the production of the new designs, as they will be rolled out across all respective British Army units.
The cap badge, also known by some regiments as a ‘cypher’ or ‘the motto’, is worn on Army berets and headdress and is a great source of pride to soldiers. It is an easy way of identifying the wearer’s regiment and embodies the spirit of that unit and its historical lineage.
Many veterans continue to proudly wear their cap badges long after they have left service because it provides a visible connection and sense of belonging to their regiment.
The last cap badge to be unveiled was for the newly formed Ranger Regiment badge in 2021 under the Future Soldier restructure of the Army.
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