Artist: Antonio Verrio (Italian, c. 1639-1707) baroque
Date: c. 1674
Medium: Oil on canvas
Collection: Royal Collection Trust, London, United Kingdom
Description
The subject of this painting was perhaps inspired by the signing of the Treaty of Westminster on 9 February 1674, ending the Third Anglo-Dutch War. This was considered a victory for Britain, the Dutch having conceded the supremacy of the seas.The portrait of the King does not seem to be taken from life and was probably worked up by Verrio from a miniature by Samuel Cooper.
No man is a leader until he is ratified in the minds and hearts of his men.
- Field Marshal Sir Bill Slim, 1st Viscount Slim (1891-1970)
I’m not the only one, as an army veteran, to have gotten goosebumps when the assembled soldiers of all the regiments of the British armed forces cheered their new king and commander-in-chief. I never felt more proud to have had the privilege to serve in the best army in the world.
The newly crowned King Charles III inspected thousands of military personnel who lined up in the lush gardens of Buckingham Palace as he returned from Westminster Abbey. King Charles and Queen Camilla stepped out onto the West Terrace steps to look upon the assembled four thousand men and women who hadn’t faced him throughout the coronation procession but had led the way. This was their opportunity to see their sovereign face to face. And it was glorious. The gusto of the ‘hip hip hurrays’ was incredible, more so because it was sincere.
Those who have served in the British armed services - and those relatives and friends who have someone they know who serves or has served - know how deep the bond is between the royal family and the regiments that make up the British army as well as of course the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. The royals have faithfully served as colonel-in-chiefs of many regiments and corps, and they have taken the responsibility seriously.
When he was the Prince of Wales, Charles was the colonel-in-chief of the Army Air Corps and he took particular interest in the welfare of the men and women of the regiments. He was very personable and appreciative of the service of every soldier and officer did, and in return he earned the loyalty and respect of every serving soldier I knew.
While King Charles III may be the head of the whole of the UK's Armed Forces, there is one company with which the sovereign has a special connection. The King's Company Grenadier Guards have a role at the centre of every coronation, but their relationship with His Majesty is far more personal than that - he is also their Company Commander.
One of the oldest bodies of troops in the Army, the King's Company was founded in 1656, even pre-dating the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660. Following King Charles II's defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651, he escaped to Holland with the help of loyalists, who hid him and helped him throughout his exile and with his plan to return to the throne. From these loyalists, the King created his most trusted personal troops, that would go on to become the Life Guards and the Grenadier Guards.
King Charles II ordered that the command of the first company of the first regiment of Foot Guards would be reserved for him, and they would be known as The King's Own Company.
In 1656, the exiled King Charles II issued the first Colour bearing his cypher to The King's Own Company. Every monarch since has presented their company with their own Royal Standard. King Charles III presented a new Colour bearing his cypher interlaced and reversed with his crown to The King's Company.
In keeping with tradition, this new Royal Standard is of heavily gold embroidered and tasselled silk and it is much larger than the standard regimental Colours seen elsewhere on parade in the modern Army - the fabric alone is more than 6ft square.
The King's Company Colour, Royal Standard of the Regiment, has personal significance to both King Charles and Queen Camilla, as Her Majesty is the new Royal Colonel Grenadier Guards. A smaller version of the Royal Standard of the regiment is also commissioned and is proudly flown above the Captain's office desk in barracks or on the wall of the operations room if deployed abroad. The smaller version is simply known as the Company Camp Colour and will be laid upon the coffin after the monarch's death and buried, as happened with the late Queen Elizabeth.
A lesser-known fact is that The King's Company does not have a sitting company commander, because the reigning monarch vested the executive authority for the daily administration of the company to a trusted and favoured subject, the appointment being designated the Captain Lieutenant – the title means quite literally to hold or 'tenant' the Captaincy, in lieu of the King. Shortened nowadays to simply 'The Captain' (who holds the rank of Major), this appointment has persisted for 367 years with 136 Captains over time leading the company on a Sovereign's behalf.
Due to this arrangement and to prevent any confusion, The King's Company second in command (who holds the rank of captain) is referred to as 'The Second Captain.' Within the wider regiment, all members of the company are collectively known as and nicknamed The Monarch's Mob.
The new sovereign assumed command of The Sovereign's Company on accession, meaning that on the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, the company's name changed from The Queen's Company back to The King's Company. The connection of the sovereign to the company is a close one beyond the public ceremonial, as the Captain will update the sovereign regularly on the company’s activities and operational commitments. Every Christmas, the King will receive The Captain's Statement, a brief annual report, along with a leather-bound photo album containing photographs of The Company's year. The soldiers who serve under the Captain are among the fittest and most able Guardsmen in the regiment and must demonstrate the highest values and standards and aspire to excellence.
It was fitting that it was the King’s Company that led the three cheers to the newly coronated King.
Vivat Regina Camilla! Vivat Rex Carolus! Vivat! Vivat! Vivat!
This is the Royal Banner of the House of Washington. It comes from a world where the early days of the United States were a lot more unstable than in our world. The future of the young nation was in jeopardy, and a strong leader was needed. To this end, congress asked George Washington to be crowned king, at least temporarily. Although reluctant at first, Washington agreed and was crowned King George I of House Washington. The American government continued to function as it always did; three branches with check and balances. The main difference was that the king now functioned as the executive branch, and had a bit more power than the position of president.
Washington was able to quell the unrest and brought an era of relative peace and prosperity to the United Kingdom of America. Though their troubles were behind them, it was a bittersweet time for the American people. Their fight to throw off an oppressive king 3000 miles away had ended with a new king being crowned in America. Throughout the streets, there were whispers of a desire to return America to a republic. For his part, Washington was a fairly humble king, and was supportive of these sentiments.
Washington died without leaving any heirs. During his last days, Washington expressed hope that this would lead to a return to republicanism. Unfortunately, congress did not share this sentiment. It was feared that, without a strong authority figure like a king, America would descend into chaos once again. Thus, congress sought out Washington's closest surviving male relative: George Washington Parke Custis. At the tender age of eighteen he was crowned King George II of House Washington.
George II lacked the charisma and experience of his more famous step-grandfather. Things were not looking good on the international front. Britain viewed the American monarchy as illegitimate and a slap in the face. This meant that Anglo-American relations never really healed like they did in our world. Relations with France were lukewarm at best. The leaders of the French Revolution wanted nothing to do with the monarchist America, but Napoleon was willing to compromise on a few occasions. Most notably, when he sold the Louisiana Territory to America.
Things really came to a head during the War of 1812. The British were much more focused on fighting America than they were in our world. New England, along with New York and New Jersey, used the war as an opportunity to declare independence. The British provided support to New England as a means of getting back at America. Republican sentiment has always been strongest in New England, and they weren't too pleased with how George II had handled the Embargo Act. By the time the war was over, the Republic of New England had gained international recognition.
The War of 1812 ended in a decisive British victory. America was forced to cede the Louisiana Territory, as well as large chunks of Georgia and South Carolina, back to the British. Thomas Jefferson, along with several supporters of republicanism, had formed their own nation in the Appalachian Mountains to protest the monarchy. Though a rump United Kingdom of America still exists, it is a shadow of its former glory. America never got the chance to become a great power.
The American Revolution is not viewed as a symbol liberty and freedom by this world. Rather, it is seen as a cautionary tale about the fragility of revolution and the dangers of corruption.
The Royal Banner of the House of Washington depicts George Washington as a new Hercules. Initially, the banner was considered incredibly scandalous for depicting Washington in such little clothes. For his part, Washington didn't actually want a royal banner, but nevertheless he appreciated the design
Link to the original flag on my blog: https://drakoniandgriffalco.blogspot.com/2017/07/the-royal-banner-of-house-washington.html?m=0
Royal Stamdard flying next to Anchorsholme Park in Blackpool. This flag is flown when the monarch is in residence, but I strongly suspect she was not in this particular house at the time.
