Queen Elizabeth Presents Leeks To Royal Welsh In Annual Tradition

During a ceremony at the Lucknow Barracks in Tidworth on Friday, Queen Elizabeth II presented traditional leeks to the Royal Welsh regiment as part of St David’s Day celebrations.

The Queen is the Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment, which was formed in 2006 after several other regiments were merged. She inspected the troops on review, before handing out the leeks – and met the regiment’s mascots, two goats named Shenkin and Llewelyn.

“In the hour of battle, it [The British Army] has repeatedly relied on these bonds, on the pride and comradeship of men who would sooner die than betray the traditions of their corps, or be unworthy of the men of old who fought before them under their colours…I see that same pride and comradeship in parade before us today, and I am certain that the regiment is in good hands,” she said in a speech to the troops, while wearing a purple Karl Ludwig coat and matching hat.

Afterwards, Queen Elizabeth spent time meeting the soldiers and their families in the officers’ mess.

St David’s Day is the feast day of the patron saint of Wales, St David, and is celebrated on March 1.

Filed under The United Kingdom
Tagged Colonelcy, Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Military.

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