Salisbury Cathedral Welcomes Household Cavalry Standards in Ceremony Honouring the Late Queen

Salisbury Cathedral became the setting for a moving tribute to Queen Elizabeth II as the Household Cavalry formally laid up their Sovereign’s Standards in a special service attended by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal.

The event, known as the Laying Up of the Sovereign’s Standard, marked the ceremonial retirement of the richly embroidered regimental flags belonging to the Life Guards and The Blues and Royals—the two regiments that together form the Household Cavalry, the most senior unit in the British Army.

Princess Anne, dressed in full military attire and attending in her capacity as Colonel of the Blues and Royals, played an active role in the handover of the standards to the Dean of Salisbury, the Very Reverend Nicholas Papadopulos. The standards were solemnly placed on the cathedral’s altar before being accepted into their new permanent home.

“These are sacred symbols,” Dean Papadopulos remarked during the service. “They represent the service, sacrifice, and loyalty of generations of soldiers who have served under them. It is a privilege for us to safeguard them here, where they will stand as a visible reminder of duty and the cost of peace.”

The decision to entrust Salisbury Cathedral with the retired standards reflects the Household Cavalry’s growing ties to Wiltshire. Since relocating its operational headquarters from Windsor to Bulford in 2019, the regiment has deepened its connection to the county and the Diocese of Salisbury.

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Ralf Griffin, who attended the service, spoke of the symbolic importance of the occasion: “What better way to show our commitment to Wiltshire than by placing these treasured emblems of our history in its cathedral? It is both an honour and a homecoming.”

The ceremony was accompanied by the majestic sounds of the Household Cavalry Band and the Salisbury Cathedral Choir. Dignitaries in attendance included Dame Sarah Troughton, the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, alongside senior officers and members of the regiment.

The standards themselves hold special significance: they were presented to the Household Cavalry by Queen Elizabeth II in 2014, underscoring her lifelong bond with the regiment. Now, they will hang in the cathedral’s North Nave Aisle, where visitors can see them until the passage of time eventually causes them to fade away naturally—a tradition that symbolises their eternal service.

After the service, Princess Anne signed the cathedral’s visitor book, commemorating the occasion in her own hand.

For the people of Salisbury and Wiltshire, the presence of the Household Cavalry’s standards in the cathedral is more than just a military formality—it is a lasting reminder of loyalty to crown and country, of the late Queen’s enduring legacy, and of the sacrifices of the men and women who served beneath those colours.