Behind the Scenes: His Majesty's Forces

The British Monarch is Commander-in-Chief of all the military forces of the nation; soldiers, sailors, and airmen all swear allegiance to the Sovereign, his heirs and successors according to law.  As the following short videos show, they take their oath quite seriously and serve the Sovereign proudly, usually with a crown appearing on some part of the uniform.

My fellow Americans should understand - and I have it on good authority - that to the British, military and civilian alike, the King is a living symbol of their country, representing the dignity, unity, and authority of the state; their loyal feelings for the monarchy are akin to what we feel for the flag and the Constitution all wrapped up in one person.  (Britain has no written constitution.)  

But the monarchy was long ago tamed and stripped of any substantial powers (see English Bill of Rights).  Parliament is in fact the supreme power in the land, and since 1689 has asserted its right to make all the laws and even choose who will be king or queen.  So for quite a long time now, British monarchs have reigned, but not ruled.  The King as Head of State is expected to be the impartial representative of the whole nation, above all party politics.  The late Queen Elizabeth II was a shining example of that, as most British monarchs have been for the last two centuries.

His Majesty's Forces in particular are proud to be soldiers of the King, and thus servants of the nation whom he represents and reigns over.  Here are a few examples of how HM Forces are preparing to put on a typically British good show for the Coronation.

Royal Navy officers drill with swords in hand.

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Trooping the Colour, 2015

The Queen's Official Birthday was observed in London today with the splendid pageantry of Trooping the Colour, as has been the custom since 1748, when King George II was on the throne.

Her Majesty took the salute in person on Horse Guards Parade, then returned to Buckingham Palace for the traditional balcony appearance with the other members of the Royal Family, ending with a flypast by the Royal Air Force. Splendiferous!

First, a brief overview from the BBC via CNN:




And here is the tail end of the day's events, including the flypast and a lovely scene of four generations in the line of succession:




Finally, for those who are interested, a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery:





Update, 6/14: Here is the BBC coverage of the whole magnificent show: