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GR019 - Edition 1,500

  Green Howards

The regiment was first raised in November 1688 by Colonel Francis Luttrell at Dunster Castle in Somerset, for service under William, Prince of Orange, following his landing at Torbay on 5 November 1688.In 1744, during the Wars of the Austrian Succession, the Regiment first became known as 'The Green Howards'.
At that time, the Regimental Colonel was the Honourable Charles Howard, the second son of the 3rd Earl of Carlisle. Following the convention of the time, the Regiment was known as "Howard's Regiment", - after the name of the regiment's Colonel. However, in the campaign the regiment was brigaded with another regiment whose Colonel was also called Howard. Thus, some distinction between the two regiments had to be made. As the regiment wore green facings to its uniform, it was natural to be known as "The Green Howards". The other regiment wore buff facings, and became known as the "The Buff Howards"
The nickname "The Green Howards" stuck, and survived until 1920 when it became the official title of the regiment. The regiment's cap badge was personally designed by Queen Alexandra, when she was Princess of Wales,to incorporate the Dannebrog (the Cross of Denmark) and her personal cypher (the A with a Princess's coronet above it). The date 1875 commemorates the regiment becoming the Princess of Wales's Own and the roman numerals "XIX" denote the 19th Regiment of Foot.