Major Davis arranged Welsh Airs and Graces to be played at the Queen’s Birthday Parade in 1998 for the Slow Inspection. Sadly, he died a few weeks before the parade after a short illness at the age of just 47. The melodies include Jenny Jones, Megan’s Fair Daughter, The Dove and The Ash Grove. 

 The Troop

The Guard Repositions

The Rising of the Lark - arr. J Kappey         

'Codiad yr Ehedydd’ or ‘Rising of the Lark’ was established as the Regimental Quick March of the Welsh Guards upon the Regiment’s formation in 1915. It was arranged by Jacob Kappey who also published the book ‘Short History of Military Music’ in 1894.  

Slow Troop

Les Huguenots - G Meyerbeer, arr. D Godfrey     

The Slow Troop ‘Les Huguenots’ is the traditional musical starting point for the Trooping of Colour. It has been played every year on the parade since 1936 and on numerous occasions before this dating back as far as 1869. 

Quick Troop 

Triple Crown - T Brien

In Rugby Union, the Triple Crown is an honour contested annually by the “Home Nations” of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. This march has been used as the Quick Inspection on two previous occasions when the Welsh Guards have Trooped their Colour (1973 and 1998). 

The Guard positions to receive the Colour  

The British Grenadier - arr. J Kappey 

The exact origins of the tune are disputed but generally date to the early 17th century. The debate is best summarised by the composer Ernest Walker in 1907 who described the melody as “three centuries evolution of an Elizabethan tune”. The melody was introduced into Britain as a military march during the 1689–1702 reign of William III.

 Trooping the Colour

Escort to the Colour  - E Waldteufel, arr. Lieutenant Colonel R Ridings OBE         

To reduce the repetition of the ‘Grenadiers’ Slow March’, a new arrangement made by Major Richard Ridings, the then Senior Director of Music was introduced in 1978 to be played from the point when the Escort to the Colour step off in slow time to the point when the remaining Guards ‘Present Arms’ as the Colour is trooped along the ranks. The march is based on themes from Waldteufel’s waltz ‘The Grenadiers’, thus maintaining the Grenadier connection with this part of the ceremony.    

Grenadiers' Slow March - arr. Lieutenant Colonel F Harris OBE   

This march was adopted by the Regiment in 1815, having repulsed the French Imperial Guard at Waterloo, the First Guards became a The Regiment of Grenadiers. 

Royal Salute

The National Anthem - arr. Lieutenant Colonel B.H. Brown OBE     

Like many aspects of British constitutional life, even ‘God Save the Queen’ derives its official status from custom and use, not from Royal Proclamation or Act of Parliament. The variation in the UK of the lyrics to ‘God Save the Queen’ is the oldest amongst those currently used and forms the basis on which all other versions used throughout the Commonwealth are formed.   

 The March Off

The Rising of the Lark - arr. J Kappey         

'Codiad yr Ehedydd’ or ‘Rising of the Lark’ was established as the Regimental Quick March of the Welsh Guards upon the Regiment’s formation in 1915. It was arranged by Jacob Kappey who also published the book ‘Short History of Military Music’ in 1894.

The Welshman  - arr. Lieutenant Colonel P Hannam MBE BEM  

‘The Welshman’ was written for the Welsh Guards’ 75th Anniversary in 1990 and is based on several well-loved Welsh melodies. Lt Col Peter Hannam was awarded the British Empire Medal while on active service in Cyprus as a Corporal with the Band of the 1st Battalion The Gloucestershire Regiment. He subsequently became the Bandmaster of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and the Prince of Wales’s Division before becoming Director of Music of the Queen’s Division, followed by the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and subsequently the Welsh Guards. He became the Senior Director of Music, Household Division in 1989. 

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