In the years since the dissolution of the Commonwealth of England, music had become very important to the ceremonial duties of the regiment, which each Troop of the Guards having a fanfare team consisting of one kettledrummer and four trumpeters. The trumpets and drums were silver, crimson, and gold, with the Royal Coat of Arms engraved on it. At that time, the horses they mounted were of a black Clydesdale horses.
It originates from the Band of the Royal Horse Guards which was founded in 1805. On St George's Day that year, King George III presented the band with a set of silver kettledrums, and appointed Herr Stowasser as the first bandmaster of the Regiment. In 1938, the band made an appeared in the movie The Drum where they performed in kilts for the first time in their history. The band went through an amalgamation in 1969 to form the Band of the Blues and Royals which was founded in the same year.
Merger
In September of 2014, the Bands of the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals were merged to form the combined Mounted Band of the Household Cavalry composed of 64 musicians from the two bands. but wear the uniform of both The Blues and Royals and The Life Guards on service events and the State Dress on major holidays and occasions.
The two 35 member mounted bands of the combined massed bands of the HCMR Band regularly perform at special occasions and events. Some of the main and most notable events they participate in are listed below, although this is not a comprehensive list:
Since 2014, the HCMR Band has performed in many other public events, such as the Sweden International Tattoo, as well as the Birmingham International Tattoo.
Uniform
The HCMR Band mostly wears 3 ceremonial dress uniforms:
The mounted band's main uniform is known as the state dress which consists of a gold state uniform and dark blue peaked equestrian caps. The state dress is only be worn if a member of the British royal family is present, as for example on the Monarch's Birthday Parade, but not on the two Trooping the Colour's rehearsals, the Major General's Review and the Colonel's Review.
The main uniform of the Life Guards consists of a scarlet coat with a silver lace. It originates from a similar uniform created in 1678.
On ceremonial occasions, the Blues and Royals wear a blue tunic, a metal cuirass, and a matching helmet with a red plume worn unbound
State Trumpeters and Drummers
The HCMR Band often provides State Trumpeters for ceremonial events of state. The HCMR Band, specifically when denoted as the "Massed Mounted Bands" on parade, is led by two musicians on Shire horses who are playing the timpani. They steer the reins of the drum horses with their feet, due to their hands being occupied with the drumsticks. A drum horse must have a minimum of 68 inches in order to be used in this regard. They also have to have the capability to carry two silver drums weighing combined.
Notable members
Major Jason Griffiths - Director of the Band of the Blues and Royals
Captain J. Cooper - Member of the Band of the Life Guards and founder of the Nigerian Army Band Corps
