Shamrocks, Seamus and 125 years of service: Princess of Wales joins Irish Guards in Aldershot
The Princess of Wales joined the Irish Guards at Mons Barracks in Aldershot on St Patrick's Day, taking part in one of the regiment's best-known traditions as she presented shamrock to officers and warrant officers before it was passed along the ranks.
She also presented shamrocks to veterans, cadets and the regiment's Irish wolfhound mascot, Turlough Mór – better known as Seamus.
As colonel of the regiment, Kate took the royal salute, oversaw the march-past, awarded long service and good conduct medals, met regimental association members and the Mini Micks – junior cadets from Northern Ireland – and later spent time with soldiers' families in the Sergeants' Mess.
On the surface, it was the familiar image long associated with the Irish Guards every 17 March: green sprigs, scarlet tunics, bearskins on parade, followed by a half-pint of Guinness.
But this year's event carried extra resonance: the regiment is marking its 125th anniversary.
Formed by Queen Victoria during the Boer War, the Irish Guards have held several events throughout their year of celebration, which ends in April.
Colonel of the Irish Guards
The Princess has been Colonel of the Irish Guards since 2022, a role she took over from the Prince of Wales.
She has become the royal figure most closely associated with the Irish Guards' St Patrick's Day parade, having attended regularly since 2012, usually dressed in green.
The role sits within a wider set of her military appointments. In 2023, the King appointed her Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm, Colonel-in-Chief of 1st Queen's Dragoon Guards and Royal Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Coningsby.
She already held the role of Royal Honorary Air Commodore of the Air Cadets, and she is also the sponsor of HMS Glasgow, the first of the Royal Navy's Type 26 frigates.
The Prince of Wales is now Colonel of the Welsh Guards, the King is Colonel of the Coldstream Guards, the Queen is Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, and the Duke of Edinburgh is Colonel of the Scots Guards.
The Irish Guards
The Irish Guards, known affectionately as the Micks, are one of the five Foot Guards regiments of the British Army.
Raised in 1900, they have served in every major conflict of the past century and still carry the double life that comes with the Guards: infantry soldiering and ceremonial duty.
The regiment has recently completed 11 months on Operation Interflex, the UK-led training mission for Ukrainian troops, while 1st Battalion has focused on robotic autonomous systems and now has 80 drone operators and 18 instructors.
The 1st Battalion is based at Mons Barracks in Aldershot.
The shamrock tradition dates back to the regiment's earliest years. Queen Alexandra first carried out the presentation in 1901, and it has remained at the heart of the Irish Guards' St Patrick's Day parade ever since.
Seamus and the mascot tradition
No Irish Guards St Patrick's Day parade is complete without Seamus, the regiment's 17th mascot.
He was acquired from a breeder in North Yorkshire in October 2020 and underwent ceremonial training at the Defence Animal Training Centre before formally joining the regiment.
Seamus's handler, Drummer Joseph GS Aldridge, said Kate "always loves" greeting the mascot.
Seamus received a sprig of shamrock from the regiment's Colonel during the parade, which she pinned to his red coat.
"It’s nice because she remembered me from last year. She asked how he's doing, [said] it's lovely to see him, as always. He's fit, he's healthy, that's what she wanted to know – how healthy he is. She always loves saying hello to Seamus," Drummer Aldridge said.
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