PRIVILEGES OF THE FOOT GUARDS
The regiments of Foot Guards, known as the Brigade of Guards, have many privileges and duties reserved to them alone. They claim the privilege of guarding the Royal Palaces and form part of the Household Troops of the Sovereign. The First Company of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards is known as the King's Company and is comprised of picked men of particularly fine physique, none under 6 feet in height being admitted to it. This company has the right to carry on parade on state and ceremonial occasions a colour of crimson silk, the gift of the Sovereign, being the only company in the Army so privileged. The First Company of the Welsh Guards, formed in 1915, is known as The Prince of Wales's Company, and is also composed of picked men. The Scots Guards is the only regular Scottish regiment to have drum and fife bands. The Quartermasters of the Brigade of Guards wear cocked hats with plumes, the Grenadier and Scots Guards, white; the Coldstream Guards, red; and the Irish Guards, blue. The sergeant-majors of the Foot Guards wear an elaborate Royal Coat of Arms on their right sleeves above the elbow.
No chevrons or badges are worn by staff-sergeants of the Foot Guards in undress uniform.
The Royal or King's Colour in regiments of Foot Guards is of crimson silk, and bears the distinctions conferred by Royal authority. The regimental colour of Foot Guards is the Union Jack, and battle honours are borne on both colours. The King's Colour of the Infantry of the Line is the Union Jack, with the regimental badge superimposed, but the regimental colour is distinctive in each regiment and the battle honours are borne on these alone.