Household Division in the context of "Public duties"

Trooping the Colour is a ceremonial event performed every year on Horse Guards Parade in London, United Kingdom, by regiments of Household Division, to celebrate the official birthday of the British sovereign, though the event is not necessarily held on that day. It is also known as the Sovereign's Birthday Parade. Similar events are held in other countries of the Commonwealth. In the UK, it is, with the State Opening of Parliament, the biggest event of the ceremonial calendar, and watched by millions on TV and on the streets of London.

Historically, colours were once used on the battlefield as a rallying point. They display the battle honours of a regiment and are a focal point of Trooping the Colour. The ceremony has marked the sovereign's official birthday since 1748. Each year, one of the five Foot Guards regiments of the Household Division is selected to slowly troop (carry) its colour through the ranks of guards, who stand with arms presented. During the slow march-past, the colours are lowered before the monarch and during the quick march-past the colours fly. The monarch will salute the colours in return.

The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the monarchy; due to this, it often participates in state ceremonial occasions. The Regiment has consistently provided formations on deployments around the world and has fought in the majority of the major conflicts in which the British Army has been engaged.

The Regiment has been in continuous service and has never been amalgamated. It was formed in 1650 as Monck's Regiment of Foot through the amalgamation of five companies each from Colonel George Fenwick's Regiment of Foot (raised in 1648 for Parliament during the Second English Civil War) and Sir Arthur Haselrig's Regiment of Foot (raised in 1643 for Parliament during the First English Civil War), 10 companies in total, and was then renamed the Lord General's Regiment of Foot Guards after the Restoration in 1660. With George Monck's death in 1670 it was again renamed the Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards after the location in Scotland from which it marched to help restore the monarchy in 1660. Its name was again changed to the Coldstream Guards in 1855 and this is still its present title.

The Household Cavalry (HCAV) is a corps of the Household Division that is made up of the two most senior regiments of the British Army – The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons). They have taken part in every major conflict since 1660. These regiments are divided between the Household Cavalry Regiment stationed at Wing Barracks in Wiltshire, with an armored reconnaissance role, and the ceremonial mounted unit, the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, garrisoned at Hyde Park Barracks in London. Both the HCMR and HCR are made up of elements of the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals. The Household Cavalry is part of the Household Division and is the King's official bodyguard. Although the Household Cavalry Regiment is armoured, it is not part of the Royal Armoured Corps, being assigned to the Household Division.