Misplaced Pages

Waterloo ceremony

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (August 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources.
Find sources: "Waterloo ceremony" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2010)
(Learn how and when to remove this message)

The Waterloo ceremony is an annual event in which the Duke of Wellington pays a symbolic rent for his residence to the reigning monarch. The ceremony takes place at Windsor Castle each year on 18 June, which is the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo.

Background

Stratfield Saye House in Hampshire was bought by the people of the United Kingdom in 1817 for Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. It was a gift to him from the nation for winning the Battle of Waterloo and defeating Napoleon. Every year, the current Duke of Wellington pays the symbolic rent to the reigning monarch in the form of a flag.

In a similar manner, the current Duke of Marlborough presents the monarch with a copy of a French royal banner every year at Windsor Castle in lieu of rent for Blenheim Palace. This is done around the anniversary of the Battle of Blenheim on 13 August.

The ceremony

A silk French tricolour, with gold embroidery and imprinted with the year of presentation upon it, is handed to the monarch by the Duke of Wellington. A new flag is produced each year.

After the monarch is presented with the flag, it is taken by the Castle Superintendent to the Guard Chamber and is placed above a bust of the first Duke of Wellington.

See also

References

  1. The Waterloo Ceremony: Duke of Wellington pays his rent
  2. Blenheim Palace prepares to pay its Royal dues – historic standard of the 'Sun King' is presented annually to the Queen in lieu of rent

External links


Flag of United KingdomHourglass icon  

This article related to the history of the United Kingdom or its predecessor states is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it.

Categories: