Whatever happened to short back and sides? Queen looks rather perplexed as she meets sniper in full camouflage

  • Queen met soldiers and horses from the Household Cavalry Regiment
  • Sniper wears unusual work outfit and carries rifle to meet the Queen

By Ian Drury

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It is a dilemma faced by anyone invited to meet the Queen: what exactly does one wear?

This sniper serving with the Household Cavalry Regiment opted for his work outfit... leaving the Queen looking more than a little perplexed.

Looking like Chewbacca from the movie blockbuster Star Wars, the crack marksman wore a 'ghillie suit', a type of camouflage clothing designed to resemble heavy foliage, leaves and twigs to remain concealed from the enemy. The suit even moves in gusts of wind.

Perplexed: Queen Elizabeth as she meets a sniper from the Household Cavalry at Combermere Barracks in Windsor today

Perplexed: Queen Elizabeth as she meets a sniper from the Household Cavalry at Combermere Barracks in Windsor today

The Queen as she meets a veteran Drum Horse called 'Mercury' in her visit today

The Queen as she meets a veteran Drum Horse called 'Mercury' in her visit today

He also wore Army-issue brown boots and carried a powerful sniper rifle while chatting to Her Majesty.

The Queen, dressed in a long violet coat with a matching hat, met soldiers and horses from the Household Cavalry Regiment when she visited Combermere Barracks in Windsor today.

 

She also took a tour of the training school where she saw a riding lesson being undertaken by Trooper Thomas Ephgrave, 19, from Leatherhead, Surrey.

Trooper Ephgrave has been learning to ride for four weeks, after joining the Army in March.

The Queen asked him about his horse, which is named Elizabeth after her and is often ridden by the Princess Royal at the Queen’s Birthday Parade in June each year.

Members of the Household Cavalry dressed in camouflage meet the Queen on her visit to the barracks

Members of the Household Cavalry dressed in camouflage meet the Queen on her visit to the barracks

The Queen laughs with a soldier as she eyes up machinery during her tour of the barracks

The Queen laughs with a soldier as she eyes up machinery during her tour of the barracks

She was also impressed to know that joining the Army was what Trooper Ephgrave had always wanted to do.

And the Queen, who famously loves horses, petted a drum steed called Adamas - 'Diamond' in Greek - who will be on official duty for the first time when the Emir of Kuwait visits Windsor tomorrow.

The drum horse was renamed Adamas today in commemoration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Smiling away: The Queen speaks with trooper Thomas Ephgrave who joined the Army in march

Smiling away: The Queen speaks with trooper Thomas Ephgrave who joined the Army in march

Dressed in purple, the Queen is shown around the barracks which dates back to 1804

Dressed in purple, the Queen is shown around the barracks which dates back to 1804

A soldier chats to the Queen as she takes a walk around the Combermere Barracks situated less than a mile away from Windsor Castle

A soldier chats to the Queen as she takes a walk around the Combermere Barracks situated less than a mile away from Windsor Castle

The Queen also seemed intrigued when shown armoured fighting vehicles which were at the forefront of Britain’s military operations in the Falklands, Bosnia and more recently in Iraq and Afghanistan.

She asked soldiers about their families and their time in Afghanistan. She then took part in a photograph with 875 members of both regiments.

Combermere Barracks is less than a mile from Windsor Castle and dates back to 1804. The riding school was built in 1881.

 

The comments below have not been moderated.

Oh she looks lovely!

Click to rate     Rating   3

Go on Liz!!! You are the best queen in the world! So involved with everything & everyone. She just doesn't stop!! There's no retirement age for being a monarch you know!! As for supporting trained killers, thats an un-called for message. She is, and always will support British Troops. Idiots!!!

Click to rate     Rating   3

@- Scarlet, Castle in the Air, United States, 27/11/2012 4:20~~~ In answer your serious question, in the UK, apart from those on protection/guard duties, all ammunition is normally safely locked up in an armoury in another locked separate room that has to pass strict explosive storage regulations well away from small arms as they don't combine until there's a very good reason to issue them for live firing range training or when deploying to a conflict or war zone. Of course there could be a rogue on guard duty as happened in the case of the sailor who went ballistic on the nuclear submarine, shooting at four crew members, killing one officer and injuring another last year, but these kind of incidents are fortunately extremely rare, and the only attacks on members of the Royal Family I can remember were the starting pistol incident on the Queen's birthday that succeeded in startling her horse but didn't phase her, and the IRA's assassination of Lord Mountbatten during the Troubles.

Click to rate     Rating   2

ghille suits got back to WW1 and were based on the outfits worn by scottish game wardens to hunt down poachers. HM doesn't look perplexed, she's obviously leaning forward to listen to what he is saying and being attentive. HM is known for taking a personal interest in the lives and duties of the soldiers.

Click to rate     Rating   10

Sorry, but Multicam really doesn't work in a temperate climate........ Should have stayed with DPM as it was originally designed in the early-1970s, but it was "rationalised" because "costs had to be cut", didn't they........... - Old Robert, Worcester UK, 27/11/2012 13:10##################### DPM was replaced as MTP (not Multicam) works in a better range of environments. For most temperate situations it functions better than DPM. The replacement was not about costs, it was about capability and the right decision was made to move away from DPM.

Click to rate     Rating   1

Sorry, but Multicam really doesn't work in a temperate climate........ Should have stayed with DPM as it was originally designed in the early-1970s, but it was "rationalised" because "costs had to be cut", didn't they...........

Click to rate     Rating   1

Phillip One has told one that its not ones birthday so one will not be getting a special you know what tonight

Click to rate     Rating   5

The sniper looks just like Roy Wood from the seventies pop group Wizard!

Click to rate     Rating   3

I hope that rifle is legal, 'cos you know what this Country does to Snipers that have a dodgy gun.

Click to rate     Rating   5

"Supporting trained killers is not something to respect - John_Spacey, Birmingham" - I hope you enjoy your freedom, countless "trained killers" have given their lives protecting it for you.

Click to rate     Rating   38

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