[2] 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.

[4] 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.

[6] The origin of the Coldstream Guards lies in the English Civil War when Oliver Cromwell gave Colonel George Monck permission to form his own regiment as part of the New Model Army.

[7] After Richard Cromwell's abdication, Monck gave his support to the Stuarts, and on 1 January 1660 he crossed the River Tweed into England at the village of Coldstream, from where he made a five-week march to London.

[7] Before that could happen, Parliament was forced to rely on the help of the regiment against the rebellion by the Fifth Monarchists led by Thomas Venner on 6 January 1661.

[7] In 1760, the 2nd Battalion was sent to Germany to campaign under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick and fought in the Battle of Wilhelmstal and at the Castle of Amöneburg.

Three Guards companies of 307 men under Coldstream commander Colonel Edward Mathew fought in the American Revolutionary War.

Later, it served as part of the 2nd Guards Brigade in the Chateau Hougoumont where they resisted French assaults all day during the Battle of Waterloo.

This defence is considered one of the greatest achievements of the regiment, and an annual ceremony of "Hanging the Brick" is performed each year in the Sergeants' Mess to commemorate the efforts of Cpl James Graham and Lt-Col James Macdonnell, who shut the North Gate after a French attack.

[7] During the conflict, they would prove instrumental at the Battle of Belmont, and were also present at Graspan, Modder River, Magersfontein, Driefontein, Diamond Hill, Belfast, and were also involved in hunting Christiaan de Wet.

They fought extensively, as part of the Guards Armoured Division, in North Africa and Europe as dismounted infantry.

[7] The Regimental Band of the Coldstream Guards was the first act on stage at the Wembley leg of the 1985 Live Aid charity concert.

It then deployed to Iraq in April 2005 for a six-month tour with the rest of 12th Mechanised Brigade, based in the south of the country.

[14] Des Browne, Secretary of State for Defence, announced on 19 July 2007 that in October 2007 the battalion was to be sent to Afghanistan as part of 52 Infantry Brigade.

[16] Before the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010 the battalion was part of the 12th Mechanised Brigade in a light infantry role.

Under Army 2020 it transferred to London District as a public duties battalion, then in 2019 it joined the 11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East.

7 Coy is one of the incremental companies formed to undertake public duties in London and Windsor, and maintains the Colours and traditions of the former 2nd Battalion.

All Guardsmen for public duties wear the 'Home Service' Dress tunic in summer or greatcoat in winter and bearskin with a red plume.

Guardsmen who have completed P Company have the option of being posted to the Guards Parachute Platoon, 3 PARA, still keeping the tradition of the No.

An ordinary soldier of the regiment is called a Guardsman, a designation granted by King George V after the First World War.