Salisbury Cathedral hosts ceremony for late Queen

Lieutenant General Sir Edward Smyth-Osbourne and HRH The Princess Royal stood alongside each other during the service

The Princess Royal has attended a poignant ceremony which paid tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The two regiments which form the Household Cavalry - the most senior regiment in the British Army - came together to present their standards to The Dean of Salisbury Cathedral.

Regimental standards are richly-embroidered flags that represent the identity, history, and battle honours of the regiments and their links with the reigning monarch.

The Very Rev Nick Papadopulos, Dean of Salisbury Cathedral, said: "It is a privilege for us to receive these [the standards]. It means we're taking responsibility for them."

Princess Anne attended the event at Salisbury Cathedral

The Standards were placed on the altar at Salisbury Cathedral

The Princess Royal was involved in handing over the standard to the Dean of the Cathedral

The 'Laying Up of the Sovereign's Standard' service saw colonels of both the Life Guards and The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards & 1st Dragoons) present their standards to the cathedral for retirement.

Princess Anne was in attendance in her role as Colonel of the Blues and Royals.

Mr Papadopulos led the service alongside chaplains to the Household Cavalry Regiment, the Reverend Tiann Morgner and the Reverend Tom Sander.

The choice of Salisbury Cathedral as the final resting place of the late Queen's standards is related to the growing links between Wiltshire and the regiment, which moved its operational headquarters from Windsor to Bulford in 2019.

Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Ralf Griffin said it was an "honour" for members of the regiment who attended the event.

He said: "The Household Cavalry Regiment moved into the Diocese of Salisbury in 2019. Therefore, we've started a link with the county of Wiltshire which is really important to us.

During the service, the standards – or flags - were handed over to The Dean of Salisbury, The Very Revd Nicholas Papadopulos

The service was conducted by the Household Cavalry

HRH The Princess Royal signed the visitor's book on her visit

"What better symbol could we have of buying into Wiltshire than placing two of the most valuable artefacts we have in the cathedral for safe keeping?"

The service included The Household Cavalry Band and Salisbury Cathedral Choir, and was also attended by Wiltshire's Lord Lieutenant, Dame Sarah Troughton.

The standards - first presented to the Household Cavalry by Queen Elizabeth II in 2014 - will be hung from the cathedral's North Nave Aisle for people to view and will remain untouched until they have disintegrated completely.

Mr Papadopulos added: "These are the sacred symbols under which two illustrious British regiments have served, for which men and women have laid down their lives.

"We will keep them safely here as a visible reminder of the cost of duty and the sacrifices made for our security and for the world's peace."