Crowns - QC or KC?

[slick_mick]

Hi everyone,

I guess this could go in either the British, Australian or Canadian areas as it is applicable to all three sub groups.

As you all know, the Queen of England, Elizabeth II is in her 80s and may not be upon on the throne for too much longer (well she may rule to age 100 - who knows) but it got me thinking about what would happen to British, Australian, New Zealand and Canadian badges in terms of the design in the event of her successor adopting a different crown?

In years gone by, badges have changed and adopted the crown design of the new monarch. Is this a trend that is likely to continue? Say for example, a new monarch adopted the old King's Crown (forget its proper name) as worn by King George V and VI - would this result in badge designs being changed to reflect the new crown? I take it such an exercise would be quite costly in terms of replacing hat badges, collar badges etc. Or do you think governments would leave the badges the same to avoid the expense?

I'd like to hear other people's thoughts on this.

Mick

[Peter Brydon]

Of course some badges with cyphers on them will need to be redesigned irrespective of the crown that our next monarch ( whoever that might be ) adopts, but I dont think that in the past all badges have suddenly been replaced on a change of monarch.

I believe the change is a more gradual one, existing stocks of badges being used up and many soldiers continuing to wear badges that technicaly are obsolete.

Was it not the famous John Gaylor who said he was still wearing a kings crown cap badge in 1966.

P.B.

[slick_mick]

I heard from a mate of mine (in Defence) that Australian badges will most likely remain the same. Though many of them currently don't have a crown so there won't be any impact.

Mick

[Challenger1]

Originally Posted by slick_mick

I heard from a mate of mine (in Defence) that Australian badges will most likely remain the same. Though many of them currently don't have a crown so there won't be any impact.

Mick

But what if Australia was to become a republic?

[Eddie Parks]

There is no good reason why the pattern of crown should change. The terms Kings Crown and Queens Crown are a collectors shorthard.

The crown used before QEII came to the throne was the Imperial Crown which disappeared with the Emperor of India title. Since the Price of Wales will not be Emperor there's no reason to change crown.

In any case there wouldn't be a sudden change. As 8thFoot says old badges can have a very long life. I was commissioned in 1968 and always wore my father's KC badges and buttons. In fact when I got my jacket I wore QVC ball buttons on my mess-kit. The only exception would have been the woven wire beret badge which did not exist in his day.

Eddie