A most interesting ceremony was performed on Saturday [13 June] by the Duchess of York, when her Royal Highness visited the Duke of York’s Royal Military School for the Children of Soldiers of the Regular Army, at Chelsea, for the purpose of presenting it with new colours. There are about 550 boys in the Institution, ranging in age from nine to 15, and one of the conditions of their admission is that their fathers shall have been exemplary characters. Most of the boys enter the army on leaving the school. The colours superceded by those presented by the Duchess of York are, it is claimed by the school, the oldest carried in the Army, having been granted by George IV., in September, 1835, They have been borne, therefore, by successive generations of the Duke of York’s School boys for 72 years. Another interesting fact stated in the official programme was that only “three institutions, the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, the Royal Hibernian Military School and the Duke of York’s Royal Military School, are on an equality with the regiments of the British Army in having the right of carrying colours presented by her Majesty the Queen.”

The scene at the school was a remarkably brilliant one. In the first place the weather was perfect and the school and its grounds were therefore seen to the best advantage. At the entrance gate an (unintelligible word) had been erected bearing on a tasteful background the words, “The Sons of the Brave – Welcome,” and the front of the building, which is adorned by a stone portico of the Doric order, with massive pillars supporting the pediment, was gay with flags. Facing the school is a grass meadow of considerable extent, dotted with fine old trees, and it was here that the boys were drawn up to await the royal visitors, to go through the ceremony of trooping the old colours, and to receive the new. They were dressed in smart scarlet tunics, with dark trousers, and for the first time wore field service caps. The staff on duty included Colonel Forrest (the commandant), Surgeon-Colonel Whipple, Captain Thomas (adjutant), and the Rev. G. H. Andrews (chaplain).

A guard of honour was mounted by the pensioners of the Chelsea Hospital, who never appear in public without exciting the feelings of affection and gratitude due to worthy veterans, whose martial bearing and brave scarlet coats won for them much admiration. But the Chelsea pensioners we have always with us. It was therefore perhaps natural that the lion’s share of attention should be bestowed on the forces from the colonies and India. The colonial representatives were under the command of Captain J. C. Strickland, 1st Infantry Regiment, West Australia, and they included 25 Victoria and South Australia Mounted Rifles under Lieutenant Smith, 11 New South Wales Lancers under Lieutenant Cox, one West Australian Artilleryman, ten Sierra Leone Volunteer Frontier Force, one sergeant and four men of the Ceylon Artillery Volunteers, and ten Ceylon Infantry Volunteers. On the right and left of the space reserved for the Duke and Duchess of York were 20 Indian officers of the native cavalry (representing 20 regiments, one A. D. C. to the viceroy, and one of the Viceroy’s bodyguard) and 17 officers of the Imperial Service troops. Colonel Gordon of the Bengal Cavalry, was in command of the Indian contingent, and was assisted by Major Phayre, 3rd Bengal Cavalry, and Captain Campbell, 6th Bengal cavalry (sic), with the native cavalry. And by Major Drummond with the Imperial Service troops. The native cavalry were all selected men, and most of them wore medals. They include five Sikhs, one Jaht, and 16 Mohamedans, the last named numbering seven Pathans, three Ranghars, one Punjabi Mohamedan and five Hindustani Mohamedans – and were thoroughly representative, coming as they did from Madras, the Hyderabad contingent, Bombay, Bengal and the Punjab. The officers of the Imperial Service troops represented 17 native Indian states – Jodhpur, Hyderabad, Kashmir, Gwalior, Indore, Bhopal, Jeypore, Patiala, Bikaner, Bhartpar, Bahawalpar, Ulwar, Rarapar, Sind, Nabbar, Kapurihala, and Hbavaagar. The splendid physique and warlike appearance of these officers were the subject of universal comment and admiration. The colonial troops, who came fresh from their inspection by Lord Roberts, marched on to the parade-ground amid loud cheers, called forth not less by their smart appearance than by the desire to make them welcome on their visit to the mother country.

At 13.15 the band struck up “God Save the Queen” and the Duke and Duchess of York drove up attended by Lady Eva Dugdale and Sir Charles Cast, and were received with a royal salute. Their royal highnesses were welcomed by the Duke of Cambridge, Colonel Forest, and the commissioners of the institution. The Duchess wore a dress of flowered muslin, the bodice being trimmed with blue chiffon, and a bonnet trimmed with convolvulus and blue feathers. Almost immediately after their Royal Highnesses alighted from their carriage the proceedings began.

The boys were drawn up in line, a company of pupil teachers dressed in their neat black uniforms being on the right flank. The trooping of the old colour was the first item on the programme. It began with the advance of the drummers to the tune of “Bonny Bank Braes,” followed by the advance of the band playing “Sweet love, arise.” Then came the return of the band and drums to the quick march “With merry voices singing.” The next item was the drummers’ call, followed by the advance of the escort to the tune of “The British Grenadiers.” The old colours were handed to the colour corporals and the escort saluted, the band playing “God save the Queen.” The colours were next trouped to the music of “The Grenadier Slow March,” and were next escorted along the front of the line in token of farewell, while the band played “Auld Lang Syne.” When this point had been reached, the battalions (sic) formed three sides of a square, the drums were piled in the centre, and the new colours placed upon them. A crimson cloth was then laid down from the place where the Duchess stood to where the drums were piled, and her Royal Highness, accompanied by the Duke of York, the Duke of Cambridge, the Commandant, the lady in waiting, and the equerry, advanced to the square. The consecration was then celebrated, the Rev. J. C. Edghill, D. D., Chaplain-General to the forces, and the Rev. G. H. Andrews, the chaplain of the institution, being the officiating clergy. After the hymn “Brightly beams our banner,” the Lord’s Prayer and the collect were received, and then followed the special prayer :–

When the colours had been consecrated, the Queen’s colour was handed by Monitor Penfold to the Duchess, from whom Colour Corporal Crissall received it on bended knee. The school colour, in like manner, was handed to her Royal Highness by Monitor Girling and received by Staff Colour Corporal Davis.

Colonel Forrest, addressing her Royal Highness, then said, :--