Regimental Colours

As in the English Civil War, all companies of a regiment were issued with a company colour, carried by the Ensign. The exception to this rule was the grenadier company which, owing to the nature of it's work, did not carry a flag. The organisation of the grenadier company reflected this by fielding an extra Lieutenant in place of the company Ensign. Colours of this period were still of the large dimensions used during the 1640's, being approximately six feet (1.80m) square with the staff still short enough to allow the colours to be carried and displayed 'properly' according to the rules of seventeenth century etiquette, unlike later when smaller colours were carried on longer poles.

In addition to the Colonel's, Lt-Colonel's and Major's Company Colours, the Captains of the nine other non-grenadier companies also had their own colours, with their company number (I - VII) shown on it. At this time, senior officers still led their troops into battle rather than commanding from the rear.
In the field William sought to reduce the number of colours carried to three, though this was resisted by the companies. During Queen Anne's reign the numbers were further reduced to two for most regiments (the Colonel's and Liutenant-Colonel's), although The Queen's Royal Regiment retained its third colour. After the Act of Union the St. Andrew's Cross, a white saltire on a blue field, was added to the St. George's Cross on the Lieutenant-Colonel's colour, and a similar small 'union' was added to the upper corner of the Colonel's nearest the pike.

When the regiment was in combat all colours were carried in the ranks of the regiment's pikemen.
These are the colours that would have been carried by the regiment from some time during the reign of Charles II and through the reigns of James II, William III and Queen Anne. They are described as follows:

The Colonel's, plain sea-green, in the centre the cipher of Queen Catherine of Braganza, two C's interlaced in gold, crown over; Lieutenant-Colonel's, sea-green with St. George's cross edged with white, from each angle of the cross spring five rays of gold, the cipher and crown in the centre; the Major's, the same as the last, with a white flame issuing out of the upper corner and partially covering one of the golden rays; First Captain's, as Major's, the numeral I.

Before this, standards tended to be much simpler, usually just a plain flag with a small cross of St. George in the top corner next to the shaft. These sometimes bore an additional device on the plain field, so it is possible that a flag of this type might have had the lamb on it whilst the regiment was in Tangier.

The Colonel's Colours	The Lt.-Colonel's Colours	The Major's Colours
The I Captain's Colours The numeral on the flag changed with the company the Captain commanded.	The II Captain's Colours (Alternative Version) Some sources show the company numerals positioned in the upper canton next to the staff rather than on the cross.

This design seems to have been replaced in the 1670's with a St. George's cross running across the entire field of the flag (see above). This style of Colour is depicted on a playing card commemorating the Battle of Sedgemoor in 1685 (right), so it may not have been completely replaced by the new type.

This design has been attributed to the regiment, but there is no confirmed evidence of this. It seems unlikely that this was carried, since we know that the colours carried in 1689 were the same as the 1685 design. If this design were used at all it would be more likely to have been used in the 1660's.

This design shows the 'Union' in the corner of the Colonel's Colours.	This design shows a possible alternative Colonel's Colours. The earliest surviving colour to bear the lamb symbol is from 1751, but given the fact that the lamb does appear on Grenadier's caps in 1715, it is possible that the habit of including lambs on the colours started at around this time.	This design shows the 'Union' flag with the regimental design of Crown and Queen's cypher.