Editing Blues and Royals (section)

==History==
[[File:Cavalry Trooping the Colour, 16th June 2007.jpg|thumb|Troopers of the Blues and Royals at the [[Trooping the Colour]] parade, London, 2007]]

===Formation and service===
The regiment was formed in 1969 from the merger of the [[Royal Horse Guards]], which was known as "the Blues" or "the Oxford Blues", and the [[1st The Royal Dragoons|Royal Dragoons]], which was known as "the Royals".<ref name= mod>{{cite web|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/28089.aspx|title=The Blues and Royals|publisher=British Army|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130226193828/http://www.army.mod.uk/28089.aspx|archive-date=26 February 2013|url-status=dead|access-date=7 January 2013}}</ref> Of these, the Blues were founded as a unit of the [[New Model Army]], having been raised in 1650 by Sir [[Arthur Haselrig]] on orders from [[Oliver Cromwell]]; it was incorporated into the [[Stuart Restoration|Restoration]] army in 1660 and  gained the title "Royal" in the 18th century. The Royal Dragoons were formed shortly after the Restoration, in 1661, composed of cavalry veterans of the New Model Army.<ref>{{Citation |last=Mills |first=T.F. |year=2007 |url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/D01rd.htm |title=The Royal Dragoons (1st Dragoons) |access-date=5 April 2007 |work=regiments.org |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070303145202/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/D01rd.htm |archive-date = 3 March 2007}}</ref>

Since formation in 1969, the new regiment has served in several countries. From 1969 the regiment had troops deployed to [[Northern Ireland]] as part of [[Operation Banner]]. In the 1970s and 1980s, during the [[Cold War]], the Regiment was headquartered at [[Detmold]] in [[West Germany]] and was a unit of the [[British Army of the Rhine]]'s [[20th Armoured Brigade Combat Team (United Kingdom)|20th Armoured Brigade]], part of the [[3rd (United Kingdom) Division|3rd Armored Division]] with an armoured and reconnaissance role.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://british-army-units1945on.co.uk/royal-armoured-corps/blues-and-royals.html|title=Blues and Royals|publisher=British Army units 1945 on|access-date=27 July 2023}}</ref>

During that time it was tasked with defending part of the [[North German Plain]] in the event of an invasion by the [[Warsaw Pact]]. During the [[Falklands War]] of 1982, the regiment provided the two armoured reconnaissance troops. The regiment also had a squadron on operational duty with the [[United Nations]] in [[Bosnia and Herzegovina|Bosnia]] in 1994–95. Most recently, the regiment saw action in the [[Iraq War]] and the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]].<ref name=mod/>

Both [[Prince William]] and [[Prince Harry]] joined the regiment as [[Cornet (military rank)|cornet]]s in 2006.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/media/press-releases/prince-william-joins-the-household-cavalry-blues-and-royals|title=Prince William joins the Household Cavalry (Blues and Royals)|publisher=Prince of Wales|date= 21 September 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140503151658/http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/media/press-releases/prince-william-joins-the-household-cavalry-blues-and-royals|archive-date=3 May 2014|url-status=dead|access-date=3 May 2014}}</ref>
[[File:UK-2014-London-Blues and Royals 01.jpg|thumb|Blues and Royals trooper]]
[[File:Horseguards - Blues and Royals - Relève à Whitehall - Londres.JPG|thumb|right|Changing of the guard at Horse Guards]]
[[File:Blues and Royals officer's full dress tunic.jpg|thumb|right|[[Full dress uniform|Full dress]] tunic worn by a Blues and Royals officer]]

===Operational union===
As a result of the [[Options for Change]] Review in 1991, The Blues and Royals formed a union for operational purposes with the [[Life Guards (United Kingdom)|Life Guards]] as the [[Household Cavalry Regiment]]. However, they each maintain their regimental identity, with distinct uniforms and traditions, and their own colonel. The Blues and Royals currently has two reconnaissance squadrons in [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]], which are part of the Household Cavalry Regiment, and a mounted squadron in [[London]] as part of the [[Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment]], performing ceremonial and public duties.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.householdcavalry.info/mounted.html |title=Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment |access-date=3 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203050333/http://www.householdcavalry.info/mounted.html |archive-date=3 February 2014 }}</ref>