Editing Coldstream Guards (section)

==Role==
[[File:Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting MOD 45164094.jpg|thumb|The 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards acting as [[Standard-bearer|Flag Bearers]] in the forecourt of [[Buckingham Palace]]]]
Currently, the most prominent role of the 1st Battalion and No. 7 Company is the performance of ceremonial duties in London and [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]] as part of the [[Household Division]]. The 1st Battalion is based in Windsor at [[Victoria Barracks, Windsor|Victoria Barracks]] as an operational light infantry battalion.<ref name=mod/>

In 2027 the 1st Battalion will take over a [[security force assistance]] role from 1st Battalion [[Irish Guards]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.grengds.com/uploads/files/IR_Letter_final-RLC.pdf|title=Letter From: Lieutenant General C R V Walker DSO, Regimental Lieutenant Colonel regarding the Integrated Review}}</ref>

[[File:Changing of the Colours.jpg|left|thumb|The Coldstream Guards laying up their old Colours and receiving the new Colours from The Queen]]

The [[Corps of Drums]], in addition to their ceremonial role, which has been primarily the musical accompaniment of Changing of the Guard for [[Windsor Castle]], has the role of [[machine gun]] platoon. All Guardsmen for public duties wear the 'Home Service' Dress tunic in summer or greatcoat in winter and bearskin with a red plume. The Band of the Coldstream Guards plays at Changing of The Guard, state visits and many other events.<ref name=mod/>

Unlike the other four regiments of foot guards, which recruit from each of the four [[home nations]], the Coldstream Guards has a specific recruiting area, which encompasses the counties that Monck's Regiment passed through on its march from [[Coldstream]] to [[London]]. The traditional recruiting area of the Coldstream Guards is the South West and North East of England.<ref name=mod/>

The Coldstream Guards and other Guards Regiments have a long-standing connection to [[Parachute Regiment (United Kingdom)|The Parachute Regiment]]. Guardsmen who have completed [[P Company]] have the option of being posted to the [[3 PARA|Guards Parachute Platoon]], [[3 PARA]], still keeping the tradition of the No. 1 (Guards) Independent Parachute Company, which was the original [[Pathfinder Group]] of [[16th Parachute Brigade]], now renamed [[16th Air Assault Brigade]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.paradata.org.uk/units/no-1-guards-independent-parachute-company |title=No 1 (Guards) Independent Parachute Company |publisher=ParaData |access-date=10 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721141401/http://www.paradata.org.uk/units/no-1-guards-independent-parachute-company |archive-date=21 July 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>