I KNIGHT THEE, CAPTAIN TOM, WITH MY FATHER’S SWORD

The sword the Queen uses for investitures belonged to her father and was worn by him in his duties as Colonel of the

Scots Guards from 1932-7. He was presented with two versions. The one used by his daughter is the smaller, lighter ‘picquet’ type. The swords are etched with the battle honours of the

Scots Guards as well as the cypher of George V, either because it belonged to him or because he was king at the time his son was appointed Colonel. Occasionally it has been used for investitures outdoors, such as when 100-year-old Captain Tom Moore was knighted by the 94-year-old Queen at Windsor Castle in 2020 (above). It was the first time the ceremony had been held in a strictly socially distanced format.