Drive to recruit more guards is music to Hillsborough’s ears

Hillsborough Fort Guard Bugler, Andrew Carlisle

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Some traditions never change, some die out never to be seen or heard of again and some morph to keep up with the times.

And a tradition was in danger of dying out in the now Royal Hillsborough in Co Down, a village synonymous with royalty, being the Northern Ireland residence of King Charles III and before that Queen Elizabeth II.

But for almost a century the only thing they were being frugal with was the bugle, as the troop was reduced to one.

Andrew Carlisle, bugler for the Hillsborough Fort Guard who played at the proclamation of the King, was playing a lone lament when the government stopped recruiting, threatening the existence of the troop which had served since the days of Charles II in 1660.

For the first time in 100 years new warrants for guards have been issued and it’s now back to full strength. In years to come there’ll be a little more pomp and ceremony around the village, very timely now that it has its official name of Royal Hillsborough.

It’s not the last post yet!