Female members of the Queen’s bodyguard have requested that the Army cease referring to them as males.
Privates in the Foot Guards, whether male or female, are all referred to as Guardsmen.
The Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards, Irish Guards, and Welsh Guards are the five regiments of the Foot Guards. When on guard duty outside Royal Palaces, all regiments wear the ceremonial red tunic and bearskin headgear.
Following objections from female soldiers, the Army is considering replacing the name Guardsmen.
‘We remain open to alternative perspectives on the nomenclature of ranks,’ a spokeswoman said.
One female private told The Sun that she was’so tired of being called a man every day.’
‘Does anyone know if the rank of Guardsman is likely to change soon?’ she inquired on the Army Servicewoman’s Network.
Some have recommended using the name Guard, and the Army has stated that it is open to change as part of its commitment to ‘equality, diversity, and inclusion.’
Major Lauren Petritz-Watts, the first female director of music, performed at the Trooping of the Colour ceremony last week.
Women have been allowed to serve in combat roles in the British Army since 2018.
According to the Army, women make up half of the Kings Troop Royal Artillery. When the Household Cavalry goes to Norfolk for summer training, the Kings Troop provides cover for them.
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