| Unit Name: | Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires) |
| Dates: | 9 September 1992 – present |
| Allegiance: |  United Kingdom |
| Type: | Line Infantry |
| Role: | 1st Battalion — Light infantry 3rd Battalion — Army Reserve 4th Battalion — Army Reserve |
| Size: | Three battalions |
| Command Structure: | Queen's Division |
| Garrison: | RHQ - London 1st Battalion - Woolwich, London 3rd Battalion - Canterbury 4th Battalion - Redhill |
| Motto: | "Unconquered, I serve" |
| March: | Quick - The Farmer's Boy/Soldiers of the Queen Slow - The Minden Rose |
| Battles: | |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Tactical recognition flash |
| Identification Symbol 2: | Tiger From Royal Hampshire Regiment |
| Identification Symbol 3: | PWRR |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | Arm badge |
| Identification Symbol 3 Label: | Abbreviation |
| Ceremonial Chief Label: | Colonel-in-Chief |
| Colonel Of The Regiment: | Major General James Martin |
| Nickname: | The Tigers |
The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (or PWRR, also known as 'The Tigers') is the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, second in the line infantry order of precedence to the Royal Regiment of Scotland and part of the Queen's Division.
The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment was formed on 9 September 1992 by the amalgamation of the Queen's Regiment and the Royal Hampshire Regiment and holds the earliest battle honour in the British Army (Tangier 1662–80).[1] Through its ancestry via the Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) (2nd Regiment of Foot), the PWRR is the most senior English line infantry regiment. The current regiment was named in honour of Diana, Princess of Wales.[2]
Upon its creation, the Princess of Wales and the Queen of Denmark were Allied Colonels-in-Chief of the PWRR. When the Princess divorced the Prince of Wales, she resigned as Colonel-in-chief and the Queen of Denmark was appointed its Colonel-in-Chief.
The 1st Battalion served a seven-month tour of Iraq in 2004 with a second tour following in 2006, and finally a tour in 2009 where the battalion was split between Afghanistan and Iraq (last combat operation in Iraq). Many of the operations carried out by the battalion during the first tour were named after stations on the London Underground.[3] Elements of 1 PWRR helped train the Iraqi National Army and oversaw the withdrawal of UK Forces from Basra.[4] 1st Battalion was deployed to Afghanistan again in August 2011 to form the nucleus of the Police Mentoring Advisory Group (PMAG) with individual companies detached to other battlegroups around Helmand province.[5] The 1st Battalion under Army 2020 will move from Paderborn, Germany to be stationed at Bulford Camp.[6] [7] [8]
The regiment's 2nd Battalion were based in Shackleton Barracks, Northern Ireland, the last resident battalion deployed in this role under Operation Banner. After two years at Alexander Barracks in Dhekelia in Cyprus, they moved to Woolwich Garrison, London, to take up a public duties role in August 2010, a role they performed for three years.[9] 2nd Battalion deployed to Cyprus again in 2014.[10] It remains one of the infantry units rotating between the UK and British Forces Cyprus.[11] In August 2017, the battalion returned to the UK, based at Kendrew Barracks in Cottesmore, where they reconfigured two companies into a Light Mechanised Infantry force.[12]
The regiment's 2nd battalion re-subordinated to the Ranger Regiment on 1 December 2021.[13]
In October 2023, 200 soldiers from the 1st Battalion were deployed to northern Kosovo following increased tensions and the build-up of Serbian military in the region.[14]
The Queen of Denmark served as the Colonel-in-Chief until her abdication on 14 January 2024. A new Colonel-in-Chief has not yet been appointed.[15]
The regiment recruits its soldiers from London, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, and the Channel Islands.[16]
The regimental headquarters (RHQ) is at the Tower of London, whilst the regiment itself comprises three battalions:
The Queen's & Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment Regimental Museum is in Dover Castle.[21]
Medals and awards awarded to the regiment's 1st Battalion for their service during operations in Iraq in 2004 included a Victoria Cross, two Distinguished Service Orders, two Conspicuous Gallantry Crosses, one Member of the Order of the British Empire for gallantry, ten Military Crosses, and seventeen Mentions in Despatches.
Private Johnson Beharry of the 1st Battalion, PWRR was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during his unit's deployment to Amarah, near Basra.
Whilst attached to the 1st Battalion, Michelle Norris of the Royal Army Medical Corps became the first woman to be awarded the Military Cross following her actions on 11 June 2006.[22]
The forebear Regiments of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment were awarded over 550 Battle Honours including "Tangier 1662-80", the oldest on any Colour,[23] the following are emblazoned on the colours:
The Regimental Colour is particularly distinctive. The Colour is yellow and there is a unique combination of five badges displayed; the cap badge, the Naval Crown, the Tiger, the Sphinx and the cypher of Catherine of Braganza all linked to Regimental history:[24]
Colonels-in-Chief have been as follows:[25]