Császár Hussars in London

The temporary exhibition processing the Hungarian and British common hussar traditions also disclosed the time, when the joint hussars had last been in London – in 1910, at the funeral ceremony of King Edward VII, as he had been the regiment owner of the Imperial and Royal Miskolc 12th Hussar Regiment. It was the era custom that the members of the royal houses were honorary owners of the regiments of other countries, and so was the then crown prince’s, later king’s life connected in 1884 with the Hungarian regiment. Returning the visit of Edward in Miskolc, a three-member delegation attended his funeral in London, as shown in the contemporary photographs.

After 108 years again, Hussar boots clopped on the London cobblestones, when before the common ride with the British officers, our Hussars took a short walk on the banks of the Thames, creating a stir, and attracting appreciative stares. In what follows, Lt.-Col. Paddy Williams, the regimental commander received the team already joined by the Ambassador of Hungary to London, Res. Capt. Mr. Kristóf Szalay- Bobrovniczky in the barracks of the Household Cavalry Regiment (HCR). The Ambassador – who also preserves the heritage of the Császár Hussars – took command of the Hungarian team wearing the uniform of a Hussar captain, then after a short acquaintance with the horses provided by the British party, he started on a ride with Major Richard Chambers in the Park. Following the ride, the Major praised both the equestrian knowledge and the military discipline of the Hungarians. It has again been confirmed that there is justification for the quality, detail-attentive military re-enactment, even under the conditions of modern military forces, as the hussars were able to appear as equal partners beside the longest-standing and most recognised honour guard of the world.

In the afternoon, at the opening ceremony of the Hussar Exhibition NATO’s former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Sir Richard Shireff recalled the historic connections of the two nations’ equestrian culture, and the Ambassador greeted the many guests attending, who could view in addition to the original suits presented in the display cases, also their authentic copies on the hussars present there.

Photos of Lehel Kelemen