The security, as distinct from the ceremonial bodyguards or military protection, of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom and of members of the British Royal Family is entrusted to the Metropolitan Police. As currently organised, the Assistant Commissioner, Specialist Operations, has overall control. He exercises this through the Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Security and Protection. This DAC controls the Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch (SO13), the Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department, the Palace of Westminster Division (SO16), Firearms, Aviation Security, and Policy Development (SO19), and Special Branch. The Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department has primary responsibility for the safety of the Sovereign and the Royal Family and of visiting overseas VIPs and their accredited representatives in the United Kingdom, and has operational control of SO16. A ceremony is an activity, infused with ritual significance, performed on a certain occasion. ... A bodyguard is a person who protects someone from personal assault, kidnapping, assassination, loss of confidential information, or other threats. ... The adjective sovereign is used to refer to a state of sovereignty. ... Members of the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Colour ceremony The British Royal Family is a group of people closely related to the British monarch. ... Metropolitan Police redirects here. ... The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (usually just referred to as the Metropolitan Police Commissioner or, more colloquially, as the Met Commissioner) is the head of the Metropolitan Police Service in London. ... SO13 or Specialist Operations - Anti-Terrorist Branch is a branch of Scotland Yard. ... SO17 or Specialist Operations - Palace of Westminster Division is a branch of Scotland Yard. ... Special Branch is the arm of the British, Irish and many Commonwealth police forces that deals with national security matters. ...

The Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department was created in 1983 on the merger of the Royalty Protection Department and the Diplomatic Protection Group. Initially in A (Administration) Department, since 1985 it has been in the Specialist Operations Department. It is organised into the Royalty Protection Division (SO14), Royal Palaces Division (SO15), and Diplomatic Protection Group. It assumed responsibility for the security of the Palace of Westminster, where Parliament sits, in 1991. SO15 joined SO14 in 1995, and the Department is now divided into SO14(1) [static armed protection], SO14(2) [armed personal protection], and SPG [Special Escort Group]. 1983 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1985 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Palace of Westminster lies on the bank of the River Thames in the heart of London. ... The debating chamber or hemicycle of the European Parliament in Brussels. ... 1991 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Royalty Protection Division was created in 1982 from the Royalty Protection Squad (A1), itself created in the late 1970s from the Public Order Branch (A8) and the police of A District guarding the neighbourhood of Buckingham Palace. In late 1982 police guarding other royal residences in London (Kensington Palace, St James's Palace, Clarence House) and police responsible for Windsor Castle were added, along with the Royalty Protection Officers. The head of this part of the Department is the Queen's Police Officer. The Senior Personal Protection Officer to the Prince of Wales is a Superintendent while most Personal Protection Officers are Inspectors or Sergeants. 1982 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Buckingham Palace and the Victoria memorial. ... The south facade of the main block of Kensington Palace. ... Main entrance of St Jamess Palace, London St Jamess Palace is one of Londons oldest and most historic palaces. ... Clarence House, London Clarence House is a royal home in London, situated in The Mall. ... An early 18th century view of Windsor Castle by Kip and Knyff. ... The senior police officer from the Metropolitan Police responsible for the personal security of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. ... Policemen (and sometimes women) of the London Metropolitan Police Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department who are assigned for the personal protection of members of the Royal Family. ... The Badge of the Prince of Wales is derived from the ostrich feathers borne by Edward, the Black Prince. ... A superintendent is an individual that has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization. ... Inspector is a rank in many police forces. ... This article is about the rank of sergeant. ...

The Royalty Protection Squad, in A Department, was based at Cannon Row police stattion under the Queen's Police Officer. It was responsible for the protection of The Queen at public functions at Buckingham Palace, and all times when she was outside the Palace. The Queen's Police Officer also supervised the personal protection of all members of the Royal Family, although Royalty Protection Officers were not in the squad. The Queen's Police Officer commanded the police guarding the interior of the Palace and its grounds, through the Staff Officer. Buckingham Palace and the Victoria memorial. ...

The Queen's Police Officer was the descendant of the police first appointed for royal security in 1792. In that year Bow Street Runners, who were detectives appointed by the Magistrates of Bow Street court, were assigned to provide plain-clothes protection. In 1838 they were replaced by an Inspector of Police of the newly created Metropolitan Police, who was the direct ancestor of the Royalty Protection Squad. Special Branch took over some aspects of the role in 1883, but was largely superceded before the Second World War. 1792 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Bow Street Runners were Londons first professional constables. ... 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Metropolitan Police redirects here. ... Special Branch is the arm of the British, Irish and many Commonwealth police forces that deals with national security matters. ... 1883 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

The Public Order Branch (A8) was formerly also responsible for royal security, particularly during ceremonial events, as was the special patrol group (A9).

The Palace of Holyroodhouse and Balmoral Castle in Scotland are the responsibility of the Department when they are in royal use, and the Department also liaises closely with the Chief Constables responsible for any royal residence outside London. Holyrood Palace The Palace of Holyroodhouse, more commonly known as Holyrood Palace, originally founded as a monastery by David I of Scotland in 1128, has served as the principal residence of the Kings and Queens of Scotland since the 15th century. ... Balmoral Castle Balmoral Castle, painted by Queen Victoria in 1854 during its construction Balmoral Castle is a large mansion built by Queen Victoria in the Scottish baronial style on the River Dee in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, current (as of 2004) summer residence of Queen Elizabeth II, who stays there for 12... Scotland (Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is a country in northwest Europe and a constituent nation of the United Kingdom. ... Chief Constable is the title given to the commanding officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except the two responsible for Greater London. ...

Palace of Westminster Division (SO16) includes Downing Street. Members are armed with the MP5A2 automatic weapon. The Palace of Westminster lies on the bank of the River Thames in the heart of London. ... Downing Street Downing Street is the world-famous street in central London which contains the buildings that have been, for over two hundred years, the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers, the First Lord of the Treasury, an office held by the Prime Minister of...

The Special Escort Group provides motorcycle outriders.

The Diplomatic Protection Group originated as A11. This was created in 1974 to replace Special Patrol Group men assigned to guard diplomatic and consular missions in London. It became a permanent unit in 1980, and joined the Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Group in 1983. It remains operationally separate, and responsibilities include protecting diplomatic premises and personnel, and protecting visiting Heads of State and high-risk VIPs when they are staying in hotels or other premises. Police are armed and uniformed, and provide static policing, fixed posts, mobile cars, solo motorcycles, and personnel carriers. Protection is also provided for certain political figures, and support for security for 10 Downing Street, London royal palaces and the Palace of Westminster. In 2003 it manned 40 fixed posts and guarded 199 diplomatic missions. 1974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ... 1980 is a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... 1983 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 10 Downing Street, commonly known as Number 10, is the most famous street address in London. ... The quintessential medieval European palace: Palais de la Cité, in Paris, the royal palace of France. ... The Palace of Westminster lies on the bank of the River Thames in the heart of London. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The current head of the Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department is Commander the Earl of Rosslyn (known professionally as "Peter Loughborough"), who was appointed in 2003 and is the only peer in the United Kingdom who is a serving policeman. The Department had 423 uniformed and 48 civilian members in 2003, including 90 Royal Protection Officers, 508 in the Diplomatic Protection Group, and additional officers in the Westminster Division. Commander is a military rank used in many navies but not generally in armies or air forces. ... The title of Earl of Rosslyn was created in 1801 in the Peerage of the United Kingdom for Alexander Wedderburn, 1st Baron Loughborough, the former Lord Chancellor. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The current head of Royalty Protection (SO14) is Chief Superintendent Stephen Grainger. One recent predecessor was Chief Superintendent James Beaton, GC CVO, who held office 1983-92. He received the George Cross for protecting Princess Anne against a crazed attacker in 1974. Chief Superintendent (Ch Supt; colloquially Chief Super) is a senior rank in the British Police. ... James Beaton, or Bethune (1473-1539), was a Scottish church leader, the uncle of Cardinal David Beaton. ... GC may stand for: Gabriel Centaurio GameCube Games Convention Garbage collection Gas chromatography General contractor General Catalogue (astronomy) Guanine-Cytosine (genetics) General counsel Good Charlotte Goose Creek (South Carolina) Guidance counselor George Cross Gigacoulomb (GC), an SI unit for electric charge equal to 109 coulomb Gliomatosis cerebri Glivenko-Cantelli Global... Victoria founded the Royal Victorian Order. ... The George Cross (GC) is the highest Commonwealth decoration awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry not in the face of the enemy and is equal to the Victoria Cross. ... Princess Anne may refer to more than one person: Anne, Princess Royal (born 15 August 1950), daughter of Elizabeth II of the UK Anne, Princess of Orange (1709‑1759), daughter of George II of Great Britain Anne (1637‑1759), daughter of Charles I of England Princess Anne may refer to... 1974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ...

Officer in Charge, Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department

• Commander the Rt Hon the Earl of Rosslyn 2003-
• Deputy Assistant Commissioner Alan Fry, QPM 1995-
• Deputy Assistant Commissioner David Meynell, CVO OBE 1992-1995
• Deputy Assistant Commissioner Charles Rideout, CVO QPM 1990-1992
• Deputy Assistant Commissioner John Cracknell, CVO QPM 1984-1990
• Deputy Assistant Commissioner Colin Smith, CVO CBE QPM 1983-1984