29th (Worcestershire) Regiment of Foot - Regimental March 'The Royal Windsor'

Regimental March 'The Royal Windsor'

During the winter of 1791 Princess Augusta presented the regiment with the music of a march of her own composing, which received the name of 'The Royal Windsor'. In 1881 it became by authority the Quickstep of the four battalions of the Worcestershire Regiment.

The march, with its impressive drum cadence recalling later American marches, appears to have been composed by HRH Princess Augusta at Windsor Castle under the tutelage of Lord William Cathcart, an officer of the 29th who became Colonel of that regiment in 1792. Lord Cathcart was a talented musician and, while previously serving in the Coldstream Guards, was influential in the development of the band of that regiment. It was he who brought the talented musician Christopher Eley, composer of The 'Duke of York's March' from Hanover to London.

The march became popular in Russia and it has been suggested that Lord Cathcart and the Princess used material of Russian origin. It is true that Lord Cathcart's father was ambassador to St. Petersburg and that his son visited Russia in 1771, but Russian music was not at that time held in high regard even in Russia itself, where the court composers were almost all foreigners.

It is more likely that Lord Cathcart took the composition to Russia in 1812, when he proceeded to Russia as ambassador and military commissioner. In the latter capacity he served with the headquarters of the allies throughout the War of Liberation (1812–1814); his success in the delicate and difficult task of maintaining harmony and devotion to the common cause amongst the generals of many nationalities was recognized after the war by his elevation to the earldom (July 1814). He then went to St. Petersburg, and continued to hold the post of ambassador until 1820, when he returned to England. He died at his estate near Glasgow on 16 June 1843.