Home > Our Collection > Digital Collection > Wellington’s Court Dress

Wellington’s Court Dress

Item Details: A long-tailed coatee, originally green, with black facings, silver epaulettes, and silver Rifle Brigade Buttons.

When the British Army was reduced following the Napoleonic wars, the 95th Rifles became the Rifle Brigade, having distinguished itself too greatly with its unique skills to be disbanded. The Duke of Wellington became Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment in 1820, and continued to serve until his death in 1852.

This court dress was worn by Wellington when Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifle Brigade. It is a long-tailed coatee with black regimental facings, silver epaulettes, and silver buttons. The buttons are embossed with a bugle horn, the letters R B, and the words ‘Peninsula’ and ‘Waterloo’. Although it appears navy, it has likely faded over time and was originally dark green, as can be seen from this description of its display in 1901:

Many visitors at the Earl’s Court Military Exhibition of 1901 may have noticed the interesting “Wellington Relic” in the shape of the actual long-tailed dark green coat worn by the great Duke as Colonel-in-Chief of the Rifle Brigade. There was no gorget exhibited with this coat, but the silver epaulettes were extremely fine.

 –Lt.-Colonel Willoughby Verner, The Rifle Brigade Chronicle 1901


Explore More from Our Collection