Photographer Spends Two Years with British Army’s Most Senior Regiment
A photographer spent nearly two years embedded with the British Army’s most iconic and senior regiment, documenting its daily life for a new photography book.
Last week, Unicorn published Trusted Guardians: Inside the Mounted Regiment, a photography book by Norwegian photographer Glenn Røkeberg. The book was developed over almost two years of unprecedented access to the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment. The regiment has served as the U.K. monarch’s official bodyguard since 1660 and is the most senior regiment in the British Army.
Working in black and white, Røkeberg photographs life inside the regiment beyond its public image. His photographs capture early morning training sessions, stable routines, and the preparation required for ceremonial duties in central London. The work emphasizes the repetition, discipline, and precision needed to maintain one of the most recognizable institutions in British public life. It also shows the regiment’s dual role as a ceremonial presence and an operational military unit, with soldiers rotating between duties in London and active service.
Rather than focusing solely on formal occasions, Trusted Guardians presents a closer look at the structure behind the regiment’s public role. The photographs move between preparation and performance, documenting a system shaped by discipline and shared responsibility.
A central theme of Trusted Guardians is the relationship between horse and soldier. As noted in the foreword, this bond is described as “a relationship built on trust, patience and an unspoken understanding,” developed through consistent training and care over time. Many soldiers join without prior riding experience and undergo intensive instruction before continuing daily training in London.
The book includes images featuring HM King Charles III and HRH The Prince and Princess of Wales, situating the regiment within its wider ceremonial responsibilities. The book also features Summer Camp, an annual two-week deployment held after the ceremonial season which designed to strengthen riding ability, confidence, and cohesion between horse and rider.
Trusted Guardians: Inside the Mounted Regiment by Glenn Røkeberg can be purchased here.
