The regiment was formed in 1881 by amalgamation of The 49<SUP>th</SUP> (Princess Charlotte of Wales’s) & The 66<SUP>th</SUP> (Berkshire) Regiments of Foot.
Initially The Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of Wales’s), in July of that year it was re-titled The Princess Charlotte of Wales’s (Berkshire Regiment), becoming "Royal" in 1885.
The badge introduced was the Dragon of China, above a scroll ROYAL BERKSHIRE, & continued in use until the regiment joined the Wessex Brigade in 1958, adopting the brigade cap badge.
On 9/6/1959 the regiment amalgamated with The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh’s) to form The Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire), continuing with the brigade cap badge until the brigade was disbanded in 1968, afterwards adopting the badge of the new regiment. This regiment has since been further amalgamated with The Gloucestershire Regiment.
The badges in my collection:
Left - the gilding metal badge sealed 26/7/1896. K&K 667 refers.
Right - the gold anodised version, text to K&K 667 refers.
Perhaps worn by the regular battalion, presumably worn by the Territorial Army elements.
Also produced would presumably have been a WWI brass economy version, indistinguishable from the gilding metal one.
I can find no reference to a WWII plastic economy version of the badge being produced.
Initially The Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of Wales’s), in July of that year it was re-titled The Princess Charlotte of Wales’s (Berkshire Regiment), becoming "Royal" in 1885.
The badge introduced was the Dragon of China, above a scroll ROYAL BERKSHIRE, & continued in use until the regiment joined the Wessex Brigade in 1958, adopting the brigade cap badge.
On 9/6/1959 the regiment amalgamated with The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh’s) to form The Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire), continuing with the brigade cap badge until the brigade was disbanded in 1968, afterwards adopting the badge of the new regiment. This regiment has since been further amalgamated with The Gloucestershire Regiment.
The badges in my collection:
Left - the gilding metal badge sealed 26/7/1896. K&K 667 refers.
Right - the gold anodised version, text to K&K 667 refers.
Perhaps worn by the regular battalion, presumably worn by the Territorial Army elements.
Also produced would presumably have been a WWI brass economy version, indistinguishable from the gilding metal one.
I can find no reference to a WWII plastic economy version of the badge being produced.