The Clothing Warrant of 1768 instituted significant changes to infantry uniforms. This illustration by CCP Lawson is a copy of a naïve painting, one of a series of grenadiers of all the regiments in ‘Uniforms of the Infantry according to the King’s Regulations of the 19th December 1768’ in the Prince Consort’s Library, Aldershot. The most notable change as far as the 1st Royal Regiment was concerned was the patterned lace worn by the rank-and-file. Up until then the regiment had been distinguished by having plain white lace like the Foot Guards. The privates and corporals were to wear coats laced with white but having a double blue worm down the middle as per the inset photo. Sergeants, as in all other regiments, continued to have plain white lace. This regimental blue worm lace can be seen in the detail of a Dayes print of 1792.
The fur grenadier cap replaced the embroidered mitre cap, decorated on the front with a black metal plate showing the Royal Crest and motto NEC ASPERA TERRENT. On the back was a red patch embroidered with a grenade and the badge of St Andrew. From 1776 the hair was powdered and clubbed but in 1796 eleven inch pigtails were ordered, although grenadiers had their hair plaited and turned up under the cap. The coat had shoulder wings which at that stage were fitted close to the shoulder. The collar was turned down and cuffs less bulky. White metal buttons replaced the dull pewter buttons. Swords were carried by grenadiers but were discontinued for the battalion companies.
