The red drum banner has a gold lace edge in the herringbone pattern and a gold fringe along the base. The central device is a quilted blue velvet garter inscribed QUEEN’S ROYAL LANCERS. The monogram of Queen Adelaide is embroidered in the centre, not reversed like all the other regimental badges. A Guelphic crown is placed above the centre and the numeral IX at the base.
The battle honours are distributed around the oak-leaf wreath. Originally there were four on each side: PENINSULA, PUNNIAR, SOBRAON, CHILLIANWALLAH, GOOJERAT, PUNJAUB, DELHI and LUCKNOW. This would date the banner as earlier, 1858, the date that ‘Lucknow’ was awarded. Since then the 9th Lancers had accumulated four more honours for the Second Afghan War of 1879-80. These four honours, for some reason, are indistinct but can be deduced as follows. AFGHANISTAN has been given a special place between the crown and garter. KANDAHAR and CHARASIAH have been placed either side of the crown, and KABUL at bottom right, on the wreath so that ‘Lucknow’ has been moved to the middle, just above the IX.
