THE QUEEN WAS REDUCED TO A FIT OF GIGGLES WHEN A "17th CENTURY" MILITARY OFFICER CLAD IN ARMOR HAD A LITTLE TROUBLE SITTING DOWN NEXT TO HER. THE MONARCH SAW THE FUNNY SIDE OF THINGS AS SHE TOOK HER PLACE AMONGST A GROUP OF HISTORICALLY ATTIRED SERVICEMEN, WHO ACT AS THE LORD MAYOR OF LONDON'S BODYGUARDS, FOR A GROUP PHOTOGRAPH. WHEN MAJOR PAUL CHAMPNESS, CAPTAIN OF THE COMPANY OF PIKEMEN AND MUSKETEERS OF THE HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY, TRIED TO TAKE HIS SEAT NEXT TO THE QUEEN, HIS METAL THIGH PROTECTORS, KNOWN AS TASSETTS, BRUSHED AGAINST HER. WEARING A BREAST PLATE AND HELMET HE SQUEEZED HIMSELF BETWEEN THE HEAD OF STATE AND THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH AND WRIGGLED TO CREATE SOME SPACE WHICH LEFT THE QUEEN LAUGHING AT THEIR PREDICAMENT. IT WAS THE SECOND DAY RUNNING A GROUP PICTURE OF THE MONARCH WITH A MILITARY UNIT HAD SUFFERED A SLIGHT MISHAP. ON TUESDAY THE QUEEN SAT DOWN IN THE WRONG SEAT IN FRONT OF THE MASSED RANKS OF THE 1st BATTALION, THE GRENADIER GUARDS MOMENTS BEFORE A PHOTOGRAPHER PRESSED THE SHUTTER. THE COMPANY OF PIKEMEN AND MUSKETEERS WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1925 AND RECEIVED A ROYAL WARRANT 30 YEARS LATER IN 1955. IT IS MADE UP OF MILITARY VETERANS WHO HAVE SERVED WITH THE HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY, A TERRITORIAL ARMY UNIT, THAT HAS SERVED THE QUEEN AS ITS CAPTAIN-GENERAL. THE PIKEMEN AND MUSKETEERS WEAR THE UNIFORM OF THE PERIOD OF CHARLES I AND CAN BE SEEN AT STATE CIVIC OCCASIONS. THE QUEEN VISITED THE MILITARY VETERANS AT THEIR HOME IN ARMOURY HOUSE NEAR LONDON'S BARBICAN TO REVIEW THEIR UNIT AND TAKE THE ROYAL SALUTE.
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