Fed member's ceremonial role during King’s Coronation

24 May 2023

A West Mercia Police Federation member and Army Reservist has revealed how he was lucky enough to ride Lord Firebrand at King Charles III Coronation, the same horse that led the procession at the Queen’s funeral.

Acting sergeant Owen Beynon Brown rode as part of the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, which had the responsibility of firing a six-gun salvo from Horse Guards Parade as the crown was placed on the King’s head.

Owen was given the honour of riding Lord Firebrand, otherwise known as Yogi, the 14-year-old horse who has worked countless parades, including the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen’s Birthday Parade.

“When my commanding officer approached me and said there would be an opportunity to work at the coronation, there was no way I could say no to that,” said Owen, who was in the army for almost eight years before joining the Police Force in 2015.

Owen re-joined the Army Reserves in 2019 as a reserve section commander in the King’s Troop.

During the coronation, Owen was part of a unit of soldiers all trained to care for and drive teams of six horses, with each team pulling a 13-pound First World War-era gun behind them. The guns were then fired to mark the grand occasion.

“It’s hard to put into words what being part of the coronation meant to me,” father-of-three Owen continued.

“It’s not until after the event that I go away and think about what I’ve done and achieved.

“Being on a horse allowed me to see the ceremony from a totally different angle. Personally, I think I had one of the best seats in the house. Although the uniform I had to wear isn’t the most practical, the hat stopped me from seeing everything as well as I could have.”

This is not the first time Owen has been part of such a royal occasion, having previously ridden in all four salutes as part of Operation London Bridge, during the Queen’s funeral - although not on Lord Firebrand that time.

He also rode in the Queen’s Birthday Parade Trooping the Colour, the state opening of Parliament, the Royal Windsor Horse Show, the British Military Tournament and escorted the Olympic torch in 2012.

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