Co Antrim Irish Guard to appear in new BBC TV documentary, Coronation Tailors: Fit for a King

Major Robbie Wilmont, 59, and Irish Wolfhound, Seamus, feature in the programme - Coronation Tailors: Fit for a King - getting fitted for their new Irish Guards ceremonial outfits.

The programme made by Northern Irish TV production company, Waddell Media, stars Great British Sewing Bee’s Patrick Grant, who meets the Kashket family, based in London, who have been have been making spectacular ceremonial wear for four generations and have been tasked with creating thousands of bespoke uniforms for the big day.

Patrick witnesses the extraordinary levels of tailoring detail required for the history-rich ceremonial uniforms, with each regiment’s distinct traditions and regalia. He also sees first-hand the passion of the hard-working staff as they battle against time to alter hundreds of existing uniforms to include the King’s new cypher along with shiny new buttons bearing the letters ‘CR’.

Patrick also meets some of the men and women of the armed forces who will wear them – including Major Robbie Wilmont, who has served with the Irish Guards for 43 years.

The Bushmills man, who is based at Wellington Barracks, beside Buckingham Palace, is seen on the show getting fitted out for a new red tunic.

He said: “Most guards uniforms are very similar until you get up close. From an Irish Guards perspective, there is a blue plume on the right hand side of the bearskin on the head. The other regiments have different coloured plumes on different sides.

“The red tunics all look very similar, but if you look on the collar of an Irish Guardsman’s tunic, there’s a shamrock on each side of the collar and the buttons are spaced in fours, which is specific to the Irish Guards only.”

The Irish Guards’ trusty mascot, Seamus, the Irish Wolfhound, is also seen getting fitted with a new red tunic.

“He’s got three tunics. He’s got the red one, which he’ll wear, the same as we do, on State ceremonial public duties in London.

"When we go into winter order we wear big heavy great coats, a grey-coloured heavy material coat, and obviously if they are in the field, they are in camouflage kit, so he’s in that as well.”

Major Wilmont said the uniforms can get very warm, but added the vet will make a decision whether it’s right for Seamus to be wearing one.

“We don’t get the same dispensation as the dog – we have to suffer in the heat,” he laughed.

Major Wilmont, who is married to Diane and has a daughter, Sophie, comes from a family immersed in the Irish Guards.

“Dad served for awhile in the late 1950s. He saw active service in Cyprus at the time of the trouble there. My older brother had been in about three years before I joined. He did 16 years. My younger brother joined a couple of years after me and did about six years with us then transferred to one of the UDR battalions at home.”

Over his four-decade career in the Irish Guards, Major Wilmont has attended all the major Royal events.

"The first ceremonial event I did within a month of being in London was Prince Charles’ wedding to Princess Diana – I was on the mall for that as a guardsman.

"I’ve been at weddings, state events, like the state opening of parliament and state visits. On a routine basis the big event in London every year is the trooping of the colour.”

More recently Major Wilmont was involved in the Jubliee parades and the Queen’s funeral, where he stood vigil at the coffin in Westminster Abbey.

He added: “I’ve met all the Royal family at some stage or other. King Charles will have met that many people, he’ll certainly not remember my name, but we have met on several occasions at different events.”

On the day of the coronation, Major Wilmont said it will take him about 20 minutes to get his ceremonial uniform on and all the belts and swords in position.

"The issue on this particular parade is that it will be a long one, so I envisage me being dressed by 7am and not taking the tunic off until 2 or 3pm.”

On the day of the coronation his role will be to marshal the uniformed civilian services.

"The police, fire brigade, prison service, ambulance service, British Red Cross, all those different civilian services that actually wear their uniform, have got a slot on Whitehall, where they will line the route as the procession comes through.”

And with the eyes of the world looking on on Coronation day, will he be nervous?

“No – not when you have been here as long as I have. I’m well used to it. I suppose the young lads who are doing stuff like this for the first time, it’s a big deal for them, but the more often you do it, the more used to this environment you get. You’ve got to be aware of the bigger picture, but your own role is what you concentrate on.

“I suppose the thing everybody has to be aware of these days is if there is a breach of security, that is always in the back of your mind, but the format of the parade and how that works, I am pretty comfortable with that.”

And with rehearsals well underway, he promises: “The spectacle of the parade will be something to behold.”

*Coronation Tailors: Fit for a King is on BBC Two on Wednesday, May 3 at 9pm and BBC iPlayer