The Household Cavalry consists at the present day of three regiments, and has its origin, as have certain of the Foot guard regiments, in the ashes of the "New Model" army disbanded at the restoration of Charles II. in 1660. In that year the "1st or His Majesty's Own Troop of Guards" formed during the king's exile of his cavalier followers, was taken on the strength of the army. The 2nd troop was formerly in the Spanish service as the "Duke of York's Guards," and was also a cavalier unit. In 1670, on Monk's death, the original 3rd troop (Monk's Life Guards, renamed in 1660 the "Lord General's Troop of Guards") became the 2nd (the queen's) troop, and the duke of York's troop the 3rd. In 1685 the 1st and 2nd troops were styled Life Guards of Horse, and two years later the blue-uniformed "Royal Regiment of Horse," a New Model regiment that had been disbanded and at once re-raised in 1660, was made a household cavalry corps. Later under the colonelcy of the earl of Oxford it was popularly called "The Oxford Blues." There were also from time to time other troops (e.g. Scots troops 1700-1746) that have now disappeared. In 1746 the 2nd troop was disbanded, but it was revived in 1788, when the two senior corps were given their present title of 1st and 2nd Life Guards. From 1750 to 1819 the Blues bore the name of "Royal Horse Guards Blue," which in 1819 was changed to "Royal Horse Guards (The Blues)." The general distinction between the uniforms of the red Life Guard and the blue Horse Guard still exists. The 1st and the 2nd regiments of Life Guards wear scarlet tunics with blue collars and cuffs, and the Royal Horse Guards blue tunics with scarlet collars and cuffs. All three wear steel cuirasses on state occasions and on guard duty. The head-dress is a steel helmet with drooping horse-hair plume (white for Life Guards, red for Horse Guards). In full dress white buckskin pantaloons and long knee boots are worn. Amongst the peculiarities of these _corps d'elite_ is the survival of the old custom of calling non-commissioned officers "corporal of horse" instead of sergeant, and corporal-major instead of sergeant-major, the wearing by trumpeters and bandsmen in full dress of a black velvet cap, a richly laced coat with a full skirt extending to the wearer's knees and long white gaiters. There is little distinction between the two Life Guards regiments' uniforms, the most obvious point being that the cord running through the white leather pouch belt is red for the 1st and blue for the 2nd.