The foregoing Statement shows, therefore, that, although the _Third_ Colour so long remained in possession of the Queen's Royal Regiment, after other Regiments had laid it aside, it had been erroneously considered that this Regiment had a _peculiar privilege_ of carrying _Three_ Stand of Colours. To correct this error, and to maintain uniformity throughout the Army, His Majesty has recently directed "that no Regiment shall, under any circumstances whatever, display a Third Colour;" and the following Letter, dated 14th August, 1835, has been addressed, by His Majesty's Special Command, to Lieutenant-General the Right Honourable Sir James Kempt, G.C.B., as Colonel of the Second, or Queen's Royal Regiment, by the Adjutant-General of the Forces, dated _Horse Guards, 14th August, 1835._ SIR, By desire of the General Commanding in Chief, I have the honour to make the following Communication to you, for your information and guidance; viz.: The 5th Foot having, at Malta, preferred a Claim to the distinction of bearing a Third Stand of Colours, Major-General Sir Frederick Ponsonby referred the Case for Lord Hill's consideration, and his Lordship immediately submitted it to the King. His Majesty at once disallowed this claim, and, at the same time, inquired whether a similar claim had been made and admitted in the case of any other Regiment. Lord Hill mentioned the case of the Queen's Royal, and fully explained the grounds upon which the distinction of a Third Stand of Colours had, so recently, been conferred upon that Corps; when His Majesty was pleased to decide, that no Regiment in His Majesty's Service should be permitted to display a Third Colour, under any circumstances whatsoever,--and to command that His Majesty's said decision should be notified to you. The King, however, expressed to Lord Hill His Majesty's earnest hope that you, and the Queen's Royal collectively, would regard this decision, not as a mark of His Majesty's forgetfulness of the uniformly high character of the Regiment, but solely as a proof of His Majesty's determination to establish uniformity in this (as in every other) respect throughout the Army. His Majesty was graciously pleased to observe, that it was impossible for him to render more manifest the high estimation in which he held the character of the Queen's Royal, than by transferring an Officer of your reputation to the Colonelcy of it, from that of one of the most gallant and distinguished Regiments in the Service; viz., the 40th. The King was further pleased to observe, that if it were wished upon your part, and upon the part of the Queen's Royal, that the Third Colour should be retained and preserved, His Majesty would not insist upon its being actually withdrawn; but, in making that observation, His Majesty expressly ordered, that on no account should the Third Colour ever be displayed in the Ranks of the Regiment.