Major General Benjamin Bathurst CBE

The Major-General commanding the Household Division holds one of the most storied posts in the British Army. As General Officer Commanding London District, the Major-General oversees the service aspect of all State and ceremonial occasions in London — from Trooping the Colour to the State Opening of Parliament. The role carries executive command of the Household Division and any additional units brought into the capital for ceremonial duties, acting as the vital link between the Armed Forces and the Monarch.

Major General Benjamin Bathurst CBE Major-General commanding the Household Division (Rory Lewis Non Profit 2019)

Major General Benjamin Bathurst CBE Major-General commanding the Household Division (Rory Lewis Non Profit 2019)

Major General Benjamin Bathurst CBE Major-General commanding the Household Division (Rory Lewis Non Profit 2019)

Appointed by the Sovereign, each Major-General of the Household Division has previously commanded one of its distinguished regiments, ensuring that centuries of tradition, service, and discipline remain unbroken.

Our 2019 sitting with Major General Benjamin Bathurst CBE of the Welsh Guards took place at Horse Guards, London, within the historic office once occupied by the Duke of Wellington. Seated behind the very desk that once belonged to the “Iron Duke,” Bathurst joined a long line of leaders who have shaped the ceremonial face of Britain’s Armed Forces.

The desk itself dates to the late 18th century, originally commissioned by Frederick, Duke of York, the second son of King George III. The office — once the Courts Martial Room and later the Levee Room — became the working headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in the early 19th century.

To capture a portrait in that setting was to connect living history with its enduring symbols — the continuity of command, duty, and honour that define the British Army.

This portrait now forms part of the Rory Lewis Non-Profit’s military archive, a growing visual record dedicated to preserving the faces and stories of those who serve. Each sitting contributes to our mission: to document leadership, sacrifice, and heritage through fine-art portraiture for future generations.

Portrait of Major General Benjamin Bathurst CBE © Rory Lewis 2019