By Rory Lewis Non-Profit | Preserving Military Heritage Through Portraiture
Introduction
Across centuries, the office of the Major-General Commanding the Household Division has stood as a symbol of continuity — a living thread between the soldiers of Wellington’s day and those who march today on the Horse Guards Parade. In my ongoing work documenting the custodians of Britain’s military heritage, I have had the rare honour of photographing the last three commanders to hold this appointment — Lieutenant General Sir Ben Bathurst, Major General Sir Chris Ghika, and Major General James Bowder — each seated behind the same piece of furniture that once belonged to the Duke of Wellington himself.
Through the lens of history and portraiture, these images form a study not merely of leadership, but of lineage — a visual thesis on duty, tradition, and time.
The Desk of Wellington
The mahogany partners’ desk featured in these portraits was originally commissioned in the late 1700s for Prince Frederick, Duke of York, the first Commander-in-Chief of the British Army. Its Sheraton-style design — graceful, balanced, and formidable — was later inherited by Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, who used it during his tenure as Commander-in-Chief from 1827 onward.
From this desk, orders were signed for state ceremonies and field operations alike; its curved form echoes the discipline and elegance of the institution it served. Today, it remains in situ within the Horse Guards office overlooking the parade ground — still in active use by the Major-General commanding the Household Division, who oversees all ceremonial state occasions in London, including the Trooping the Colour and the State Opening of Parliament.
To photograph these modern leaders at Wellington’s desk is to capture a moment where history and service intersect — where the echoes of the past still whisper through polished wood and brass.
Lieutenant General Sir Ben Bathurst KCVO CBE
Governor of Gibraltar | Major-General Commanding Household Division (2016–2019)
Lieutenant General Sir Ben Bathurst KCVO CBE
Educated at Eton and the University of Bristol, Sir Ben Bathurst’s career spans over four decades of British Army leadership, from commanding the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards to serving as UK Military Representative to NATO and now Governor of Gibraltar. His portrait captures an aura of measured authority — a commander whose intellect and composure define a modern military statesman.
Photographed in the precise symmetry of the Horse Guards office, Bathurst appears as both guardian and scholar of the institution he once led — his presence echoing the composed power of Wellington’s legacy.
Major General Sir Chris Ghika KCVO CBE
Major-General Commanding Household Division (2019–2023)
Major General Sir Chris Ghika KCVO CBE
A descendant of the Ghica dynasty of Moldavia, Sir Chris Ghika embodies centuries of military heritage woven into a contemporary career of global service. Having served as Deputy Commander of the U.S.-led Coalition against ISIS and later as the officer responsible for Queen Elizabeth II’s State Funeral and the Coronation processions of King Charles III, his career bridges warfare and ceremonial duty.
In his portrait, Ghika’s gaze is resolute yet introspective — a study in composure and devotion. The light falls softly across his uniform and the white plumes resting beside him, signifying both honour and burden. The composition recalls a Caravaggio painting — sculpting dignity out of quiet restraint.
Major General James Bowder OBE
Major-General Commanding Household Division (2023–Present)
Major General James Bowder OBE
The current incumbent, Major General Bowder commands both the Household Division and London District, responsible for every state ceremony in the capital. A Grenadier Guards officer and former commander of the 6th (UK) Division, Bowder is regarded as a strategic moderniser within the Army — balancing heritage with innovation.
At Wellington’s desk, his portrait reflects continuity and confidence. The decorum of the setting — mahogany wood, inkstand, and light filtered through centuries of service — frames him as the latest custodian of an unbroken line of command stretching back to the Crimean War.
A Living Chain of Command
Since 1856, the appointment of Major-General Commanding the Household Division has served as the Sovereign’s direct link to the Army within London — its leaders responsible for ceremonial precision and public duty. The office itself, once occupied by Field Marshals and Dukes, has become a place of continuity, where the rituals of Empire and modern democracy intertwine.
These portraits — created under the auspices of the Rory Lewis Non-Profit — preserve that living chain of command. They are not merely portraits of men, but testaments to an institution that endures through duty, ceremony, and sacrifice. In each successive image, Wellington’s desk anchors the composition, serving as both artifact and altar — a reminder that while faces change, the values of service remain.
Preserving Tradition Through Portraiture
Through my non-profit work, these portraits form part of a broader mission — to document, educate, and preserve the visual record of military heritage for future generations. The images of Bathurst, Ghika, and Bowder will join our growing archive of senior commanders and uniformed service personnel — a living museum of duty and identity in the 21st century.
As Field Marshal Lord Richards once remarked:
“Rory Lewis’s outstanding military portraiture captures the essence of service and history itself.”