Atholl Highlanders The Atholl Highlanders is a Scottish infantry regiment . Based in Blair Atholl , the regiment is not part of the British Army . Instead , the regiment is in the private employ of the Duke of Atholl , making it the United Kingdom ' s , and indeed Europe ' s , only legal private army . 77th Foot . The name " Atholl Highlanders " dates to the formation of the 77th Regiment of Foot by the 4th Duke in 1777 . The regiment was formed as a relief for other regiments serving in North America , and spent most of its existence in Ireland . The terms upon which the regiment was raised stated that the men were to be employed for either three years or the duration of the war in America . In 1781 , the original three - year term ended , and the men expected the regiment to be disbanded . However , the regiment was transported to England and marched to Portsmouth to be embarked for service in the East Indies . Upon learning of this , the men mutinied , and the embarkation orders were countermanded . The regiment was marched to Berwick , where it disbanded in 1783 . More than 50 years later , in 1839 , the 6th Duke , as Lord Glenlyon , resurrected the regiment as a bodyguard which he took to the Eglinton Tournament at Eglinton Castle , Ayrshire . Three years later , in 1842 , the regiment escorted Queen Victoria during her tour of Perthshire . In 1844 , when the Queen stayed as a guest of the Duke at Blair Castle , the regiment mounted the guard for the entire duration of her stay . In recognition of the service that the regiment provided during her two visits , the Queen announced that she would present the Atholl Highlanders with colours , thus giving the regiment official status . The regiment ' s first stand of colours was presented by Lady Glenlyon on behalf of the Queen in 1845 . It received new colours in 1979 from Mrs David Butter , the wife of the Lord Lieutenant of Perth and Kinross . A third stand of colours was presented in 2006 by the Duchess of Atholl . Under the 7th Duke , the regiment regularly provided guards for royal visitors to Blair Castle ( which was a convenient stopping point on the journey to Balmoral ) . The regiment also attended the Braemar Gathering , while an annual gathering was held in the first week in September in which the regiment paraded , then participated in various trials of strength and stamina . Following the First World War , parades of the regiment became fewer , although it did provide guards when the Crown Prince of Japan and Faisal of Iraq visited Blair Castle in 1921 and 1933 respectively . After 1933 , there was little activity , and it seemed the regiment would disappear into obscurity until , in 1966 , it was reformed by the 10th Duke , who made the decision to revive the regiment ' s annual parade . It was feared that the regiment would be disbanded following his death in 1996 , until his successor wrote to the estate trustees insisting that he would continue his traditional role . Although the regiment has never seen active service , many of its number served with The Scottish Horse , the local yeomanry regiment of Perthshire in the First and Second World Wars . The regiment today . Today , the Atholl Highlanders is a purely ceremonial regiment , of approximately 100 men , including pipes and drums . This regiment has no connection , except the name , with the 77th Foot of 1777 . The regiment wears the tartan of the Clan Murray of Atholl and has as its cap badge the clan crest approved by the Duke , which it wears along with a sprig of juniper , which is the clan ' s plant , and is presented by the Duke on his annual inspection . The regiment is responsible for the defence of Blair Castle , the surrounding estate and its inhabitants , but in practice usually only parades twice a year at the regiment ' s annual inspection when the present Duke comes from his home in South Africa to inspect his men , and the Atholl Gathering Highland Games , which is hosted by the Duke , on the last weekend in May . However , there are certain other occasions when the Duke permits the regiment to parade , such as royal visits to Blair Castle ( when the regiment would serve as the guard ) , or on tours overseas . A notable instance occurred during the Year of Homecoming in 2009 , when all of Scotland ' s clans took part in a parade in Edinburgh . This was the first time that the regiment had paraded in the Scottish capital in nearly 30 years . The regiment is usually stood down between January and May of each year , depending on whether new recruits are invited to join . Normally , the regiment ' s training starts at the beginning of May , in preparation for the Atholl Gathering at the end of the month ; however , if new recruits join , they must gain a standard of foot and arms drill before being permitted to parade with the rest of the regiment , which they practise between January and March . The regiment ' s officers are usually lairds from the areas around Blair Atholl , while other ranks are men with connections either to the local area or to the Duke ' s estate . Membership of the regiment is by the personal invitation of the Duke . Both the present Duke and his heir apparent , the Marquess of Tullibardine , were commissioned by the 11th Duke into the regiment . The regiment carries Lee - Metford rifles on parade . Atholl Highlanders Pipes and Drums USA . The Atholl Highlanders Pipes and Drums USA is a pipe band resident in Stone Mountain , Georgia . This was formed in 1981 , and was granted permission by the 10th Duke to wear the Murray of Atholl tartan and to be his " Unit in the Colonies " . The band has no official connection beyond this to the Atholl Highlanders . The Atholl Highlanders USA has the distinction of being the first pipe band to play at the Super Bowl , when it appeared at Super Bowl XXXIV . Ranks . Known ranks in the regiment :