King's Scout
The Queen's Scout or King's Scout Award is the highest youth award achievable in the scouting movement in several countries. It is awarded in realms of the Commonwealth, including the United Kingdom and Australia, where the Scouts operate under the ceremonial leadership of the British monarch.
The Queen's Scout Award is actually conferred by the monarch via Royal Warrant; you are not awarded the Queen's Scout Award, rather you become one. The requirements are different in each country but typically involve achieving challenges from several areas such as community involvement, adventurous activities, personal growth and leadership development. Whether the award is a Queen's or King's Scout Award depends on who is the current British monarch.
In 1909, King Edward VII granted the award of the King's Scout Badge as the highest achievement award for Boy Scouts on the recommendation of Lord Robert Baden-Powell of Gilwell, the Movement Founder and Chief Scout of the World. After the establishment of the Senior Scout section in 1946, the King's Scout Badge was no longer allowed to be attained by the Boy Scouts section and became a sole privilege of the Senior Scouts (or Boy Scouts over 15). After Queen Elizabeth II succeeded the throne from her father King George VI in 1952, the badge was renamed the Queen's Scout Badge in 1953, and became the Queen's Scout Award in 1968. Prior to 1968, a Rover Scout who had gained the Queen's Scout Badge was allowed to wear a miniature replica of the badge on his left arm sleeve before he gained the Baden-Powell's Award.
United Kingdom
The Queen's Scout Award in the United Kingdom is achieved by completing the following requirements through The Scout Association:
- Be a member of Explorer Scouts or the Scout Network or both for at least 18 months.
- Complete 18 nights away as an Explorer Scout or member of the Scout Network, of which 12 must be camping.
- Complete two activities from a list of International, Environment and Values activities.
- Hold the Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award, or complete the five Queen's Scout Award Challenges, which are:
- Take up a Skill for 6 or 12 months, and show progress and lasting interest.
- Take up a Physical Activity for 6 or 12 months.
- Provide Service to an individual or the community for 12 months.
- Plan, complete and review a four day and three night expedition in open or adventurous country by foot, cycle, horse, canoe, boat or dinghy.
- Complete a five day and four night residential project in an unfamiliar environment with people who are not known.
- Following completion of the first four elements of the Award, make a presentation, to a suitable audience, of your achievements so far in working towards the Queen's Scout Award.
All Members should complete twelve months of either the Physical Activity or the Skill.
Explorer Scouts and members of the Scout Network who are not holders of the Duke of Edinburgh's Silver Award or the Chief Scout's Diamond Award must complete an extra six months in either the Service or the longer of the Skills or Physical Recreation Challenge.
The Queen's Scout Award is harder to gain than the Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award. Queen's Scouts are entitled to attend one Queen's Scout Parade held at Windsor Castle each year held on the Sunday after St Georges Day; this is the only time when scouts officially march.