A Queen's Guard is under investigation for allegedly assaulting two new recruits during a sick initiation ritual that occurred just yards from Windsor Castle.

The incident happened on their second day in the Coldstream Guards, wherein the recruits were said to have been abused using a sex toy. A top brass confirmed that authorities arrested a guardsman and he has since been suspended amid the investigation. As for the recruits, it is unclear if they are still with the unit, which is part of the Household Division and based at Victoria Barracks close to Windsor Castle, Berks.

Members of the Queen's Guard are notable for providing ceremonial guards across the royal palaces and are fully operational soldiers. They are charged with keeping watch over the royal residences in the United Kingdom including Buckingham Palace, St James Palace, Windsor Castle, and the Tower of London.

According to The Sun, the arrest comes just months after defence bosses disbanded a Royal Air Force (RAF) unit for the same reason. One of its airmen was allegedly also sexually assaulted with a mortar tube during an initiation.

"The Army is under huge pressure to stamp this sort of behaviour out. The RAF were swift and ruthless in dealing with this sort of behaviour and had the right response," a source said and compared the case with that of the Queen's Guard saying that "the Coldstream Guards is the oldest regiment in the Army" so no one can "get rid them of them overnight."

The unit has certainly been making headlines these past months albeit for the wrong reasons. Just this June it was reported that guardsmen, Kirtland Gill, 40, and Rajon Graham, 32, were charged with firearm offences.

Gill, the most senior enlisted soldier with the Queen's Guard, was "charged with one count of conspiracy to sell or transfer ammunition. He was also charged with one count of possession of a prohibited imitation weapon capable of releasing noxious liquid. Meanwhile, Graham was charged with conspiracy to sell or transfer ammunition and four counts of selling or transferring ammunition." Both are on bail with Gill due to face a court hearing next year.

Queen's Guards
The Queen's Guard, wearing their famous red and black uniforms, stand guard at Buckingham Palace. Getty Images
Queen Elizabeth II