The Hampshire Carabiniers were first raised in 1794, but were disbanded in 1828. The regiment officially dates from 1830, when a corps was raised as "the North Hampshire Yeomanry", in which the Duke of Wellington took considerable interest, and on the occasion of Queen Victoria paying a visit to Strathfieldsaye in 1845, she was escorted by eighty men of the regiment. 
In 1894 the corps was changed from light dragoons (hussars) to carabiniers.
The dark blue uniform, with its distinctive cuff braiding was however retained - although worn with a spiked helmet.