A landmark in history was made when the first Cadet Platoon of Ceylon was formed at the Royal College in 1881 by Mr. John B. Cull, the principal at the time. The purpose was to discipline the students through drilling. While digging into its past, it was found that the contingent is profound with a colourful history and its first volunteer camp at Diyathalawa in 1903 is only the beginning. As the interest in rifle shooting was intense, Morgan De Saram offered a trophy to be won for the best shot in the contingent. Cadet E. Bevan goes down in history as the first to win this trophy and this was followed by many years of Royal Cadets winning trophies.

A Senior Cadet at Royal should possess a high degree of physical and mental fitness at all times. He should be a smart energetic person, should be highly disciplined, should be vigilant and should also have the ability to cook and render first aid. He should be a house manager, marksman, map reader, field craftsman, an athlete of a composite nature who is a high jumper, long jumper, shot putter, marathoner, a commander, a leader, an actor, a singer or a dancer and at last a budding soldier. In addition to these qualities the officer should possess much more ability and only twenty-five of such cadets headed by such an officer can face the Herman Loos competition.