Gloucester

The fifth-generation Gloucester (グロースター, Gurōsutā) is a remodeled Sutherland focused on close combat. Featuring enhanced hand-to-hand capabilities, the Gloucester is exclusively used by Princess Cornelia's royal guards and is first seen piloted by Gilbert G.P. Guilford and Darlton during the conquest of Area 18. The Gloucester, as a close combat unit, uses a large jousting lance, and to further represent a medieval knight's appearance is occasionally draped in a cape. This weapon incorporates a set of expanding prongs on four sides, allowing it to easily trap and disarm enemy weapons. Combined with the Gloucester's high mobility, the lance is a fearsome weapon, and can be used to penetrate right into an enemy Knightmare's cockpit, killing the pilot and preventing him from escaping via the standard ejection system. Although normal Gloucester models are painted a flat, dull purple, Cornelia's aides sport a more vibrant deep-purple color scheme. The elite Glaston Knights' units are standard-colored except for their shoulders, which are colored blue. The cape on standard-model Gloucesters are a muted dark blue-grey, while those of Guilford, Darlton, and the Glaston Knights are navy-blue.

In addition to standard Sutherland equipment, the Glaston Knights were shown to use a pair of five-barrel missile launchers attached to the sides of their cockpits, along with a sniper rifle (used in season two to nearly destroy Rolo's Vincent, only Lelouch 'saved' him). Guilford's Gloucester has also been equipped with a pair of MVS stored in black scabbards on the sides of the Gloucester's cockpit. In the second season, Gloucester models are seen in larger numbers, and can equip a Float System backpack.

In the Area 18 attack, the Gloucesters moreover were shown equipped with sand panels similar to those used by the Z-01 Lancelot in the Battle of Narita.Following the failure of Zero's Black Rebellion, the Gloucester becomes Britannia's mainline Knightmare, maintaining the same high performance as the ace pilot model that preceded it. With the development of an economical, mass-producible Float system, the Gloucester is given a tactical advantage in Britannia's war with the rebellious Order of the Black Knights