1. identifying the regiment
There are five regiments who you will usually see on display during the ceremony. The easiest way to identify the regiment is by the colour of the soldier’s plume, although you can also identify them by observing the arrangement of buttons on their tunics and symbol on their collar. Our personal favourite is the Welsh Guard who have a symbol of a leak on their collar, and their plume is white and green to represent the national vegetable of Wales!
2. Official Mascots of the British Army
If you are lucky you may see an official mascot during the ceremony. The Irish Guard have a wolf hound named Seamus, while occasionally when guest regiments have the honour of featuring in the ceremony, other mascots can be seen. The Royal Regiment of Scotland have a Shetland pony called Cruachan (as seen above), and our favourite has to be the Mercian Regiment’s Ram who is a Private in the army!
3. Changing the Guard Music
The music played by the regimental band at Buckingham Palace is chosen by the Captain of the Guard from a list presented to him by the Director of Music. Often the piece chosen will reflect the regiment, so for instance the Band of the Welsh Guard have been known to play music by Welsh musicians like Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey! Often the choice reflects a moment in history – Respect was played on the day of Aretha Franklin’s funeral, while May 4th tends to feature a Star Wars medley…
Image above – Gherkas from Nepal on duty in 2019
4. The uniforms.
You might be wondering why soldiers wear red tunics? Contrary to some rumours its not so that blood doesn’t appear to the enemy when shot! In 1645 when the New Model Army was formed a cheap form of dye was used to ensure all uniforms were of a similar colour. Naturally over time the uniforms faded and weren’t as bright on the battlefield. Warfare was of a different order then, with more orchestrated battles where the enemy could easily be identified. Red was interestingly useful as units naturally blend together wearing this colour, making it difficult to estimate numbers.
5. Who is in charge?
The Royal Family sits at the top of the British Army. As of March 2022, Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of the Armed Forces, while her son Prince Charles is not only Colonel of the Welsh Guard, but also Field Marshal, Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the Royal Air Force! Until there are changes at the top of the family, Prince William must settle for being Colonel of the Irish Guard. Each year the Queen inspects her troops on her official birthday in June – in an occasion called ‘Trooping the Colour’.
Learn more about this ceremony and enjoy the event in the company of award winning guides by booking onto our acclaimed changing the guard tour!
Five years ago almost to the day I ventured up to the gates of Buckingham Palace equipped with a camera, headphones and collapsable chair and witnessed the changing guard ceremony in the way that the majority of tourists see it.
Watching it in this manner was so bad that I vowed I would never do it again. Crushed, squished, cold, bored and frustrated I told everyone who would listen that they would be much better off coming on my walking tour than seeing it in this manner.
So when my friend and fellow tour guide Angus suggested making a video of what it’s like to stand at the gates to see the ceremony I initially thought ‘no way!’ But Angus being a convincing fellow, he persuaded me, and sure enough once again I ventured out to go through the pain so that all of you reading and watching this don’t have to…
This is our story!
Post Date: Saturday 16th November 2013
Author: Matt Gedge
Our most popular walking tour of London is undoubtedly the Changing the Guard Tour. Fun London Tours groups get to witness a ceremony with universal appeal, and see an iconic display of ‘Britishness’ which draws crowds from across the globe.
The two hours wizz by, and aside from my historical – and obviously incredibly entertaining – commentary, we are all enthralled by the dazzling display of colour and music as we march through Royal London.
Unfortunately, many tourists are not aware or indifferent to guided tours and so decide to experience the Guard Change by finding a place outside the gates of Buckingham Palace an hour before the ceremony (or two hours in the summer), and simply wait. If you happen to observe their expressions or overhear their comments you’ll realise that a large number of these people go away from the event disappointed.
I hadn’t experienced the ceremony like this since I was a child, so to have empathy with what the ceremony is like outside of a guided tour, I decided to take a day off, wrap up warm and take my camera over to join the crowds at Buckingham Palace.
I arrived just after 10am, fortunately found a place by the railings, got my portable seat out and started chatting to the people nearby. One couple came from Calcutta and another had travelled from Argentina. On my other side someone had brought their suitcases to sit on. The early morning sun was shining, and combined with the lack of crowds (mid-November is one of the quietest times for tourism in London), I was pretty happy with my lot.
As time ticked by, the crowds swelled. The wind had started to whip up, feeling quite bitter. I put my scarf on. After an hour or so, the Old Guard assembled on far side of the courtyard of Buckingham Palace for an inspection. As the crowd pushed forward, I tried to squeeze my head through the bars to get a better view but couldn’t see much.
At around 11.15 I heard the faint noise of drums and pipes from the Mall. Stuck against the railings with a few hundred people and the giant Victoria Memorial between me and the band, I had a feeling of detachment from the action. As the guards got closer I saw absolutely nothing until they appeared on the Palace courtyard. There was a palpable sense of excitement around me. “What will happen next?” seemed to be the collective question. Well, nothing really happened. The members of the just arrived Old Guard and their accompanying Corp of Drums stood at ease while three soldiers – one carrying the regimental colour (flag)- marched from the gate to the Palace and back again. For 15 minutes. I heard grumbles of “This is boring!” and “It’s like watching animals in the zoo!”
By this point I was really feeling the biting cold. Standing still for an hour and a half isn’t much fun. And any warmth created by the huddle of tourists was being countered by the discomfort in my back and legs as I was squashed against the railings. The Indian couple left. More people surged into their vacated position.
After quarter of an hour of clock watching we heard a band approaching. It was quite disorientating as the noise seemed to be coming from all directions, taken by the wind and perhaps bouncing off the Palace. Despite the fact the New Guard (who had come from Wellington Barracks) passed less than 15 feet from me, I could barely see the tops of their bearskins above the hundreds of heads and scores of outstretched hands holding cameras.
Once the New Guard entered the courtyard of Buckingham Palace finally I had a good view of proceedings. As the band ceased playing, we witnessed lots of shuffling of feet, indecipherable shouts to attention and marching around, most of which must have been utterly confusing for the casual spectator.
Ten minutes later some of the New Guard exited (the First Relief), and we were left observing the Old Guard facing the New Guard, motionless, for about twenty five minutes.
In all honesty, this wasn’t a fantastic spectacle! As more cold and disappointed people left, finally I had space to shake my feet about and try to stop the numbness getting a grip. Fortunately the band of the Coldstream Guard were getting ready to play some music to entertain us. To their credit they played some great stuff, with the crowd’s spirits being lifted by a series of Abba tunes to dance along to (if there was space).
After around 15 minutes the Ceremonial Band had packed away their stands and joined the Old Guard as they left the courtyard, leaving the remaining members of the New Guard to take their position in the Palace.
And that was it!
After over two hours of standing still I was rather glad to extricate myself from the area and head to a local café for a cup of tea to thaw out.
The whole experience of seeing the Changing the Guard from this perspective was worth doing as an experiment, yet absolutely something I will not do again. Considering this was November, where crowds are thin, I can only imagine how suffocating the experience would be over Christmas, Easter or throughout the summer.The sense of grandeur which resonates through the ceremony is largely lost when in the ‘prime position’ at Buckingham Palace, and one is always too far from the action to really make sense of it. The key moments where the senior officer of the Old Guard shakes left hands with the senior officer of the New Guard, has a chat and proceeds into the Palace is so quick and distant that if you looked away for a minute you’d miss it, while the individual Guard Change requires a zoom lens to adequately photograph.
Through this experience I can understand why many Londoners give the ceremony a wide birth; it takes a lot of convincing to encourage someone who lives here to appreciate that the Guard Change is something which really can be fun and entertaining.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why you should come along on our Changing the Guard Tour!
If you want to watch a video journal of my second visit to the gates of Buckingham Palace, check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzBxMjzFJbc&t=3s
Post Date: Friday 17th May 2013
Author: Matt Gedge
Sarah McCabe, a Canadian friend of mine (and London historian) who came on the tour kindly dug these wonderful pictures out from her father’s visit to Buckingham Palace in 1962. What really struck me was the formal clothes worn by the tourists – no jeans or tracksuits then!
Enjoy…
And just for kicks, here’s a great picture of Piccadilly Circus from the same trip!
Post Date: Friday 22nd March 2013
Author: Matt Gedge
Sometimes finding out what exactly is going on with the Queen’s Guard is pretty difficult. Last summer during the Olympics I had to walk the entire route of the Changing the Guard Tour in reverse every day before starting just to see if any roads had been blocked off, and even now I’ll regularly speak to the police on duty at the Royal Palaces to see if they have an inside tip to the movements of the Foot Guards, Horse Guards and Royal Family.
During my Changing the Guard Tour on Tuesday we were fortunate enough to see both regiments of the Household Cavalry coming down the Mall together. Now, this isn’t a regular occurrence!
It took me a while of rooting around to discover what was happening, but finally I discovered it was a rehearsal for the Major General’s Inspection of the Household Cavalry which was taking place on Horse Guards Parade rather than the waterlogged Hyde Park.
And digging further, I discovered that the full Inspection was to take place three days later at 9.45am.
Of course this morning I went down to see the pomp and circumstance, got chatting to a couple whose son was involved in the action, and took some incredible pictures. I would say that aside from a few military enthusiasts and the odd bemused tourist, the majority of the tiny crowd of around 60 or 70 were comprised of family members of the Guards.
It was an event which was a privilege to behold. Members of the Mounted Guard standing in formation awaiting inspection by the Major General, and then parading around the stunning Horse Guards Parade. I could not help but be awe struck by the history, power, honour and pageantry at play just yards away.
Afterwards I walked alongside the horses to the other end of the Mall at Buckingham Palace to see the usual throng of thousands of people waiting for a Guard Change that wasn’t going to happen. (For nine months of the year it takes place once every two days).
If only they knew what was happening a ten minute walk away!
Unfortunately events like these aren’t particularly well publicised, but of course, if you stay in touch I will endeavour to let you know of any upcoming occasions of interest….
Author: Matt Gedge
Post Date: Thursday 14th March 2013
Changing the Queen’s Life Guard
At 11am Monday to Saturday and 10am Sundays, a glorious ceremony takes place on Horse Guards Parade. Resplendent in their uniforms, the Queen’s Life Guard and Blues & Royals go through the daily rituals of a ceremony which has its roots in the 17th century.
At the other end of the Mall tens of thousands of tourists jostle for position to see the top of a bearskin, but those tourists who have dared to be different are rewarded with a sight every bit as colourful and historic, but in a setting which is beyond surpass.
As a tour guide I am always struck by the magnificence of the occasion. But what really makes my heart skip a beat is the opportunity to get within touching distance of the horses as they go by. Tourists seem genuinely amazed as to how close they are to the action, but many seem totally perplexed as to what is going on or why it is happening.
While the two regiments face each other, I give the group insights into the guards, horses and uniforms while evoking images of the pageantry this parade ground has witnessed throughout the centuries.
Look at the detail of the uniforms and buildings, and they reveal incredible stories of a truly remarkable history – of a King who hid in an oak tree, of a Duke who carried a crust of bread and hard-boiled egg onto the battle field, and the supposed origins of the ‘Punishment Parade’.
So although visitors to London are understandably keen to see the Changing the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace, I would absolutely recommend avoiding the crowds and taking a couple of hours to come on an Essential London Tour!
Author: Matt Gedge
Post Date: Wednesday 20th February 2013
Going on a Changing the Guard Guided Tour – Welcome to one of the most famous ceremonies in the world. Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace is known the world over, and accordingly millions of people flock to the gates of the palace each year for a glimpse of the iconic red tunics and bearskins, and to be uplifted by the marching band.
It is a truly spectacular sight.
As a tour guide, despite the fact I show people this event every week, it remains an absolute joy to behold. My heart still pumps in unison with the steps of the guards, while the fervoured anticipation of the masses of tourists keeps a big smile on my face.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of people miss the majority of the ceremony. There are no clear indications of where the guards stand, where they are marching from and to, and why. So what happens is that good photographs are taken by chance; hundreds of people race from one place to another as rumours that the guards are approaching spread through the crowd. Some extremely patient tourists arrive at the front gates an hour early, planting their feet firmly to ensure what they consider will be the best view.
As a consequence, a huge number of people leave the ceremony feeling rather underwhelmed. ‘Was that it?’
I can understand their frustration – standing like sardines in a can for a couple of hours only to find your view blocked by a thousand other people may not seem like your idea of fun.
But that’s entirely why I provide a tour which ensures the tourist sees the highlights of the Guard Change. I explain who the guards are, what they are doing, which buildings they are protecting, and most importantly, give an energetic tour which is just great fun. We don’t stand waiting at Buckingham Palace desperately hoping a guard will walk past. Instead, we march with the band, see the Guard Change in its entirety, leave with an understanding about what just happened, and have an absolutely brilliant time!
So, as far as I’m concerned, this is the only way I would recommend anyone to see the Guard Change, so hopefully I’ll see you on one of my tours!
