In London, every tourist dreams of seeing the ceremony of changing the guard of honor. But first you need to know the schedule, because it changes depending on the season: in the summer, the ceremony with the participation of musicians takes place daily, and the rest of the time every other day. The schedule can be found on The Household Division website, where you can also read about the history of the royal guard.
The British Guards Division consists of seven regiments - two mounted and five foot.
HORSE SHELVES
The horse guards are dressed in blue or red uniforms, golden cuirasses and helmets with a plume.
Life Guards(1660) - the Life Guards wear red uniforms, helmets with a white plume.
Blues and Royals(1969) - The "Blue and Royal" regiment was created by combining two cavalry regiments created in 1661: the Royal Horse Guards ("Blue Guard") and the Royal Dragoons. The guards are dressed in blue uniforms, helmets with a red plume.
Horse Guards can be seen on Whitehall Street. To the right and left of the gates of the barracks there are stone booths, and in each of them a horse guard is on duty. Here, by the red uniform, we can determine that this is the Life Guards:
GROOMS
Royal foot soldiers in red uniforms and bearskin hats have long been a symbol of London. Tourists willingly take pictures next to the soldiers and do not even notice that their uniforms are different. If an infantryman has an ordinary black hat, then this is a Scot. And the soldiers of other regiments have a colored feather on their hats. A sign of distinction is also the location of the buttons on the uniform: they are sewn at a certain distance from each other.
Grenadier Guards(1656) - the grenadiers have a white feather on the cap on the left side, the buttons on the uniform are located at the same distance from each other.
Scots Guards(1642) - the Scots do not have a feather on their hat, the buttons are arranged in three pieces.
Welsh Guards(1915) - the guardsmen from Wales wear a white-green-white plume on the cap on the left side, there are five buttons on the uniform.
Irish Guards(1900) - the Irish have a blue feather on the cap on the right side (originally blue was considered the color of St. Patrick, although green is now used during the celebration of St. Patrick's Day), the buttons on the uniform are four pieces.
Coldstream Guards(1650) - the guards from Coldstream (Coldstream is a city in Scotland) have a red feather on the right side, the buttons on the uniform are located in two pieces.
Well, we learned something new - and now we can go to the changing of the guard ceremony. Where shall we go? The Royal Guards can be seen in the Tower and Windsor Castle - but we will go with you to Buckingham Palace. It is here, in the city center, that all tourists gather:
So, having checked the schedule, I went on September 8 to Buckingham Palace in order to get a convenient place in advance. The ceremony was scheduled for 11-30, but already half an hour before the start, a crowd had gathered there. The Buckingham Palace fence has three large gates, I stood near the central ones:
Most of the tourists are located at the foot of the monument to Queen Victoria, which is located opposite Buckingham Palace. But I couldn't get in there anymore - the police had put up metal barriers.
Through the bars, I saw a small detachment of guardsmen enter the parade ground in front of Buckingham Palace and conduct a changing of the guard ceremony. Of course, in our understanding it was strange. We are used to the fact that the military gives commands with a powerful, strong-willed voice. Convincingly so! And the commanders of the London guards emit heart-rending cries. It was as if a young lieutenant led the soldiers to the parade ground, but they did not obey him - and he suddenly yelled: “Come on, stay calm! Quietly, yokarny babay! All two outfits out of turn!” I did not understand what he was shouting, but the impression was just that.
After a while, somewhere in the distance, a military march began to play - it was a military band approaching Buckingham Palace along Mell Street. And then another one followed. The musicians walked past the monument to Queen Victoria and entered the courtyard of Buckingham Palace. Here I realized my mistake. I stood at the central gate - but it turned out that the orchestra and the guardsmen were going through the other gates, which are located on the right side. Lucky for those tourists who took a place on the right!
These are the guardsmen from Wales - they have a white plume on their hats, tied with a green ribbon. The commander's plume is larger than that of the soldiers. Guardsmen carry machine guns with attached bayonets:
And these are the musicians from Coldstream (with a red feather on their cap) and from Ireland (with a blue feather):
The concert lasted long enough. Then the crowd began to disperse. But then another detachment of military musicians passed along the street. Their bearing, frankly, is not Kremlin! But they were very cute!
The luxurious Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace is one of the must-see attractions for tourists in London. It is held very often - every day or every other day, but each time it gathers a huge number of people: sometimes not only foreign tourists or guests from other cities in the UK come to watch the fascinating action, but also local residents.
The first changing of the guard ceremony was held in 1660, when the royal palaces began to be guarded by special guards belonging to the royal court. The tradition of changing the guard at Buckingham Palace began in 1837, when it became the residence of Queen Victoria. Since then, the ceremony has hardly changed - the same bright red uniform of the guardsmen, attracting attention with high fur hats, the same precise actions, just colorful and spectacular.
The ceremony is accompanied by the Guards Orchestra, which performs various works. Sometimes it is a common military march characteristic of such actions. And sometimes something more unexpected: a popular contemporary song or folk music. Music does not affect the ceremony, all actions are carefully rehearsed and are always carried out in the same order.
Today, Buckingham Palace is guarded by guardsmen selected from five regiments of the British army: Scottish, Irish, Welsh, Coldstream and Grenadiers. The meaning of the ceremony is the replacement of the old guard with a new one. The spectacle is held in the square in front of the main entrance to Buckingham Palace. You can get to the royal residence by tube, get off at Victoria, St. James Park or Green Park stations - in any case, it’s not far to go.
The ceremony is held from April to July every day, and in other months every other day. In January, February and March 2017, this event will take place on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The changing of the guard starts at 11.30, but if you arrive by this time, you will miss the fun. All the best places are usually already occupied, the spectacle on the platform in front of the palace will be difficult to see - perhaps you will see only the part that passes outside the fence. So it is advisable to arrive at least half an hour in advance and take a suitable place for viewing. Ideal - at the very fence or at the monument to Queen Victoria, where there is an elevation: everything is clearly visible from it.
You can follow the exact timetable for the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace on the British Monarchy website. But remember that during heavy rain the ceremony is canceled - and such weather is not uncommon during the autumn or winter months in London.
Photo: voices.nationalgeographic.com
The guardsmen have been guarding the British monarchs for many centuries - ever since the time when they fought shoulder to shoulder with them. Today they protect royal residences and are considered a symbol of the United Kingdom. How the guards are on guard, what they are forbidden to do during the service and who can join their ranks - the portal "ZagraNitsa" learned all the most interesting about the Royal Guard of Great Britain
The Royal Guard is the protection of the royal family, which is subordinate to the Ministry of Defense. It consists of five infantry regiments and two cavalry. Foot guards wear red uniforms and black caps. The regiments can be distinguished by the location of the buttons on the clothes and the color of the cockade on the hat (the Scottish regiments do not have it at all).
Photo: usmagazine.com 2 Around the clock, infantry guards guard other royal residences, as well as the repository of royal regalia in. Horse guards are on guard only in the daytime. Moreover, every hour the soldiers replace each other, since the horse cannot stand still for more than an hour.
Photo: shutterstock 3 The most distinctive item of the Guards uniform is the black bearskin cap. In recent years, animal rights activists have been organizing actions to reach out to the government so that the bear fur is replaced with faux fur. The design of the caps was even going to be developed by British couturier Stella McCartney, but in favor of natural fur, the government argues that, unlike faux fur, it does not deteriorate in any weather. Animal rights activists constantly draw attention to this problem, but so far the authorities have not agreed to redesign the uniform.
Photo: photostockgallery.com
The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace takes place from April to July daily at 11:30, in other months - every other day.
Photo: shutterstock 5 
Photo: alfa-img.com 9 During the service, the soldiers of the royal guard do not even have the right to enter into dialogue with each other. Because of the warm uniform, and especially the hat, which weighs about three kilograms, the guardsmen often lose consciousness. In such cases, they cannot even help their fellow soldiers, since it is the duty of the soldiers to stand still.
Photo: facepunch.com 10 Only the best soldiers of the British Army can become a Guardsman. Such service is contractual, but the soldiers receive modest money for it - from 800 pounds per month, depending on the length of service.
Acquired a lot of interesting traditions. And perhaps the most beautiful among them are the Changing of the Guard ceremonies. This most beautiful theatrical performance can be observed not only at Buckingham Palace (although this ceremony is most often shown on TV), but also in several other places in London. To see this spectacle, you only need to know where and when it will happen. There is no need to pay money for seeing the ancient ritual, as well as for many other things in London. The main thing is to arrive early and get the best seats.
The history of all types of changing of the guard begins in 1660. This year marks the beginning of the tradition that only the guards of the royal court guard the palaces of the British monarchs. The first protected building was Whitehall Palace, where the Royal Horse Guards served. In 1689, the court, along with the guards and the ritual of the changing of the guard, moved to St. James's Palace. And when, in 1837, Queen Victoria chose the neighboring Buckingham Palace as the site of the royal residence, the guards began to guard it. And it does this to this day, showing tourists the most beautiful ritual of the changing of the guard in the UK.
The essence of the colorful changing of the guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace, thanks to the bright red uniforms and high bear caps of the foot guards, is to replace the old guard with a new one. The ceremony lasts 45 minutes. The action itself takes place to the sounds of the orchestra, so you are guaranteed a lot of impressions.
From the experience of tourists, we can say that the best places are either right at the fence or not far from the Victoria Memorial. The changing of the guard always starts at 11:30. Although there is another option: go not to Buckingham Palace, but to St. James's Palace (it's not far, it's enough to cross St. barracks of the changed guards) ceremony. In the summer the changing of the guard ceremony takes place every day, in the winter months every other day. The nearest metro stations are Victoria, St James`s Park and Green Park.
If the above action is just a very beautiful changing of the guard, then the Horse Guards Parade (Horse Guards Parade) is also a chance to see the British Queen, who sometimes leads the ceremony. This equally colorful spectacle lasts 25 minutes, during which the horse guards march through Hyde Park and Constitution Hill Street. The ceremony takes place daily and starts at 10.00, on Sunday at 11.00. The nearest tube stations are Embankment, Charing Cross and Westminster.
Another place where you can watch the colorful changing of the guard is Windsor Castle. It is 35 kilometers from London, so you need to get there by train from the Paddington station. The changing of the guard takes place daily in summer (from April to August), and on odd days in winter, but always at 11.00. When the Queen stops at Windsor Castle (the castle is one of the royal residences), the changing of the guard ceremony is accompanied by the music of a military band.
Also in London there is another tradition not directly related to the Queen, but very attractive for tourists - the Ceremony of the Keys. For 700 years in a row, every night the head jailer of the Tower of London, better known as a beefeater, has performed the rite of locking the gates of the Tower. All gates must be locked at exactly 21:53. After that, the staff trumpeter of the Tower blows the all-clear and the ceremony ends. To see this ceremony, you need to pre-register 6-8 weeks in advance, as the number of participants is limited. If everything went well, and you have a document confirming your participation in the ceremony, then no later than 21.30 you should arrive at the western gate of the Tower (the nearest metro station is Tower Hill).
These are not all such ceremonies that can be seen in London. There is also the opening ceremony of the next session of the Parliament, the Lord Mayor's parade, in which up to 6,000 people dressed in medieval costumes participate, and much more. They just happen irregularly, only once or several times a year.
On Friday, we went with friends to Buckingham Palace to watch a theatrical performance that the British monarchy generously gives to tourists. The changing of the guard takes place according to the new schedule: Monday-Wednesday-Friday-Sunday. From June, the Queen's Guards will most likely switch to a daily schedule, so keep an eye out for announcements on the official website. The time has now also changed, starting at 11:00 instead of noon.
Mall on holidays.
On April 20, there was a record heat, the thermometer reached +29 degrees. Someone in the crowd opposite, near the Canada Gate, opened their umbrellas, but they block the view and, given the popularity of the event, it is better to grab a cap in the summer. The day before, representatives of the Commonwealth of Nations gathered in London for the #CHOGM2018 forum to discuss business, civil society and succession issues. The Queen is the head of all states of the Commonwealth, so the red-carpeted Mall was festively decorated with the flags of 53 countries.
View of the Mall from the Palace
Where is the best place to take a seat?
We arrived at 10:20 and chose the outer circle. Near the right entrance, if you look at the palace, i.e. closer to Green Park. For the overall impression, to be honest, there is not much difference which side to choose. The foot guards and the orchestra are marching everywhere, they will enter through one gate and exit through another. However, if you are interested in the details of the colorful ceremony, if you want to see the guardsmen, the orchestra, and the horse guards, you need to choose a place wisely.
Another important point is the position of the sun for those who shoot professionally, which will become apparent on the spot if you are lucky with good weather. With kids, it is better to come to the end of the ceremony or stand in the distance, from St. James's Park. Near the Victoria Memorial it will be more convenient for spectators in wheelchairs to accommodate, they are even allowed to pass through the fence, as seen in the photos below. However, to get here you should arrive a few hours before the start.
Having said all this, I note that there are moments that cannot be predicted. We stood far from the soldiers and opposite the sun, but we were lucky in another way. We saw, surprisingly close, the royal escort leaving the palace at low speed. Two cars, one is Elizabeth II, waving her hand at us, the other is a family member, it seems, Sophie's daughter-in-law, wife of her youngest son, Prince Edward. The youth standing nearby simply squealed with delight. Yes, and we, like mouths, forgot about the camera. Returning to events now, something unusual could be suspected. Patrol cars circled Constitution Hill several times, motorcyclists flashed only from our side and there was a slight hitch with the start.
Buckingham Palace in the morning
Changing of the guard: spectators.
With increased security around the royal palace, the changing of the guard is becoming a stressful event. Many barriers and barriers have now been erected. The foot police divide the spectators into groups, close and open temporary passages between the “islands”. Bicycle regulates the Mall - the street connecting Buckingham Palace with Trafalgar Square. The cavalry bypasses the area several times and, if something goes wrong, they are the most mobile.
Do not be alarmed, the British police outside the palace gates are unarmed, but demanding, keeping order. They shout directions to the assembled tourists so loudly that a microphone is not required. Today we were convincingly reminded to keep an eye on the bags, they say thieves are working, and they also introduced traffic bans by voice.
The changing of the guard attracts a lot of attention from tourists; in summer, the square and adjacent streets are extremely crowded. Keep in mind that in Britain it is not customary to push in lines. Comments that come across on the Internet that, if you are late for the ceremony, you can “break through” into the crowd, to the first circle of spectators, working with your elbows, look wild. Some useful local etiquette tips
Queen's Guards: Foot Guard & Life Guard.
Ceremonial functions are provided by five foot regiments in red camisoles and black caps. They have the names: Grenadier Guards (Grenadier Guards), Coldstream (Coldstream Guards), Scottish (Scots Guards), Irish (Irish Guards) and Welsh (Welsh Guards). The shelves differ in the number of buttons, shoulder straps, color and location of the plume. Only the Scots Guards do not have a feather edge in their headdress, the rest have white, red, blue and green. The first guards trace their history back to 1656, guarding the heir to the throne, who became King Charles II (Charles II) after the restoration of the monarchy in England.
At the post in front of Buckingham Palace, the guards are on duty 24 or 48 hours, with a schedule of two hours on guard and four hours at rest. Guardsmen are placed in Wellington barracks. Another part of the royal troops, the Queen's Life Guards, is located in the barracks near Hyde Park.
Bear hats: Bearskin Hats.
The ceremonial headdress of the British Guards is called “a bearskin”, 45.72 cm high and 453 g in weight.
Such hats came into use in 1815 after the Battle of Waterloo. C made from the skins of a North American bear, more precisely a Canadian baribal. Their population in Canada is 500,000 individuals. According to business practice, the Canadian government issues a license to the public to shoot animals annually, drawing sharp criticism from conservation organizations.
In response to a public inquiry initiated by Parliament on the purchase of hats, the UK Department of Defense reported the following figures: in 2015, 122 hats for the guards were purchased for the amount of £ 149,379. Bear fur is not used in other parts of the British Army. It takes the skin of one animal to sew one hat, the service life of each reaches 50 years. Interestingly, for the last 20 years, research has been conducted to find a replacement for faux fur, but without success, although famous names such as Stella McCartney have been involved in the design.
Changing of the Guard: Changing the Guard.
The ceremony involves three locations in the Westminster area: Buckingham Palace, St James's Palace and Wellington Barracks.
At 10:30 a.m., the inspection of a detachment of the “old” guards by their captain begins on the territory of St. James's Palace, which is historically the place of “registration” of the court.
From 11:00 to 11:25 there is actually a changing of the guard near the walls of Buckingham Palace. Through the southern gate of the palace (on the left, if you look at the facade), an old detachment enters. By 11:00, after the inspection and greeting of the banner, the “new” guardsmen stationed in the Wellington barracks approach. They enter the palace through the northern gate (on the right). Behind them is the band of the regiment. Inside, on the parade ground, each squad gives a salute.
During the summer months, the monarch changes his residence to Windsor and the Scottish castle of Balmoral. During those periods when Elizabeth II is in the capital, the horse guards welcome the foot guards, approaching Buckingham Palace along Constitution Hill. Then, rounding the Victoria Memorial, they enter the Mall and move towards the Palace of the Horse Guards, where another ceremony takes place.
Horse Life Guards appear at Green Park
At 11:45, a detachment of guards leaves Buckingham Palace.
Old Guards walk around the Victoria Memorial
The changing of the guard is a centuries-old tradition. Until 1689, the guards guarded the Palace of Westminster, then St. James's, and since 1837 the colorful ceremony moved to Buckingham, which became the official residence of the British monarchs.
March of the Queen's Guards at the end
The Horse Life Guards are returning by the same route they came.
Run of the Cavalry
Musical accompaniment: Regimental Band.
Each regiment of foot guards has its own orchestra, consisting of 49 people. One of the ensembles takes part in the event. The music played by the military is a mixture of traditional marches and popular songs, from the Beatles to Star Wars.
orchestral march
British Mounted Police: Mounted police.
Most public events in Britain, especially in London and the City, are accompanied by a mounted police, which is called in a special way: Mounted police. During the ceremony, one of the policemen even spoke to us, worrying about the behavior of his ward, who was capricious.
The changing of the guard is completed. Law enforcement officers pose for cameras against the backdrop of St. James's Park and the London Eye Ferris wheel.
See you soon in Britain!
British Mounted Police
Educational trips to the British Isles with Vestigio Services. Organization of individual tours, visits to royal events and walking tours. Inquiries at: [email protected].
#ChangingtheGuard #vestigioservices #blogvestigiouk #FarCloseEngland #buckinghampalace
