London: Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace

Last updated: 02/19/2019

One of the most traditional tourist attractions in London is the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace. In this post, we not only give useful information about the days and times of the changing of the guard, but we also tell you a little bit about who the people who are part of the royal guard are, what their role is and other interesting information about the ceremony. Come with us?

THE CHANGE OF THE GUARD CEREMONY

Since 1660, the changing of the guard ceremony has been performed by soldiers of the royal guard who are on duty. They are always in their famous uniforms for a long black hat and red tunics (in winter they usually wear a gray coat). The hat, which attracts a lot of attention, is known as a bearskin and is made of bearskin, measures almost half a meter in height and weighs around 680 grams. Accompanied by a military band that plays a selection of songs ranging from traditional marches to popular songs (we've already heard Uptown Funk sung by Bruno Mars, to give an example), the ceremony is both a colorful military tradition and a reminder important part of the close relationship between the armed forces and the monarch, in this case Queen Elizabeth II.

Attended by more than 8 million people every year, the Changing of the Guard ceremony marks the moment when soldiers currently in the line of duty, the “Old Guards”, exchange places with the “New Guard”. (New Guards), who are coming to take over. The privilege of guarding the sovereign traditionally belongs to domestic troops, but for operational reasons, this privilege is periodically extended to other regiments in the British Army. The Guards consisted of five infantry regiments and two cavalry regiments. In addition to the marching soldiers, members of the cavalry also participate in the official Changing of the Guard ceremony.

Don't get confused: there is more than 1 changing of the guard ceremony!

Although it is the most famous, the Buckingham Palace Changing of the Guard ceremony is not the only one. Like this? The guards are meant to protect the royal palaces and Buckingham, while the most important, is not the only one. In addition to the famous changing of the guard ceremony in front of Buckingham Palace, it is possible to attend two more: one in between the Horse Guards Parade (Address: The Household Division, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2AX / Time: 11 am on weekdays; 10 am on weekends / There is also a museum on site), a mounted guard ceremony (on horses) , and the ceremony at Windsor Castle.

Read more:

• London: British Cavalry Museum and Changing of the Guard
• England: How to visit Windsor Castle and England: What to do in Windsor – Castle and more tips

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HOW THE CHANGE OF GUARD CEREMONY WORKS AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE

The soldiers standing in front of St. James march through The Mall (the long street in front of Buckingham Palace) accompanied by a band. Meanwhile, guards on duty at Buckingham Palace line up in the courtyard and wait for their companions to arrive. Both groups are called Old Guards.

Meanwhile, members of the New Guard, the new guard that will replace the old guard, are inspected at the Wellington Barracks (barracks located 300 meters from Buckingham Palace), an area close to the palace. the military band announces the arrival of the New Guards who arrive marching down the street (on the left side of those looking at the palace from the front) and enter through the palace gates until they reach the courtyard.

Inside, they introduce themselves to the guards who will be replaced, the Old Guards. They present the weapons, and the palace key is passed to the New Guards. The ceremony takes place practically entirely inside the gates and the line-up of guards is all choreographed.

At the end of the ceremony, the old guard leaves and marches, passing through the street on the right side of those looking from the front of the palace.

Check out this video (from the official website of the British monarchy) for more information about the Changing of the Guard:

ECONOMY IN LONDON: ACTIVITY CARDS

For those who want to do many things and visit many paid places in London, the suggestion is to purchase one of the cards that give you direct access to attractions and ride the tourist bus, saving a lot! O THE LONDON PASS is the most famous of them. The card can be purchased in versions of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 10 days. It entitles you to admission to over 60 of London's top attractions and 1 day tour on the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus. In addition, the card offers more than 20 exclusive special offers at some of the city's shops and restaurants. See the full list of included attractions in this link. Price: from £69.

Read more: What to do in London – Complete itinerary of 5 days or more

 

WHEN THE CEREMONY HAPPENS

The ceremony takes place at 11:30 am in the morning, daily between April and July and on alternate days for the rest of the year as previously communicated (Tip to consult the website: even days = even days / odd days = odd days). The ceremony takes place from 10:30 am in front of St. James and proceeds to start at 11 am in front of Buckingham Palace. The duration is about 45 minutes. For security reasons, the Changing of the guard times are no longer fixed like in the old days. It is worth confirming if there will be a ceremony through the official site. But don't leave to arrive at the last minute if you want to watch. In high season (European summer) arrive with an hour and a half in advance to be able to find a seat near the gates of Buckingham Palace and be able to watch what happens inside the gates.

Read more about Buckingham Palace

• London: How to Visit Buckingham Palace
• London: Visiting the Royal Stables at Buckingham Palace

 

WHERE TO POSITION YOURSELF TO SEE THE EXCHANGE

To watch the entire ceremony that takes place inside the Palace's courtyard, it is necessary to stay the as close as possible to the gates. If you can't stay, a good place is Victoria Memorial, the tall monument that forms a roundabout in front of the palace. There you can see the troops moving in and out of the palace, but you won't see the ceremony inside the gates. Now, in case you arrive late, you can position yourself in one of the places that we have highlighted on the map below with a yellow camera image. At these points it is possible to see the movement of the guard. The place to be avoided is close to Green Park, as the vision is very impaired.

HOW TO GET

Riding the London Underground is almost always the best alternative. We highlight the lines/stations closest to Buckingham Palace:

• District Line (green): Victoria and St. James's Park
• Circle Line (yellow): Victoria and St. James's Park
• Victoria Line (light blue): Victoria, Green Park stations
• Piccadilly Line (marine): Green Park stations
• Jubilee Line (grey): Green Park station

TIP! Guided walking tour to see the changing of the guard

 

IS IT WORTH ATTENDING THE CHANGE OF GUARD?

Here's our humble opinion on the changing of the guard ceremony: if you're short on time in London, prioritize other attractions. Changing of the guard ceremonies are often crowded with tourists jostling to take a picture. The guards enter through “The Mall” and the entire ceremony is held inside the Palace courtyard, behind the gates. That is, if you're not leaning against the gates, you probably won't see much.

The passage through the street happens, but it is very fast. While the ceremony takes place in the courtyard of the Palace, traffic is open to vehicles on the streets that surround the area. That is, you can't even hear what's going on inside if you're not super close to the gates. Whether it's worth it is up to each individual. You need to assess whether you think it's worth arriving well in advance to stand and partially see the ceremony.

Tip: Watch the changing of the guard at Windsor Castle. The place is less crowded and it is possible to watch the entire exchange with good visibility.

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Read more about the UK:

• Differences between England, Great Britain, United Kingdom
• England: Tower of London and British Crown Jewels
• England: London Eye, London's Ferris wheel