Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace
March 21st 2008 16:51
Thank you Adrian Pingston for putting this photo into the public domain.
Tourists in London flock to see the famous Changing the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Here are a few tips.
What Happens at the Changing of the Guard
From a ceremonial and functional perspective, one group of soldiers hands over responsibility for guarding Her Majesty to another group of soldiers.
From a tourist's point of view, it is like a parade of guards in smart uniforms (usually red with the tall black fur hats) marching up to Buckingham Palace, meeting another group, exchanging pleasantries in the unmistakable dulcet tones of drill sergeants, and then the old group marching away. It is free, fun and interesting.
When to Go
Make sure there will be a ceremony on the day you plan to watch!
The schedule is set by the British Army and can be found on the Royal Residences website. The time is 11:30 a.m. daily from May until the end of July, none on May 26th. In other months, only on alternate days. Whether it is on odd or even days is decided by the Army and published a few months in advance.
Avoid the Crowds
Three suggestions if you don't like crowds:
1. Go in November or at least, not in July.
2. Move away from the forecourt, skip the actual changing ceremony, and watch the guards closer up by standing along their route. When they march away, the crowds quickly disappear and you can get a good view.
3. Pick a different ceremony. There are other guards, for example the Queen's Life Guard, on horses with equally fancy uniforms. They change at Horse Guards, which is close to Buckingham Palace - at the far end of St James's Park (closer to the Thames). They are earlier in the morning. Mon. - Sat. at 11 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Sunday.
When the weather is really wet these ceremonies may be cancelled for the day.
More about Royal things - Windsor Castle, A Day Trip from London
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