What is Changing the Guard? The history behind the famous London ceremony

As the occasion returns to Buckingham Palace after a 17-month absence, we reveal the origins behind the 500-year-old royal staple

The Changing the Guard ceremony dates back to the reign of King Henry VII in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. AFP

They’re changing the guard at Buckingham Palace once more.

The Queen’s Guard from the Coldstream Guards have again donned their signature red uniforms and black bearskin hats to perform the ceremony which was put on pause in March 2020 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dating back to the reign of King Henry VII, who ruled Britain until his death in 1509, the ceremony has changed palaces many times, is size-dependent on whether or not the monarch is in residence, and has been performed by foreign regiments throughout its 500-year history.

Here are some interesting facts about the world-famous ceremony …

What is Changing the Guard?

Changing the Guard occurs across three locations: Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace and Wellington Barracks, which is located only 275 metres from Buckingham Palace.

It is a ceremony whereby the Old Guard leave St James’s Palace, the most senior royal palace in the UK, to relieve the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

The official start time is 11am. The St James’s relief leaves Buckingham Palace at 11.10am; relieved sentries leave St James’s Palace at 11.25am; the Old Guard leaves Buckingham Palace at 11.40am; and the St James’s Palace Guard leaves Buckingham Palace at 11.45am.

The ceremony takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from August to May, and daily throughout June and July.

How old is the Changing the Guard ceremony?

It was King Henry VII, the first monarch of the House of Tudor who reigned from August 1485 to April 1509, who made the Royal Body Guard a permanent institution.

Faced with a need to restore royal authority in the aftermath of the Wars of the Roses, in which England was ruled by powerful noblemen in possession of their own private armies, Henry created the Guard which changes its name in accordance to whether there is a King or Queen on the throne. Currently, it is called the Queen’s Guard.

Is Changing the Guard only held at Buckingham Palace?

Guard-changing ceremonies are also held at the Tower of London, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

The London ceremony originally took place at the Palace of Whitehall, which was the monarch’s official London residence up until 1689. When the Royal Court moved to St James’s Palace, the ceremony moved too.

When Queen Victoria moved into Buckingham Palace in 1837, the Queen’s Guard stayed at nearby St James’s Palace, with a detachment guarding Buckingham Palace.

The size of the Guard is dictated by whether or not the Queen is in residence, which you can tell by whether the Royal Standard is flying. The number of sentries is increased if Queen Elizabeth II is at the palace.

Who are the soldiers involved in Changing the Guard?

The Queen’s Guard is made up of soldiers from the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, who are famous worldwide for their scarlet uniforms and bearskin hats. The Guards not only perform ceremonial duties but are also active on-duty soldiers.

In June 2017, Capt Megan Couto became the first female to lead the Queen’s Guard at Buckingham Palace.

Are the Guards only from British regiments?

While the Coldstream Guards traditionally mount the Guard, there have been occasions when other British regiments and nations have taken over, including the Royal Navy, the Gurkhas and Royal Malay Regiment from the Malaysian Army.

The first foreign troops ever to mount the Guard were the 117th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force in 1916. In 2000, the Australia's Federation Guard took over duties. In 2008, the 1st Battalion Royal Malay Regiment became the first country outside of the Commonwealth to mount the guard.