Changing the Guard / Frequently Asked Questions

Always check the confirmed schedule to avoid disappointment.

The official start time for Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace is 11:00

Always check the confirmed schedule as times can change when the Guards are required for other ceremonial or operational duties or due to road closures.

Yes! The Queen's Life Guard change daily on Horse Guards Parade at 11:00 Monday to Saturday and at 10:00 on Sunday's.

There is also a Dismount Parade on the forecourt of Horse Guards at 16:00.

No Tickets are required for Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace or Horse Guards Parade

However, tickets are required to watch the Windsor Castle Guard change as the ceremony takes place within the precincts of the castle.

Although ceremonial duties are an important part of Army history and tradition, all the Foot Guards you see Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle are highly trained infantry soldiers who also play an important part in military operations worldwide.

Many of the men you see on public duties will have recently been on active service.

The Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace consists of 3 officers and 40 men, when the Sovereign is in residence, otherwise it will comprise of 3 officers and 31 men.

When Her Majesty The Queen is in residence you will see four sentries at the front of Buckingham Palace. At other times there are two sentries.

In the British Armed Army, women are currently not permitted to serve in close combat units (that is cavalry and infantry).
However, it is expected they will be able to apply to join infantry units by end of 2018

They already serve in combat support units, which includes artillery, engineers, air support, logistic support and other branches of the service.

In April 2007, the first women in the British Army served on detachments of the Queen's Guard when the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery took over the guard at Windsor Castle.

The Queen's Guard is the name given to the contingent of infantry responsible for guarding Buckingham Palace and St James's Palace (including Clarence House).

The Queen's Life Guard are the cavalry troops who stand guard at Horse Guards, the official entrance to Buckingham Palace and St. James's Palace

Changing of the Guard takes place on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace and as such the only places to view the ceremony are on the public footpaths in front of the railings or from the Victoria Memorial.

Sadly as these are public footpaths there are no dedicated areas for wheelchair users.

However, in my experience, the best way to get a good view is to talk to one of the very friendly policemen on duty in front of the Palace as they are very helpful and adept at getting wheel chair users and those who need assistance into a position by the gates where they can see more of the ceremony.

A second option, which is less crowded is to head for Horse Guards Parade where The Queen's Life Guard mount daily at 11:00 Monday to Saturday and 10:00 on Sundays.

The parade ground is a level surface, covered in gravel, and there are no railings between visitors and the men and horses mounting the guard.

The St. James Palace detachement of the Old Guard march down the Mall to Buckingham Palace.
The New Guard will march along Birdcage Walk, from Wellington Barracks to the Palace.

Maps, showing the routes 'The Guards' take before, during and after the Changing the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace, can be found here.

Bright colours provided a means of distinguishing friend from foe without significantly adding risk to the individual soldier as armies, in years gone by, formed up facing each other in ranks and columns on the battlefield where they engaged each other with volley fire, from muskets.

Some say the red coats, of the British troops, made it difficult for enemy spotters to count their strength because red, which is the hardest colour to see, merges into one at a distance.

While another popular myth was that blood would not show on the red tunics and demoralise the other troops.

Cost was probably the real reason as the dyeing process required, for red, involved only one stage and red pigment was readily available.

In 1658 the British redcoat made its first appearance at the Battle of the Dunes and the last time British soldiers wore red coats on the battlefield was at the Battle of Gennis in the Sudan in 1885.

Scarlet tunics continued to be issued until the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.

The Brigade of Guards resumed wearing their scarlet dress uniforms in 1920 but for the remainder of the army red coats were only authorised for wear by Regimental Bands and Officers in mess dress.

Horse Guards, which faces Whitehall, is the official entrance to St James's and Buckingham Palace.

Since the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660 there have been Life Guards on duty at Horse Guards and you can see the Queen's Life Guard change daily on Horse Guards Parade.

It is not possible to see Changing the Guard from the State Rooms or the gardens of Buckingham Palace.

The reason is that the State Apartments are mainly in the West wing of the Palace, while Changing the Guard takes place in the forecourt in front of the East wing.

With the average tour, of the State Rooms and gardens lasting around two hours and first admissions at 09:45, the answer, if you want to do both on the same day, is to visit Changing the Guard first.

Sorry to say the answer is no.

The only way is to apply online between January and February.

The reason for this is that the demand for tickets normally exceeds the number of places available in the seated stands.

We understand it can be frustrating, but the Household Division adopted this policy as a way to give every applicant an equal chance.

Gun salutes are fired on the following Royal anniversaries:

• Accession Day - 6 February 
• The Queen's birthday - 21 April
• Coronation Day - 2 June
• The Duke of Edinburgh's birthday - 10 June 
• The Queen's official birthday - a Saturday in June
• The Prince of Wales's birthday - 14 November
• The State Opening of Parliament

Gun salutes are also fired to mark Royal births and when a visiting Head of State meets the Queen in London.

Learn more about Gun Salutes and how many rounds are fired depending on the occassion and location of the Guns.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II owns two homes, these are Balmoral Castle, in Scotland and Sandringham House, in Norfolk.

Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, where she normally lives and works are owned by the nation.

Windsor Castle opening times are:

March - October - 09:30 Daily | Last admission 16:00 | Castle closes at 17:30

November - February -  09:45 Daily | Last admission 15:00 | Castle closes at 16:15.

December 25 -26 - Windsor Castle is closed

During State Visits or ceremonial occasions the castle is sometimes closed to the public.

See more information incluing provisional closure dates for Windsor Castle.

It is not possible to see Changing the Guard from the State Rooms or the gardens of Buckingham Palace.

The reason is that the State Apartments are mainly in the West wing of the Palace, while Changing the Guard takes place in the forecourt in front of the East wing.

With the average tour, of the State Rooms and gardens lasting around two hours and first admissions at 09:45, the answer, if you want to do both on the same day, is to visit Changing the Guard first.