The Household Division is the very heartbeat of ceremonial soldiering in the British Army.
It’s made up of the Foot Guards — the Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards — alongside the Household Cavalry, split between the Mounted Regiment and the Household Cavalry Regiment.
From state occasions on the world stage to operational tours across the globe, these troops represent the highest standards of discipline, professionalism and military excellence.
But this isn’t just pageantry. Every Guardsman you see in bearskin, helmet or cuirass is first and foremost a trained, deployable soldier.
They guard palaces and national monuments, but they also deploy, train hard and operate wherever the nation asks.
Tradition and modern soldiering sit side by side — and within the Household Division, there’s no hiding place.
What binds them together is pride. Pride in serving the Crown. Pride in those who stood before them. And pride in carrying forward a legacy built over centuries through sacrifice, loyalty and relentless standards.
Every step on parade, every button polished, every rifle carried — it all means something. To wear these uniforms isn’t about looking the part. It’s about living up to it.
Septem Juncta in Uno — Seven Joined as One
Coldstream Guards Trooping the Colour
The Household Division, of the British Army, enjoy the privilege of guarding The Sovereign and the Royal Palaces.
Household Troops, better known as ‘the Guards’, have guarded the Sovereign since 1660.
For operational and other reasons, this privilege is periodically extended to other regiments of the British Army.
His Majesty 'The King' is Colonel in Chief of all the regiments in the Household Division, which consists of two regiments of the Household Cavalry and five regiments of Foot Guards.
The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, (HCMR), consists of a Squadron of The Life Guards, who wear red tunics and white plumed helmets, and a Squadron of The Blues and Royals with blue tunics and red plumed helmets.
The five regiments of Foot Guards, better known as 'The Guards, comprises of the 'Grenadier Guards', Coldstream Guards', 'Scots Guards', 'Irish Guards ' and the 'Welsh Guards'.
Band of the Grenadier Guards (Photographer: Ross Stevenson)
Each regiment of foot guards has a Regimental Band and you can see these highly acclaimed musicians leading the Guards at ceremonial events in London and Windsor, including the Changing of the Guard ceremony.
The Band of The Household Cavalry is comprised of musicians from The Royal Corps of Army Music and is one of 14 Regular Army Bands in the British Army.
The band was formed in September 2014 by the union of The Band of The Life Guards with The Band of The Blues and Royals, the two mounted bands of the British Army.
With over sixty musicians, the band is now the largest Regular military band in the UK and provide musical support in both a mounted and dismounted role.
Each year, on three evenings in June, you can see the Massed Bands of the Household Division taking part in Beating Retreat, a musical military spectacular, on Horse Guards Parade.
A visit to the Guards Museum gives access to a wealth of information and artifacts from the long history of the five regiments of the Foot Guards.
The Guards Museum has an amazing collection of uniforms, weapons and interesting memorabilia illustrating what life was like in both at peace and in war.
There are also displays and dioramas depicting the battles which the Guards have been involved in, from the English Civil War to present day.
Location: Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, Westminster, London SW1E 6HQ.
Opening Times: Open daily: 10:00 – 16:00.
Last admission: 15:30.
Always check the Guards Museum website prior to your visit to ensure the museum is open.
Admission Prices:
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