Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace

Other Ceremonial Events

11.00am Changing the Queen’s Life Guard at Horse Guards Parade
The mounted Regiments change The Queen’s Life Guard at the entrance to Horse Guards, daily at 11.00am (10.00am on Sundays only). There are two types of Queen’s Life Guard. A Long Guard consisting of 17 men is mounted when The Queen is resident in London, otherwise a Short Guard made up of 12 men is mounted.

11.00am The Changing the Guard at Windsor Castle Very similar to The Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace, the Battalion of Foot Guards stationed at Windsor provide the daily Guard. For further information please call 09064 123411.

4.00pm The 4 o’clock Parade Horse Guards is the official entrance to Buckingham Palace, therefore The Queen’s Life Guard is mounted here and is inspected daily at 4 o’clock.

10.00pm The Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London
For over 700 years, the Tower has been locked every night and no one allowed in or out without the password. Today this ceremony still takes place at 7 minutes to ten each night, when the Chief Yeoman Warder, escorted by the military Guard, marches from the Byward Tower to lock the heavy wooden gates to the fortress.

Beating Retreat
The Household Division Massed Bands undertake Beating Retreat usually in June . There are only 2 performances that take place at 6.30pm on Horse Guards Parade. Telephone +44 (0)20 7414 2271

Trooping the Colour or the Queen’s Birthday Parade.
See www.trooping-the-colour.co.uk for full details.

On the Sovereign’s official birthday (in June each year) the Horse Guards Parade turns into one of the greatest spectacles in the British Calendar of events, there are usually two 'rehearsals' and the official event, all are worth seeing:

Major General's Review Telephone +44 (0)20 7414 2479 (Usually late May).

Colonel's Review Telephone +44 (0)20 7414 2479 (Usually one week before the Queens Birthday Parade).

Queen's Birthday Parade usually in June (her official birthday is June 12th but the Parade is not always held on this day).

PLEASE NOTE THAT TICKETS SHOULD BE APPLIED FOR IN WRITING IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY TO: The Brigade Major, HQ Household Division, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London SW1A 2AX

The State Opening of Parliament
Her Majesty The Queen opens the start of the parliamentary year.

The Lords Mayor’s procession
A very colourful and musical spectacle, comprising of floats, bands and ceremonial parades.

the Queen's Guard is scheduled to change at Buckingham Palace at 1130 hours on the dates shown below (unless otherwise stated). There will be no Guard Mounting Ceremony in the Forecourt in very wet weather. We advise you arrive by 11.15am and the ceremony finishes at approximately 12 noon.

The Queen's Guard is scheduled to change at Buckingham Palace at 1130 hours on the dates shown below (unless otherwise stated). There will be no Guard Mounting Ceremony in the Forecourt in very wet weather. We advise you arrive by 11.15am and the ceremony finishes at approximately 12 noon.

Please note the table below lists two different ceremonies, the first column relates to the guard change at Horse guards by guards mounted on horses, if you are interested in the main ceremony that takes place at Buckingham Palace please see the second column.