Guard Change at Buckingham Palace

London is a city full of attractions, but I have to say that the change of Guard is one of the attractions you need to see when visiting the city. I don´t know really what attracts me about the royalty and everything involved in this ceremony, but presencing the change of guard is a colorful spectacle, the music band, the guards, their distinctive uniforms and the cavalry, all the ceremony itself is really attracting.


There are some things you need to know when you want to see the change of guard, first of all, the ceremony takes place at Buckingham Palace, the regiments start marching from St.James Palace and Wellington Barracks, so you can go early and see all the preparation of the guards and hear the music band practice at the Wellington Barracks very near Buckingham Palace.

Another thing you should be aware of is the days and hours it takes place, the ceremony starts at 11:30 daily during April until the end of July, and then on alternate days during the rest of the year. It is a good idea to check the schedule before you plan a visit.

Now, another thing it is important is to know a little bit more about what all the ceremony is about, and to what regiment belongs the different types of guards you will see during the ceremony.

The ceremony itself is not only a tourist attraction, it is the real change of guards that protects the queen. The regiments that protect the queen and take part in the change of guard are five, the Grenadier, the Coldstream, the Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards, and two regiments of the Household Cavalry (the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals).

Find the best prices for Hotels in London

Getting a good place is important the get a good view, the ceremony is seen by lots of people and if you don´t go early enough you won´t find a place outside of the gates of the Palace, and probably will miss the change of guards, but if you don´t get a place just outside of the gates of the palace, don´t worry, the change itself is the last part of the ceremony, you can find a place very near and watch all the guards march from Wellington Barracks and St.James Palace to Buckingham Palace, I really prefer to do that, and go first to the Wellington Barracks and see all the preparation of the guards, and then see all the guards go to the palace than being one hour standing in front of Buckingham Palace waiting to the ceremony start. But it all depends on what part of the ceremony you want to see.

So if you visit London, plan your day to go and see the change of guard, you´ll enjoy it.