The Changing of the Guard takes place at two separate locations in London:

• Foot Guards at Buckingham Palace
• Two Household Cavalry regiments at Horse Guards on Whitehall

Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace

Nearest Tube: Victoria, St James's Park or Green Park

Changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace

The Queen's Guard changes in the Forecourt of Buckingham Palace at 11:30am daily from May to July, and on alternate dates throughout the rest of the year. It is best to arrive by 11 am as several other ceremonies happen outside the palace. There is no Guard Mounting Ceremony in very wet weather.

June - daily
July - daily
August - alternate days, odd (1,3,5 etc)

There are five regiments of foot guards at the front of Buckingham Palace and all wear scarlet tunics and black bearskins. To identify the regiments look for the different coloured plumes in their bearskins (hats):

• Grenadier Guards - white plumes
• Coldstream Guards - red plumes
• Scots Guards - no plumes
• Irish Guards - blue plumes
• Welsh Guards - white-and-green plumes
  

Please note:

In August you might not see the soldiers wearing the red uniforms as often other regiments guard the Queen during this month.

In winter months and when it is raining the soldiers will wear grey capes over their uniforms.

Changing of the Guard at Horse Guard Parade, Whitehall
Nearest Tube: St James's Park

At Horse Guards Arch, Changing of the Guard takes place daily at 11.00 am (10.00 am on Sundays) and lasts about half an hour; it is normally held on Horse Guards Parade by the arch of Horse Guards Building at Whitehall.

Horse Guards

Twelve mounted troops arrive at the Parade ground from Hyde Park barracks, via Hyde Park Corner, Constitution Hill and The Mall. When the Queen is resident in London, an officer, a corporal of horse, sixteen troupers and a trumpeter on a grey horse take part in the ceremony.

For more information on the Queen's guards visit our Queen's Guard pages

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