While there are an endless number of attractions to visit in London, the free ones are always high on my list. In addition to the free parks and museums in London, the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace always draws a crowd. The guard-mount happens daily (most days May through July and on alternate days the rest of the year), but you need to get there much earlier if you have any hopes of actually watching the event through the wrought iron fence. We arrived at the event half an hour early and were lucky to find a vantage point along the fence line at one of the far corners of the wall. An hour in advance is certainly advisable.
The crowd begins massing shortly after 1100, with people covering every inch of the fountain across from Buckingham Palace as well as crowding the sidewalk in front of the Palace gate. Police are present to ensure that the roads remain clear, as the changing of the guard is a large ceremony that includes the movement of numerous soldiers on foot, as well as mounted guards. The thick crowds are infiltrated by pickpockets, who prey on those whose attention is affixed on the ceremony, so be sure to leave valuables in a safe in your room, or keep them in your front pocket. Take a few steps to avoid being one of the daily victims of riffraff.
The front of Buckingham Palace has a couple of guard shacks, where the sentries perform ceremonial movements as the guard-mount progresses. It is impressive to watch as the mounted troops and band march into the Palace courtyard for the ceremony. In addition to the band (which does not play at every ceremony, so check the website for dates) there changing of the guard includes posting of sentries that march out to the corners of the courtyard where visitors at the extremes (like we were) an get good close-up photographs. If you are wondering if the Queen is “home” one way to tell is by the number of sentries in the guard shacks. There are four when she is home, two when she is away. There were four the day we visited, two at each guard shack. You can also verify this by checking to see if the flag is flying from the flagpole atop the palace.
The music itself is not to be missed. While I would have expected “God Save The Queen” or some other formal music, the band opened with a hit from Stevie Wonder. The closest we got to the Queen was the Freddie Mercury version, in the form of “Don't Stop Me Now.” The music included a vast array of tunes that the crowd is certain to identify with. From Spaghetti Western themes to Motown, it was an eclectic selection that brought the formality of the ceremony down to the level of the common man. If you want to check dates, the official website is: http://www.royal.gov.uk/royaleventsandceremonies/changingtheguard/overview.aspx.
While the guards all look the same, there are actually minor differences in their uniform that annotate which regiment they belong to. There is a billboard in the park across from Buckingham Palace that explains the uniforms. In a nutshell:
Grenadier Guards
Singly - Grenade - White, worn on left side
Coldstream Guards
Twos - Garter Star - Red, worn on right side
Scots Guards
Threes - Thistle - No plume
Irish Guards
Fours - Shamrock - Blue, worn on right side
Welsh Guards
Fives - Leek - Green and white, worn on left side
Buckingham Palace is also open to visitors certain times of the year. This part is not free and was not an option on the date of our visit. If it were, I would have shelled out the L18 (approximately 27 dollars) for adult tickets. Children were more reasonable, at L10.75 (or about 16 dollars). Children under five are free. The tours are on a time schedule, with tours set to begin every fifteen minutes. Tours run from late June through early October, with a break in July. The tours last between two and three hours. Admission runs between 9:30 and 4:30.
If you are planning a trip to London, Buckingham Palace Changing of the Guard is a definitely an event not to be missed. The ceremony lasts approximately one hour, but you need to allow two hours so that you arrive early enough to get a good view. There is a nearby Underground Station located in the park across from Buckingham Palace if you are not staying nearby. The Palace is located within walking distance of Westminster Abbey and Big Ben, so those are other attractions that fit nicely into an itinerary that includes the ceremony. Free is good. Free music along with plenty of pomp and circumstance make this event a daily crowd draw. Worth standing around for an hour or two.
All photos are my own. They may be reproduced with prior permission.