The Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace was on my list of must-see sights during my short time in London. Upon arriving, I learned that during the summer months, the Changing of the Guards takes place daily. But, in the fall season, it takes place every other day. Since it was late September, I fell into the fall season. Fortunately, the day I picked to head to Buckingham was a ceremony day!
The ceremony starts at 11 am, but the crowds gather well before that. In addition to the frequency of the ceremony, I also learned that it is weather dependent. It was lightly drizzling the morning I went to Buckingham, but so far, that had proven to be typical London weather. I thought for sure that only inclement weather, like a thunderstorm, would cancel the changing. I was wrong. Apparently, drizzling rain falls under the poor weather category. So, there was no ceremonial Changing of the Guards. But, there was a change of shifts and I did get to see the Old Guard marching back to the Wellington barracks. If nothing else, I can say I saw movement at the palace.
I met up with a local guide a few days later for a walking tour that started near Trafalgar Square and ended in front of Buckingham Palace. The group was very small, just five of us total, which was a really nice surprise. With such a small group, we were able to navigate the crowds easily and our questions were never drowned out by the throngs of people vying for attention. Oddly enough, it was a pretty quiet group. So, between directing the group’s attention to points of interest, the guide and I ended up chatting away. We actually covered a wide range of historical topics, including the British Royal family throughout the centuries, Winston Churchill, and Britain during WWII. And I was delighted to get a Londoner’s insight on the Brexit referendum vote, which had taken place a few months prior. We had a really fun conversation!
We passed through Trafalgar Square, stopping at the monument to Admiral Nelson, Nelson’s Column, and the four lions guarding the base. The Column honors Admiral Nelson’s naval victory in the Battle of Trafalgar. The lions represent four of Nelson’s victories, including Trafalgar. The previous Sunday afternoon, I passed by the square and it was so packed, I couldn’t get a clear picture of the fountain or any of the monuments. But, during my walking tour, mid morning on a weekday, the crowds were much thinner and I was actually able to see the square.
Down the street from Trafalgar, we stopped at the Admiralty Arch, with its five arched gates. The arch’s central gate is closed and only opened for special occasions, like royal processions and the 2012 London-hosted Olympic Games. The Arch commemorates Queen Victoria, and the space inside was used for offices of the Navy. However, like many of the other older buildings of London, the Arch’s interior space has shifted in purpose many times since its construction in 1912. According to my guide, the building has been leased out to a hotel developer, to renovate the space into a luxury hotel, but no work has taken place yet.
From the Arch, we headed down to the Horse Guard Parade for Changing of the Guards. Yes, you read that right! There are two separate ceremonies, and this one is not to be confused with the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace. If you miss the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham (like I did), you can still see the Changing of the Guards at the Horse Guards Parade. This ceremony takes place every day, rain or drizzle or shine!
At the Horse Guard Parade ground, the mounted Old Guard lines up outside the building, while the New Guard, with police escort, makes its way down The Mall. Upon arrival, the New Guard lines up opposite the Old Guard, staring across at each other. A small group of the mounted New Guards retreat into the building behind the parade, to relieve the Old Guard sentries. While the sentries are switching shifts, the rest of the mounted guard is locked in a pretty intense staring contest on the parade ground. I suppose it could be a very Zen like time of reflection for the waiting guard. You could spend the time making to-do lists in your head or practice some breathing exercises. Anything that involves remaining still and silent is probably fair game. Roughly fifteen minutes in, and just as you are mentally adding the last item to your shopping list, the Old Guard sentries rejoin the group. Complete, the Old Guard proceeds back up The Mall to their barracks, while the New Guard enters the Horse Guard building to begin their shift.
As we walked down the Mall towards Buckingham, we stopped briefly at the statue of Prince Frederick, the Duke of York. The second son of King George III, the Duke of York was highly praised for enacting structural reform to the British Army in his later years as Commander in Chief. The statue is perched on top of a 124 foot column. According to my guide, one alleged reason the Duke’s statue was placed on the column was to prevent people passing by from throwing things at the Duke. Depending on who you listen to, the funds to erect the statue came mostly from soldiers who donated, or were docked, a day’s wages. If the latter is true, then I could understand why there would be concerns about people throwing things at the statue!
Rounding the Queen Victoria memorial, we arrived at Buckingham Palace. The palace has been a royal residence since the late 1700s. Originally known as Buckingham House, it has undergone many renovations since its construction in the early 1700s. Tours of Buckingham are only offered in August and September, when the Queen is not in residence. So if you want to tour the State Rooms, plan a trip in August or September.
To the left of Buckingham Palace is the Queen’s Gallery. Originally a conservatory, the building was renovated by Queen Victoria into a private chapel. In 1940, the chapel was hit during an air raid and sat in ruins until it was re-purposed and renovated into the Gallery. Open to the public, the gallery displays art pieces from the Royal Collection. A multimedia tour is provided with your ticket to guide you through the gallery.