The Queen’s Life Guard are mounted troopers of the Household Cavalry. The Horse Guard House is located between Whitehall (off of The Mall) and the Horse Parade ground. There are two mounted troopers on guard outside the Whitehall entrance to the Horse Guard House daily from 10am to 4pm. Thankfully they change out every hour ~ it would be hard to put up with silly tourist getting up in their faces trying to make them respond for much longer than an hour. I love the sign that warns the horses may bite or kick. There are two dismounted sentries on duty until 8pm when the gates are locked.
There is a changing of the Horse Guard Ceremony weekends at 11am and on Sundays at 10am. When the Queen is in London, the Long Guard consists of: 1 Officer, 1 Corporal Major who carries the Standard, 2 Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs), 1 Trumpeter and 10 Troopers. When the Queen is out-of-town, it is known as the Short Guard which consists of: 2 NCOs and 10 Troopers. The Ceremony begins with the Old Guard coming through the Arch to the Horse Parade and lining up on the north side. The New Guard rides in from Hyde Park and lines up on the south side. As the New Guard arrives, each Guard carries their Standard and the Trumpeters of both the Old and New Guard sound the Royal Salute.
So glad I finally went to see the Changing of the Horse Guards ceremony yesterday. Very tradional ceremony and what’s not to like about seeing gorgeous horses ~ they are big with lots of spunk. Kudos to the troopers for keeping those big beasts under control for such a long time.
New Guards riding in from Hyde Park
Horse Guards
Horse Guard Change
Mounted Trooper
Old Guard
New Guard on left, Old Guard on right
Horse Guard
New Guard
Trumpeter ~ Queen is in London!
Spunky Horses
Horse Guard leaving for Hyde Park
Wolseley on Horse Statue at the Horse Parade Grounds
View of London Eye from the Horse Parade
WWI Memorial across from the Horse Parade
Horse Guards with Wolseley Statue in background
Horse Guard
Displaced Beachbums 