Changing of the Guard Tour with Context
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About the Tour
About the Tour
The changing of the guard ceremony in London is known around the world for its precision and spectacle. Most visitors view the event from Buckingham Palace, but on this walking tour with Context Travel and London-based scholar and royal expert, Sean Moran, you‘ll experience it from three less common vantage points. For the best experience, we recommend starting the tour at 10:15am so you can synchronize your walk with the ceremonial movements.
Starting outside St. James‘ Park, you‘ll see the iconic guards in their bright red jackets and black bearskin helmets, supported by their regimental bands which provide a tuneful backdrop to your walk. As you witness the ceremony, you’ll learn to identify the different guards, by looking at the feathers in their caps and the buttons on their jackets. You‘ll also walk in the footsteps of Charles I on his way to being executed, and see a statue of the famous French General, Charles De Gaulle, in the very square where he set up his government while in exile during World War II. The tour ends with a visit to the Household Cavalry where you‘ll be able to get up close to the guards and their stunning black horses. You’ll also find out what the requirements are for a horse to join the cavalry!
Along the way, you‘ll:
- Hear about the centuries of history that unfolded in the heart of London
- View the movements of the royal guards up close
- Learn to spot and decipher differences between the uniforms
- Find out the best times to view the emblematic ceremony
- Stand on the Mall, where the world comes to get a grandstand view of royal events like weddings, coronations, and funerals
- Listen to the stories behind the George VI, Duke of York and National Police memorials
- Take in the impressive Buckingham Palace and St James‘s Palace
By the end of this hour-long tour, you‘ll have witnessed the Changing of the Guard from a different perspective, and gained a new appreciation for the ceremony.
Context Travel connects you with world-class experts for audio guides like this one, as well as in-person tours. Explore more at Context.
Tour Producer
Tour Producer
Context Travel
Context was founded in Rome in 2003 by Paul Bennett and Lani Bevacqua an expat couple eager to curate experiences for travelers, not tourists. Since then Context has taken over 200,000 people to 60+ destinations around the world – accompanied by thousands of leading experts. What started as a dream to create cross-cultural connections is now a worldwide network and community of thoughtful, engaged travelers and experts.
Join a live private or small group tour in destinations around the world at contexttravel.com.
Preview Location
Preview Location
Location 12
The Mall
You are standing on the Mall - this is where the whole world comes to get a grandstand view of royal events be they weddings, coronations, funerals or the annual ... Read More
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Major Landmarks
Major Landmarks
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St James Park
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Buckingham Palace
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St James's Palace
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The Mall
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Admiralty Arch
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Pall Mall
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King George VI & Queen Elizabeth
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Duke of York Monument
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The National Police Memorial
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Horseguards
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The Banqueting House
Getting There
Getting There
Route Overview
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Start locationWestminster, London SW1H 0BB, UK
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Total distance2km
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Final locationWhitehall, London SW1A 2ER, UK
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Distance back to start location758.69m
Directions to Starting Point
The easiest way to arrive at the start point is to take a ride on the London Underground. The Tour begins just outside the "Petty France" exit from St James's Park Underground station. The station is on on District (Green) and Circle (Yellow) Line of London Underground. Just outside the underground exit is a pedestrian crossing and the tour starts just before you enter the crossing.
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Tips
Tips
Places to stop along the way
The walk is designed to get you to certain points by certain times for you to have a close encounter with the changing of the guard ceremony. To get the best out of the walk we recommend you stick to the route and complete the walk. The walk ends on Whitehall and then you a just a few minutes walk away in one direction from Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery, both of which have an excellent cafe and restaurant. In the other direction you are a few minutes walk away from the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.
Best time of day
The optimum time to start the tour is 10:15am. This will ensure that you meet the precise times of the guard movements during the changing of the guard ceremony. We highly recommend you check the schedule of the changing of the guards as it is not scheduled every day of the year and changes according to the month of the year. For an up to date and reliable schedule visit the Changing of the Guard Calendar.
Precautions
The Guards of the Household Division are a real part of the British Army and as such the soldiers can be called to other duties that require them and during these times other regiments of the Army will take over for a few days so you may see soldiers from other military regiments than those described in the walk. You can check which guards are scheduled to be part of the ceremony ahead of your walk by visiting the Changing of the Guard Calendar.
The Horseguards have a summer camp with their horses and during this time the Kings Troop Royal Artillery take over the mounted guard duties. This is normally during the month of July. For details on the Kins Troop visit the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery.
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