Changing of the Guard

We had spent a reasonably long time inside the state rooms at Windsor, following the rules against any indoor photography, when we began to walk down toward the gift shop and the parade area. As we noticed, outside the private residence area, one of the navy-clad Grenadier Guards stood at attention, on guard. We began to walk toward the chapel and came upon a squad being led by one of the Grenadier Guards but consisting of the red-tuniced Scots Guards, identifiable because there was no plume on the bearskin hat. And so we found out -- up close -- what the changing involves.

We followed the squad and watched as the group approached the guard on duty, went through the appropriate steps, and relieved that Grenadier, replacing him with one of the Scots. Off the group marched, working to drop off one of the Scots and pick up one of the Grenadiers at each post. What most people consider the "changing of the guard" -- which we will see in the next post -- is what follows. The cadre that had been on duty for the past 24 hours marches out with all the pomp and circumstance as the new cadre takes over the duty. And we had seen the preparation, as the new guards replaced the old ones one by one. The two uniforms we saw are only two of the five regiments of foot guards that rotate in and out of duty at each of the two royal residences. The other three regiments are Irish Guards, Welsh Guards, and Coldstream Guards.

What we missed at Buckingham Palace was more than replaced by what we saw and learned at Windsor.