This Major Royal Tradition Just Officially Resumed at Buckingham Palace

Published Aug 23, 2021

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2:59pm

Just one month after Queen Elizabeth brought back the Changing of the Guard Ceremony to Windsor Castle, the 95-year-old monarch has resumed the beloved tradition at Buckingham Palace.

That’s right, for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, an official Changing of the Guard Ceremony was held at Her Majesty’s London residence on Monday. During the event, onlookers watched as the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards marched, sporting their famous red tunics and bearskin hats. See some photos from the event below.

Getty Images

Getty Images

Unfortunately, the queen herself was not in attendance. She’s currently enjoying her summer vacation at her Scottish estate, Balmoral.

The Changing of the Guard ceremony marks the moment when the soldiers currently on duty, the Old Guard, exchange places with the New Guard. The troops have guarded the sovereign and the royal palaces since the 1960s.

The queen’s guards have continued their sentry duties privately throughout the pandemic. However, all ceremonial and musical duties at Buckingham Palace, St. James's Palace and Windsor Castle were put on hold to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

As we mentioned above, the queen resumed the tradition at Windsor Castle last month, so it’s only a matter of time before we see the guards marching again at St. James’s Palace. The official IG account of the royal family shared images from the event.

Good to have you back, guards.

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Alexandra Hough

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*This* Major Royal Tradition Just Officially Resumed at Buckingham Palace

This Major Royal Tradition Just Officially Resumed at Buckingham Palace