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What do the royal Guards do?

Author

Daniel Rodriguez

Published Mar 05, 2026

What do the royal Guards do?

The Queen’s Guard are responsible for guarding Buckingham Palace and St. James’s Palace in London. They usually consist of Foot Guards (guards on foot) wearing full-dress uniform of red tunics and bearskins (hats).

What happens if you touch the guards in London?

One guard explained what happens if you touch a guard. “You are allowed to get them away by shouting warnings at them. If they fail to move away or start to act aggressively we present our bayonets… to remind them that we can do more harm than them.

How long do London Guards stand for?

The guards at Buckingham Palace and St James Palace are on duty for 24 or 48 hours. During that time a Guardsman will have 2 hours on sentry duty and then 4 hours off.

Why are guards called Beefeaters?

Henry VII’s personal guards were the first ‘Beefeaters’, so named as they were permitted to eat as much beef as they wanted from the King’s table, and Henry VIII decreed that some of them would stay and guard the Tower permanently.

What is a king’s guard called?

A royal guard is a group of military bodyguards, soldiers or armed retainers responsible for the protection of a royal person, such as the emperor or empress, king or queen, or prince or princess.

Can a woman be a Queen’s Guard?

Captain Megan Couto has become the first female ever to lead the Queen’s Guard at Buckingham Palace.

What are royal guards called?

Queen’s Guard
The Queen’s Guard, British Guards, and Queen’s Life Guard (called King’s Guard and King’s Life Guard when the reigning monarch is male) are the names given to contingents of infantry and cavalry soldiers charged with guarding the official royal residences in the United Kingdom.

What are the guards called at Buckingham Palace?

The Queen’s Guard
The guard that looks after Buckingham Palace is called The Queen’s Guard and is made up of soldiers on active duty from the Household Division’s Foot Guards. The guards are dressed in traditional red tunics and bearskin hats.

Are Queens guards guns loaded?

Those guns aren’t loaded… The Guard’s intimidating weapons only have ammo in them when they are aware of a potential serious security threat. The guard on Reddit, who uses the username “nibs123,” says that he has never carried a loaded gun as a Guardsman.

What are Buckingham Palace guards called?