A British Royal Guardsman is facing severe penalties after video of him pirouetting and dancing in front of Buckingham Palace was uploaded to YouTube, and promptly went viral.

The unnamed guardsman, whom The Daily Mail reports has now been nicknamed “Private Dancer” for his act outside of the palace, reportedly faces a 21-day prison sentence, as well as a £1,000 ($1626) fine. His superiors in the British Army have reacted furiously to the guardsman’s display and intend to use his punishment to discourage any similar conduct in the future.

A source related to The Daily Mail commented on the issue.

“There’s no charge in the disciplinary manuals for silly walks and dancing on parade because nobody in living memory has had the cheek to do it, but this guardsman’s senior officers were livid when they saw the footage. His conduct is contrary to everything being a guardsman is about.”

According to the New York Daily News, video of the guardsman’s antics was filmed by a tourist and uploaded to YouTube on Aug. 20. It has since been viewed by more than 1.7 million people, and shows the soldier livening up his two-hour-long shift with a series of dance steps to entertain the crowd. The guardsman speed-walks, pirouettes, and bends down as if to pick something up. At one point he pretends to dust off his rifle, all to cheers and laughs from the crowd.

WATCH> Buckingham Palace guard faces investigation for dancing. http://t.co/J2ufAdpui6 pic.twitter.com/xKYHoPruYB — The Poke (@ThePoke) September 4, 2014

Queen Elizabeth was on vacation in Scotland when the guardsman was filmed. The Queen, along with the rest of the British Government, is said to be quietly concerned about an impending vote for Scottish independence, which will take place on September 18, as The Inquisitr has previously reported. When she is in residence at Buckingham Palace, there are four guardsmen stationed outside, while in her absence, only two stand watch.

Whatever the outcome of that vote, it seems likely that the dancing guardsman will be made an example of, according to The Daily Mail‘s source, who elaborated on the ways in which military officials intend to make an example out of “Private Dancer.”

“He is facing a stint in the jail with no pay and, when he returns to the Grenadiers, he could lose privileges such as going out in London with the other lads in his company. Twenty-one days has been discussed as a prison sentence. The hierarchy want to put a marker down so no guardsman dares prance around outside Buckingham Palace again.”

[Image via The Daily Mail]