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A Grenadier Guard is being investigated after video emerged of him performing pirouettes and a comic walk while on duty outside Buckingham Palace.

The unidentified guardsman was filmed performing the routine during his two hour shift in footage uploaded to YouTube last month.

In the three minute clip, he also appears to deliberately slow down his march for comic effect and at one point he is seen kneeling down to pick something up from the floor.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed it was investigating the stunt last night, which is believed to have happened while the Queen was away in Scotland, according to reports on the MailOnline.

Sharing the footage online, Andy Richards wrote: "A Buckingham Palace guardsman misbehaves on duty while the Queen is on holiday. His senior officer might be having a chat with him later..."

Some YouTube users branded the guard a "fool" while others expressed sympathy for his "boring" job.

One person said: "I am ex Household Division (cavalry) and this is a bad representation of the Household Division. I would not trust this person next to me in a firefight. He is a fool."

Another person said: "My son is a Guardsman and this lad in the video has disgraced his uniform, shame on him and I hope he gets severely reprimanded!!"

But another commenter wrote: "This is one of the most boring jobs in the British army and he is injecting a little artistic licence into to it for the crowds. If it was on a guard changing or trooping the colour then yes, string him up by the nuts but not for this."

Others voiced their views that the footage could be fake.

The Grenadier Guards, who are responsible for patrolling the Palace grounds, are the most senior infantry regiment in the British Army and are sometimes sent on international duty.

An MoD spokesman said it had launched an investigation, adding: "Anyone who is found to fall short of the Army’s high standards can expect to face appropriate action."

A Buckingham Palace spokesman would not comment on the incident, saying it was a matter for the MoD.