Never, ever get in the way of the Queen’s Guard – you will lose.

That’s the lesson this tourist learned during a recent visit to Windsor Castle.

She climbed over the rope barrier and stood stock-still in front of the marching soldier who was in full ceremonial gear.

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His job is to walk the line, whatever happens, and that’s exactly what he did, pushing the tourist out of the way with a fierce jolt.


All she can do is look around open-mouthed at what has happened. Fortunately for her she managed to stay on her feet.

As well as Windsor Castle, the Queen’s Guard, known for their distinctive red coats and bearskins, are responsible for guarding the monarch’s palaces.



They are fully-operational soldiers and can be found watching over Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace and the Tower of London.

The changing of the Windsor Guard usually happens at around 11am and follows a similar format to that of the one that takes place at Buckingham Palace.

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The Royal Family’s official website says: ‘Accompanied by a full military band playing a selection of music ranging from traditional marches to songs from musicals and familiar pop songs, the ceremony is both a colourful military tradition and an important reminder of the close relationship between the Armed Forces and their Head: The Queen.

‘Household Troops have guarded the Sovereign and the Royal Palaces since 1660. When Queen Victoria moved into Buckingham Palace in 1837, the Queen’s Guard remained at St James’s Palace, with a detachment guarding Buckingham Palace, as it still does today.

‘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 guard duties are normally provided by a battalion of the Household Division, but also sometimes by other infantry battalions or units.

For example, around the time of the Queen’s Coronation in 1953, soldiers from Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan all participated in the Changing of the Guard.

More recently, the Guard was provided by the Jamaica Regiment in 2007, the Royal Gibraltar Regiment in 2012, and a Royal Regiment from Canada in 2014.’

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