Changing the Guard

The Household Cavalry also change the guard daily on Horse Guards Parade at 11am and at 10am on Sundays.

During the month of June, The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery take over duties for one month.

Occasionally The Mounted Band of the Household Cavalry provide Musical support when training for the summer season.

The ceremony of Changing the Guard dates back to over 520 years ago and still happens to this day.

The Royal Palaces are guarded by soldiers of the Household Division and sometimes guest regiments.

Musical support is always provided in the form of one of the Household Division bands, Corps of Drums, Pipes and Drums or a visiting guest band.

You can watch the ceremony of Changing the Guard:

Buckingham Palace - Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays (every day from mid June and all of July)

Windsor Castle - Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays (every day from mid June and all of July) - also Sundays in April

Edinburgh Castle - 6th February, 21st April, 2nd June, 9th June, 14th November (these are days of Royal Gun Salutes)

During the Month of May, however some Guard mounts will take place on Horse Guards Parade as dress rehearsals for The Queen's Birthday Parade, these dates can be found by visiting the Household Division Website.

A few times a year the Household Division will grant a British Regiment outside of the Household Division the honour of carrying out the duties and occasionally will invite regiments (and often their bands) from across the commonwealth to take part in the ceremony!

The Band of the RAF Regiment supporting the Queen's Colour Squadron (January 2022)
The Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland (February and March 2022)

The City of London is also home to two Army Reserve bands; The Band of the Royal Yeomanry and The Honourable Artillery Company Band and Corps of Drums. These two bands are the only two army reserve band that have been granted the status of a 'State Band'. This means they can regularly carry out state engagements such as The Changing of the Guard. You can see these bands performing:

The Band of the Royal Yeomanry: No Current Dates

The Band of the Honorable Artillery Company: No current dates

The Corps of Drums of the of the Honorable Artillery Company: No Current Dates

You can find out more about the ceremony and which bands are performing in London and Windsor each day by visiting the Household Division website.