The Changing of the Guard, officially known as Guard Mounting, is a famous ceremony in which the palace guards that have been on duty for some hours are substituted by a new set of guards. This ceremony is performed at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, but its most famous iteration is at the former site, the London Royal residence.

The ceremony, built around what is essentially a change of shifts, is a symbolic gesture representing the transfer of responsibility between the Old and the New Guard. Over time, the Changing of the Guard has become incredibly famous, especially thanks to its easily recognisable Foot Guards. These soldiers wear the iconic bearskin hats and red tunics, which have become symbols of Buckingham Palace and the British Monarchy itself.

Before the Guard Mounting, soldiers gather at St James’s Palace and then march to Buckingham Palace. The number of Old Guards and New Guards exchanging places depends on the monarch’s presence at the palace. If the King is at Buckingham Palace, there are four sentries, otherwise, there will be two. The ceremony is always accompanied by a music band, which plays traditional military marches as well as popular songs.

Location

Forecourt of Buckingham Palace, Westminster district, London SW1A 1AA.

The Changing of the Guard takes place in Buckingham Palace’s forecourt, facing the Victoria Memorial.

Not far from the courtyard where you can see the ceremony, you’ll find three important Royal Parks, St James’s Park (immediately to the east) and Green Park (immediately northwest), and Hyde Park (further west, beyond Green Park and the Wellington Arch).

Entries

The Changing of the Guard is a public event, so everyone can see it free of charge and without prior booking. If you want to see it, just make sure you show up before the beginning of the ceremony to secure a good spot, as the place gets busy quite quickly.

Schedule

The Changing of the Guard, or Guard Mounting, takes place every other day (on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday) at 10:45 am. The entire ceremony lasts about 45 minutes. Given its popularity, visitors are advised to arrive as early as possible.

On rainy days, the Changing of the Guard might be cancelled without prior notice. In the past, the Guard Mounting has also been called off due to official events and other occasions.

Transport

It’s quite easy to reach Buckingham Palace, where the Changing of the Guard takes place. If you are taking the Tube, you’ll have two main options. Your first one is to take lines Circle or District and get off at St James’s Park, which is located southeast of Buckingham Palace. The second one is to take lines Jubilee, Piccadilly, or Victoria and get off at Green Park station, just across Green Park from Buckingham Palace.

In terms of buses, lines 11, 13, 16, 24, 38, 52, 148, 211, and 390 are all good options that will drop you off nearby.

You can find a summary of the public transport options in the table below.

Nearby sights

Green Park - across the street and northwest from Buckingham Palace and its courtyard, where the Changing of the Guard takes place.

St James’s Park - across the street and east from Buckingham Palace and its courtyard, where the Changing of the Guard takes place.

Hyde Park - 1 km (0.6) northeast, 13-minute walk.

Westminster Abbey - 1.1 km (0.7 miles) west, 14-minute walk.

Westminster Palace - 1.3 km (0.8 miles) west, 17-minute walk.

Big Ben - 1.3 km (0.8 miles) west, 17-minute walk.