Mounted guardsmen from the Life Guards Regiment which is part of the British Household Cavalry


The Queen's Guard and Queen's Life Guard are the names given to contingents of cavalry and infantry soldiers charged with guarding the official royal residences in London. The British Army has had regiments of both Horse Guards and Foot Guards since before the restoration of King Charles II and since 1660 these have been responsible for guarding the Sovereign Palaces. The Queen's Guard and Queen's Life Guard is mounted at the royal residences which come under the operating area of London District which is responsible for the administration of the Household Division; this covers Buckingham Palace St James's Palace and the Tower of London as well as Windsor Castle. The Queen's Guard is also mounted at the sovereign's other official residence the Palace of Holyroodhouse but not as regularly as in London. In Edinburgh the guard is the responsibility of the resident infantry battalion at Redford Barracks. It is not mounted at the Queen's private residences at Sandringham or Balmoral. The Queen's Guard is the name given to the contingent of infantry responsible for guarding Buckingham Palace and St. James's Palace (including Clarence House) in London. The guard is made up of a company of soldiers from a single regiment which is split in two providing a detachment for Buckingham Palace and a detachment for St James's Palace. Because the Sovereign's official residence is still St James's the guard commander (called the 'Captain of the Guard') is based there as are the regiment's colours. When the Sovereign is in residence the Queen's Guard numbers three officers and 40 other ranks with four sentries each posted at Buckingham Palace (on the forecourt) and St James's Palace (two at the main entrance in Pall Mall two in Friary Court). This reduces to three officers and 31 ORs with two sentries each when the Sovereign is not in residence.


Size: 3967px × 5950px
Photo credit: © Beren Patterson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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