Top Things To Do In London – The Changing Of The Guard

I would put The Changing of The Guard in my Top Five things to do in London. In fact, I’ve been to watch the guards six or seven times now. No matter how many times I visit London. It’s one of my favourite things to do.

This was my first ever Changing of The Guard so I didn’t know what to expect. As always, I didn’t stress about not getting any shots. I used this as a sort of reconnaissance mission and if I was lucky to see anything, then all good. Now that I’ve been, I believe that I had a pretty good plan. I was in fabulous spots to get the best view of the Changing of The Guard ceremony to capture images that tell the story. I think the photos speak for themselves but I’ll let you be the judge.

What Is Changing Of The Guard

Soldiers are on duty at Buckingham Palace for two days. The Changing of The Guard is a ceremony where the Old Guard hands of to the New Guard on the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

How To Get The Best View

That really depends on what you want to see because the march occurs in three locations concurrently. A contingent of the old guard leaves St James’ Palace and the new guard from Wellington Barracks. They arrive together at Buckingham Palace, where the changeover takes place.

If you are small like me, I recommend NOT standing near Buckingham Palace for the handover. The only people who get to see anything are those first in line by the gate and those tall enough to see over the crowds. You can also get jammed in by the crowd, which is no fun. I prefer to stand along The Mall and wait for the march back to the barracks.

After the ceremony, both guards leave Buckingham Palace; one heads to Wellington Barracks, and the other to St. James’s Palace. Clearly, you cannot be in two or three places at once. You can try. I did, and it was a bit stressful. If you have the time, it would be good to watch the march a few times over several days.

There is a great map on the Household Division website..

St James Palace

I stood across from St James’ Palace in Marlborough Road and a little down the street toward The Mall. The Police will clear you away from the Palace side of the Road. After the guard passed, I followed them down The Mall where the Guard made their way around the left of Victoria Memorial roundabout and into Buckingham Palace.

After the ceremony, one of the guards exits from the left gate toward Wellington Barracks and the other from the right gate toward St James Palace, so pick which you’d like to see. I was outside the right gate to get these images.

What Time Does The March Take Place?

I was in position at St James Palace by 10am. Nothing really happened until 10:30 am. The actual handover at Buckingham Palace began at 11 am.

Best Camera Gear for the March

For these images I used my Canon R5 and 100-400 mm lens, which I found great because I could zoom right in and also avoid the crowds.

Which Days Does The Guard Change Take Place?

The Changing of The Guard usually happens Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. It can be cancelled at short notice, so do check the official website for the schedule, which, also shows which units will be marching and other information.