Don’t visit London without seeing the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Read on to discover top tips to plan your visit.
It is a wonderful morning full of pomp and ceremony and the best bit – it’s free! For most of the year, the Changing of the Guard normally happens on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays but in the summer more days are added so check the schedule which also tells you if a band will accompany the soldiers.
Read more: Changing of the Guard schedule
Buckingham Palace
If you want a perfect view of the ceremony at Buckingham Palace itself then you need to get there early to secure a spot. You can see the guards walking up the Mall from next to the Queen Victoria Memorial but the best view is at the gates of the Palace itself.
St. James’s Palace
An interesting alternative is to walk up the Mall from the Palace and stop at St James’ Palace on Marlborough Road to your left. Here, you can see the incoming guard getting ready. They march up the Mall to Buckingham Palace and if you can walk quickly, you can follow them on their way along the road.
Trooping of the Colour
A huge bonus if you’re visiting in early June is you may see part of the practise for Trooping of the Colour, a ceremony to mark the King’s birthday at Horseguard Parade.
St. James’s Park
A brief walk up the Mall, past Trafalgar from Charing Cross gets you to the beautiful St James’ Park, one of my favourite parks in London. Definitely worth wandering through at your leisure after you have watched the ceremony. If you’re lucky, you’ll even spot the local pelicans! There are a couple of wonderful photo opportunities: at the Buckingham Palace end where you can see the entire length of the Park with Horse Guard Parade and Westminster in the distance and on the bridge, halfway through the park.
Getting to the Changing of the Guard
The closest tube station is St. James’s Park behind Birdcage Walk. I would recommend walking up The Mall from Trafalgar Square if you have enough time to take in the scenery.
Changing of the Guard tickets
There are no tickets available. To get a good view at the gates of the Palace, I would recommend arriving at least 30 minutes beforehand.
Timings
Normally, the Changing of Guard happens at 11am in the Forecourt of Buckingham Palace but the guard leaves St James’ Palace at 10.43am. The ceremony lasts until 11.45am but check the schedule for any last minute changes.
Eat and Drink
There are plenty of café’s behind Buckingham Palace, in St James’ Park or near Trafalgar Square
Toilets
There are a couple of public toilets in St James’ Park. One set opposite Marlborough Road and the other next to Horse Guard’s Parade. Note you will need to pay to use these toilets.
Accessibility
On public roads and pavements so can get busy but it is all flat.
Top Tips
- If you want a good view near the palace, then you must arrive early.
- If you want to follow the new guards then arrive at St. James’s Palace beforehand and walk along the Mall following them.
