The King’s Life Guard

The King's Life Guard is the guard duty performed by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment at Horse Guards, a name the place bears from the troops who have mounted the guard there since the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660. The changing of the guard starts at 11am with the Old Guard formed up on Horse Guards Parade; as the New Guard arrives, a trumpeter sounds a royal salute, the officer salutes, and the first relief rides to the guard room to take over duties lasting 48 hours. The ceremony has remained mostly unchanged for over 350 years, and responsibility for mounting the guard alternates between The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals. When the monarch is in London there is a 'long guard' of an officer, a corporal major carrying the regimental standard, two non-commissioned officers, a trumpeter and 10 troopers; when away, it is reduced to a 'short guard' of two non-commissioned officers and 10 troopers.