Queen Guard facts
While investigating facts about Queen Guard, I found out little known, but curios details like:
On 12th September 2001, the day after 9/11, The Queen ordered her Royal Guards to break protocol and play the USA's National Anthem for stranded Americans in London
The day after 9-11, the Queen broke a 200 year old tradition and ordered the US National Anthem to be played during the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace.
In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across. Here are 25 of the best facts about Queen Guard I managed to collect.
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The Queen of England has only ever broken protocol for The Changing Of The Guard once. On 9/12/2001, the day after The September 11th attacks on The World Trade Center in The United States. Instead of The English National Anthem being played during the change, it was the US National Anthem.
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The Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace handle public nuisances not by ignoring them as seen in movies, but by shouting and pointing their loaded rifles at them.
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After 9/11, The Queen broke ancient protocol and ordered the Royal Guards to play the national anthem of the USA, Star Spangled Banner, in memory of the victims and in support of the Americans trapped in the UK due to airport closures.
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If you try to touch a member of the Queen's Guard, they will shout "Step back from the Queen's Guard" and point their rifle at you.
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The Queen of England's guard wear tall bear skin hats because at the Battle of Waterloo, English troops took them as a trophy from France. They were worn by Napoleon's elite guard, which England routed during the Battle.
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Upon the arrival of the Saudi king to Buckingham palace on a state visit, the Queen's Guard band played Darth Vader's theme as he entered the palace.
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Before WWI Kaiser Wilhelm tried to impress Queen Wilhelmina of Holland by telling her "My guards are seven feet tall and yours are only shoulder-high to them." her reply was, "Quite true, Your Majesty, your guards are seven feet tall. But when we open our dikes, the water is ten feet deep!"
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On September 13, 2001, the Queen broke a 600 year tradition, giving permission for the US national anthem to be played at Buckingham Palace during the Changing of the Guard, as a musical tribute to the fallen.
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Queen Elizabeth played the American Anthem during the guard change and doing so she broke tradition for the first time. This happened one day after the 9/11
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The Queen's guards "faint to attention". When fainting, they can't sway left or right, can't drop their rifles, and can't extend their hands to break their fall. Also, should they need to empty their bladders, their dark trousers will cover it for them.
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Each colony has its own queen, workers and guards.
James Blunt (You're Beautiful) fought in Kosovo and rose to the rank of captain in the Life Guards, even marching in the funeral of the Queen Mother - source
The bearskin hat worn by the Queen's Guard has been worn by British soldiers since the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. They adopted it from French imperial guards, who wore them to look taller and more intimidating - source
The RMS Queen Mary is no longer a ship; it was officially declared a "building" by the US Coast Guard
On September 12th 2001, the day after 9/11, The Queen had the Royal Guards break protocol and play the United State's National Anthem for the Americans stranded in London - source
On September 13th, 2001, Queen Elizabeth II had the band that plays during the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace play "The Star Spangled Banner"
The Queen's Guard wear bearskin caps as a result of their mistaken victory against the Grenadiers of Napoleon's Imperial Guard at the Battle of Waterloo.
The Queen's Guard tunics cost around 2000 pounds (≈2800 dollars), and have the collar and cuffs made with real gold
A 19th century Indian warrior queen trained female guards, led armed rebellions against Imperial Britain, and was killed in battle when fellow rebel commanders refused to follow her into combat.
If you are in the way of the Queen's Guards, it is customary for them to just plow you over
