What actions get people into the doghouse with some of Britain's best soldiers? Well, they may be quiet and stoic — if a little silly-looking in those hats — but there are a few things that will get you yelled at by British Royal Guards.
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00:00What actions get people into the doghouse with some of Britain's best soldiers? Well,
00:04they may be quiet and stoic, if a little silly-looking in those hats. But there are a few things
00:09that will get you yelled at by British Royal Guards.
00:12British Royal Guards have very regimented routines while working. They're on duty for
00:16either 24 or 48 hours, and during those shifts, they alternate between guarding for two hours
00:21and having a four-hour break. They also must march a particular way while on duty. On top
00:26of that, they participate in the highly organized and prestigious Changing of the Guard ceremony,
00:30which draws in tourists from all over the world.
00:33The legendary commemoration dates back to the mid-1600s and signals the relief of the
00:37Old Guard by the New Guard. The New Guard, accompanied by a military band playing music,
00:42marches from their barracks to their destination and takes over for the Old Guard. Soldiers
00:46work hard to master this choreography down to the minute, and they have no issue yelling
00:50at people who obstruct their paths.
00:52In situations like this, the Guard will be extremely straightforward, typically yelling
00:56something like,
00:57"...make way!" at an ear-splittingly high volume. And if that doesn't work, they simply
01:01push past the offending tourist to keep up with their routine. Other variations on the
01:05theme can be witnessed, such as,
01:06"...make way for the Queen's Guard!"
01:08While this may seem rude to some people, remember that following a strict procedure is part
01:12of a guard's job, and they'll do what's needed to follow it to a T.
01:16The King's Lifeguard is a group of guards whose origins date back to 1660. They're posted
01:20at the fittingly named Horse Guards, the entrance to Buckingham Palace and St. James
01:24Palace. They look a little different than the other soldiers in the British Royal Guard,
01:28sporting breastplates, helmets, and swords, but a key difference is that they're mounted
01:32on horses. The horses are important members of the Guard, and tourists are expected to
01:36treat them with respect and not interfere with their duties. Some tourists, however,
01:40get excited and approach the horses, grabbing their reins to say hello or pose for a photo.
01:46So the four horses we've got in here are the boxman's horses. These are the horses everyone
01:50will see."
01:52This is a big no-no for the guards, who will yell at people for getting too close. When
01:56this intrusion does happen, a guard will yell some variation of,
01:59"...do not touch the reins!" in a firm tone until the person lets go. That warning typically
02:03does the trick, but they have another strategy if the person doesn't get the hint. If someone
02:07doesn't release the rein in a timely fashion, the guard will direct the horse away from
02:11them and quickly return to their post. That way, both the horse and Royal Guard can perform
02:16their duties without distraction, and hopefully without further interruption.
02:20One of the most distinct characteristics of the British Royal Guard is the stoic nature
02:24of its soldiers. They stand seemingly emotionless to honor centuries of tradition and customs
02:29while protecting their royal properties. It also represents their dedication to the job
02:33and their ability to maintain composure in any situation. Well, almost any situation.
02:38Some people like to stand next to a guard and snap a photo with them, and some guards
02:41are okay with this as long as civilians are respectful and don't interfere with their
02:45responsibilities.
02:46However, you should expect a guard to yell if you get too close to them, or, even worse,
03:02touch them. Guards don't appreciate people infiltrating their personal space and have
03:05no problem telling people to back off. Perhaps someone is standing a little too close to
03:09a guard for a little too long? A guard can keep their cool in this situation for a bit,
03:14but if they want you out of their space, they'll stamp their foot and shout,
03:17"...stand back!" loudly and with authority. Which, you know, makes sense. People typically
03:21get the picture and back away, but others may want to push those boundaries, such as
03:25placing their hands on a guard's shoulder. Big mistake. If this happens, a guard can
03:29point their weapon at the perpetrator and yell at them to signal they mean business.
03:34The main job of the Royal Guard is to protect Britain's royal family and royal property
03:38from threats, including civilians who don't understand that royal property isn't public
03:43property. Spots like Buckingham Palace have fences to distinctly show spectators where
03:47they're allowed and where they aren't. Some people like to casually lean on the barrier,
03:51or in some cases, climb on it. Both these moves could easily get you yelled at by a
03:55guard. If an adventurous tourist is caught leaning on a fence, a guard can march up to
03:59them, stand his ground, and yell,
04:01"...get off the fence!"
04:06Usually, that's enough of a warning, but a guard may have to take a more drastic route
04:10if someone climbs a barrier. This situation can start with a guard shouting at the perpetrator,
04:14then shifting his weapon a few times and stamping his foot twice before ordering that they get
04:18down. If the climber still does not make their way down, the guard could point his weapon
04:22and continue to demand that they stay off the fence. This escalation shows just how
04:26serious the guards are about their duty to the crown and its assets.
04:32The British Royal Guards have a precise marching routine to stick to while on duty, and they
04:35train hard to get it down to a silence. Every 10 minutes, a guard will snap to attention,
04:39make several short, 20-pace marches about their post, and then return to standing at
04:43ease. Their march is another nod to the Royal Guards' history and the guards' commitment
04:48to precision and excellence. Some tourists and civilians, on the other hand, may think
04:51the guards' strict routine is funny and mock their movements. People have made fun of the
04:56guards' movements before, but be warned — if they're pushed enough, the guards will react.
05:00Guards can tolerate mocking for a little while, but the act gets old after a bit. Unimpressed
05:05and completely over the shenanigans, a guard may approach their antagonizer, stamp his
05:09foot, and shout at them to stand back. Then they can resume marching. Lesson learned — keep
05:14any funny thoughts about the march in your head, and don't put on an act for the guards.
05:18No matter how funny you think you are, you're not Mr. Bean.