By Gordon Thom
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July 7, 2019
The Queen’s Life Guard is normally made up, of soldiers, from the Household Cavalry, which consists of a squadron from the Blues and Royals and the Life Guards. These are the two most senior regiments in the British Army. The guard change, dates back to the restoration of Charles II in 1660. Everyday, in all weathers, the guard change takes place in the morning and again in the afternoon. For my money, the Changing Of the Horseguards is better value then the foot guards. It’s always worth counting the number of horses, as there are 12 on a short guard and 14 on a long guard. These represent weather the sovereign is in residence. The pickpockets also enjoy this event, as they like a captivated crowd. I quite like the 4 o’clock Parade, as this is also known as the Punishment Parade. This is because in 1894, Queen Victoria, was not amused when she found the men drinking and gambling. She decreed that they would hold the parade for 100 years as a punishment. In 1994, the Queen said she would like it to continue, as she liked the tradition.