Horse Guards Parade

See upcoming events at Horse Guards Parade

Horse Guards Parade is the large open space that lies at the eastern end of St. James’s Park.

One side lays open to the park, and the other enters into Whitehall. This part is usually guarded by two cavalrymen of the Household Division – a ghostly throwback to its days as a Palace, even though all that remains of Whitehall Palace today is Banqueting House across the road. A favourite pastime of tourists everywhere is to try and make them smile. (Not an easy thing to do!)

Street map of London showing Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall

The parade ground itself is bordered by an assortment of historical buildings, and the iron-gated entrance to Downing Street. It is also home to numerous statues of military generals, including Lord Kitchener (Your Country Needs You!) and the Queen’s cousin Lord Mountbatten (killed by the IRA in 1979).

Household Cavalry, and Trooping the Colour

Horse Guards’ Barracks still house around forty mounted sentries of the Royal Guard, used to defend the Queen at the other end of The Mall.

There are two regiments in total – the Life Guards (red coat and white-plumed helmet), and the Blues and Royals (blue coat and a red-plumed helmet). You can see two on either side of the gate, and they change around every hour between 10AM and 4PM.

The most famous event to take place on Horse Guards Parade is Trooping the Colour, which always falls on the Queen’s official birthday. It first took place in 1755 and has been a regular event since 1805.

Its origins lie in the parading of the troop’s colours in front of the soldiery, so that they would know where to rally on the battlefield.

Facts and information

Address:
Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall,
London SW1A
England
Bus route:
3 11 12 24 29 53 87 88 91 94 159 453
Train station:
Charing Cross BK NR, Embankment BK CR DS NR, Westminster CR DS JB
Horse Guards Parade in WhitehallHorse Guards Parade, WhitehallHorse Guards Parade in LondonHorse Guards Parade, LondonSentry on duty at Horse Guards Parade in WhitehallSoldier on duty at Horse Guards
View of Horse Guards Parade, circa 1755Horse Guards Parade, c.17552nd Footguards on parade in Horse Guards, circa 17552nd Footguards on parade, c.1755

Horse Guards Parade – Related articles…

Whitehall
See the Horse Guards standing outside Banqueting House, and the Remembrance Day Parade.

Events on Horse Guards Parade:

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