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!)
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, Whitehall
Horse Guards Parade, London
Soldier on duty at Horse Guards
Horse Guards Parade, c.1755
2nd Footguards on parade, c.1755- > Information
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