I’m only telling you this because I love you: Changing the Guard, sometimes called Guard Mounting, is an underwhelming use of 40 minutes of your time. Arrive at Buckingham Palace at least 45 minutes ahead if you don’t want to face the backs of other tourists—Buckingham Palace sells a $1 smartphone app that will help decode the ritual. A marching band advances from Birdcage Walk (often, playing themes from Star Wars, West Side Story, or ABBA—so much for traditional English customs), then members of the Queen’s Life Guard—two if the Queen’s away, three or four if she’s in—do a change around their sentry boxes. And that’s it, give or take additional prancing. It's something only tourists do, which isn't a compliment.
London
Travel Guide
London› Attraction
Changing the Guard
Buckingham Palace, London
Our Rating
Neighborhood
Green Park
Hours
11:30am daily in May–July, and every other day in other months, cancelled in heavy rain
Transportation
Tube: Green Park, St. James’s Park, or Victoria
Prices
Free
Web site
Royal.gov.uk
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.