Page 60 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - London

58  INTRODUCING L ONDON

Attending London’s Ceremonies at Horse Guards Parade.
This takes place annually
Royalty and commerce are the two principal sources on two successive eve­
of London’s rich calendar of ceremonial events. Quaint nings in June, leading
and old-fashioned these events may be, but what up to Trooping the
may seem arcane ritual has real historical meaning Colour. The spectacular
State Opening of
– many of the capital’s ceremonies originated in Parliament, when
the Middle Ages. the Queen opens the
annual parliament­ary
The Ceremony of the Keys session in the House
Royal Ceremonies
at the Tower of London is of Lords (usually in
Although the Queen’s role is one of the capital’s most May), is not open to the
now largely symbolic, the historic ceremonies. After general public, although
Guard at Buckingham Palace each of the Tower gates it is televised. The huge
still patrols the palace grounds. has been locked, the last royal procession, which
The impressive ceremony of post is sounded by a moves from Buckingham
Changing the Guard – dazzling trumpeter before the A Queen’s Guard Palace to Westminster,
uniforms, shouted commands, keys are secured in in winter is, however, a magni­
military music – consists of the the Queen’s House. ficent sight, with the
Old Guard, which forms up in The Tower of London and Queen travelling in the highly
the palace forecourt, going off Hyde Park are also the scene ornate Irish State Coach drawn
duty and handing over to the of Royal Salutes, which take by four horses.
New Guard. The Guard comprises place on birthdays and other
three officers and 40 men occasions throughout the year.
when the Queen is in residence, At such times 41 rounds are Military Ceremonies
but only three officers and 31 fired in Hyde Park at noon, The Cenotaph in Whitehall is
men when she is away. The and 62 rounds at the Tower at the setting for a ceremony held
ceremony takes place in front 1pm. The spectacle in Hyde Park on Remembrance Sunday to
of the palace. In another change­ is a stirring one as 71 horses and give thanks to those who died
over ceremony, the Queen’s six 13­pounder cannons swirl fighting in any conflict from
Life Guards travel daily into place and the roar of the World War I onwards.
from Hyde Park guns begins. National Navy Day is
Barracks to The combination of pageantry, commemorated by a parade
Horse Guards colour and music makes the down the Mall, followed by a
Parade. annual Trooping the Colour service held at Nelson’s Column
the high point of London’s in Trafalgar Square.
ceremonial year. The Queen
Member of the takes the Royal Salute, and after
Queen’s Life Guards
her troops have marched past,
she leads them to Buckingham
Palace where a second march
past takes place. The best place
to watch this spectacle is from
the Horse Guards Parade side
of St James’s Park. Bands of
the Household Cavalry
and the Foot Guards
stage the ceremony
of Beating Retreat Royal Salute, Tower of London

Trooping the Colour

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