Horse Guards Parade

The West End

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In a more accessible version of Buckingham Palace’s Changing the Guard, the horse-mounted troops of the Household Cavalry swap soldiers here at 11am from Monday to Saturday and at 10am on Sunday. A slightly less ceremonial version takes place at 4pm when the dismounted guards are changed. On the Queen’s official birthday in June, the Trooping the Colour parade takes place here.

During the reigns of King Henry VIII and his daughter Queen Elizabeth I, jousting tournaments were staged here. The parade ground and its buildings were built in 1745 to house the Queen’s so-called Life Guards. Here you'll also find the Household Cavalry Museum.

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