< Introducing London
London’s Ceremonies
The Queen making her speech in the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament
London has a full calendar of ceremonial events, occasions and customs, most of them connected with the royal family and many dating back to the Middle Ages or beyond. Not only are these colourful ceremonies historically important, but they are also bursting with spectacular costumes and pageantry, making them thrilling to watch for the whole family.
Trooping the colour
Combining pageantry, military precision and music, this splendid ceremony in Horse Guards Parade honours the Queen’s official birthday on a Saturday in mid-June. The Queen inspects a Guards’ regiment from the Household Division, resplendent in their scarlet tunics and bearskins or plumed helmets and carrying the “colour” (their regimental flag). Afterwards, the Queen is escorted to Buckingham Palace to appear on the balcony.
Changing the guard
Troops from the Household Division have been guarding the monarch since 1660, and a colourful ceremony marks the handover of duty from the old guard to a new one, usually with the Foot Guards in their full-dress uniform. Accompanied by a Guards’ band, it takes place at Buckingham Palace daily from May–July and on alternate days throughout the rest of the year, starting soon after 11am. Children will enjoy the colour and spectacle.
State opening of Parliament
The Queen opens the new session of Parliament each year, usually in November or December, with this historic ceremony. Although the actual ceremony – in which the Queen announces a programme of proposed legislation on behalf of her government – is closed to the public, it is televised and the royal procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster can be seen along The Mall and Whitehall. The Queen travels in a state coach, while the Imperial State Crown has its own carriage.
Remembrance Day
Through this solemn ceremony in Whitehall on the second Sunday in November, the nation commemorates those who died in the two world wars and other more recent conflicts. The Queen and the royal family, political leaders and representatives of the armed forces observe a two-minute silence at 11am and, after the sounding of the last post, lay wreaths of poppies at the foot of the Cenotaph. Once the Queen has left, war veterans march past the Cenotaph to pay their respects.
Wreaths of poppies laid at the foot of the Cenotaph as part of the Remembrance Day ceremonies.
Gun salutes
The custom of firing a cannon was once a sign of respect or welcome, an unloaded gun indicating friendly intent. Today, gun salutes at the Tower of London and in Hyde Park mark royal occasions, such as birthdays or anniversaries, and in Green Park, state visits, the State Opening of Parliament and the Queen’s birthday parade. The basic royal salute is 21 rounds, but 20 extra rounds are included if it is fired in a royal park, palace or fortress. Salutes usually take place at 11am or noon.
Ceremony of the keys
Yeoman Warders, or “Beefeaters”, have performed this ceremony, which is open to the public, to secure the Tower of London every night for 700 years. The gates are locked at exactly 9:53pm by the Chief Yeoman Warder, escorted by four armed guards. He is challenged by a sentry, who then allows him to pass, acknowledging that he is the bearer of the Queen’s keys. The ceremony ends with the Chief Warder taking the keys to safety while a trumpeter sounds the last post.
Lord Mayor’s show
This procession occurs on the second Saturday in November, taking the newly elected Lord Mayor in a state coach from the Guildhall to the Royal Courts of Justice, where he/she pledges allegiance to the Crown, and then comes back again. The custom, which is almost 800 years old, starts at 11am, includes floats, military bands and City guildsmen, and culminates in fireworks at 5pm.
The magnificent state coach taking part in the celebrations and pageantry of the Lord Mayor’s Show
Beating retreat
In a spectacular show, the massed bands of the Household Division perform this ceremony on two consecutive June evenings. It dates back to the time when a drum was used to communicate on the battlefield. Beating a retreat signalled the soldiers to stop fighting and return to camp. Rousing tunes are played by 300 musicians and the Queen usually takes the salute.
Oak Apple Day
Celebrated on 29 May, Oak Apple Day commemorates the lucky escape of the future Charles II from Parliamentary forces by hiding in a hollow oak tree. The date was both Charles’s birthday and the day in 1660 when he returned to London to claim the throne. Today, it is celebrated by Chelsea Pensioners, who decorate the statue of Charles II, their founder, at the Royal Hospital, and parade before royalty.
Beating the bounds
Dating back to a time when there were few maps and boundaries were constantly in dispute, this custom involves walking around parish boundaries, whacking them with a stick and praying for protection. It is still observed on Ascension Day at All-Hallows-by-the-Tower, where the parish’s southern boundary is in the middle of the Thames. Members of the party must board a boat to beat the boundary mark in the water.