The traditional Changing of the Guard ceremonies at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle have been canceled for the remainder of the week due to the extreme heatwave affecting the region.
These ceremonies, which typically occur daily outside the royal residences, involve spectators witnessing soldiers in their iconic bearskin hats and red tunics marching to the accompaniment of a military band, including horses in the procession.
With temperatures in London and Windsor expected to soar to 39°C in the upcoming days, the Met Office has issued a red weather warning, prompting the cancellation of the Changing of the Guard events on Wednesday and Thursday. Today’s ceremony was also called off.
The Army In London, responsible for organizing the ceremonies, stated that the cancellations were necessary to safeguard the well-being of soldiers, horses, and spectators from the oppressive heat.
In a released statement, it was explained that the decision was made in response to the forecasted intense temperatures and red heat alert, aligning with advice from the Met Office and other government agencies to minimize outdoor activities. As a result, there will be no ceremonial Guard Changes in Windsor or London on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.
Additionally, the ongoing heatwave has led to adjustments in the guarding procedures at royal buildings and other locations, such as Horse Guards Parade. The King’s Life Guard at Horse Guards will undergo a change without the usual ceremony on Wednesday at 0800 to prevent heat stress on the horses. Soldiers on Guard duty have been relocated to shaded areas and are rotated more frequently as a precautionary measure in the hot weather.
The Household Troops, also known as Guards, have been protecting the Sovereign since 1660 and have been stationed outside Buckingham Palace since it became the official residence of Queen Victoria in 1837.
During the Changing of the Guard ceremony, known as Guard Mounting, the Old Guard stationed in front of the Palace is relieved by the New Guard arriving from Wellington Barracks, accompanied by a Band or Corps of Drums.
The extreme heatwave affecting western Europe is expected to escalate temperatures close to 40°C by Wednesday, potentially surpassing the June record of 35.6°C set in Hampshire in 1976. A red weather warning for extreme heat has been issued by the Met Office covering a wide area from London to Swansea and Somerset to Birmingham from 9 am on Wednesday to 9 pm on Thursday. Temperatures may approach the UK’s all-time high of 40.3°C recorded in July 2022.
Met Office spokesperson Grahame Madge highlighted that 39°C is the projected maximum temperature on Thursday, with the possibility of temperatures exceeding this if at the upper end of the forecasted range.