For most of July, a contingent from Canada’s fabled Royal 22nd Regiment, about 70 guardsmen, is standing on guard for the Queen.
It’s the first time the francophone regiment has stood guard at Buckingham Palace since 1940, when it was done at the request of King George VI, father of Queen Elizabeth. That also marked the first time the King’s Guard Sentinels got commands not only from a non-British unit but also in French. The changing of the guard ceremony, which is a must-see for tourists besides being a famous military ritual, consists of the old guard handing over responsibility for Buckingham Palace’s safety to the new guard. The responsibility is given to active infantry regiments who have shown discipline and precision in their movements.
