Encounter with a London Guard

[Steven_Draker]

[video=youtube;1yxiHu8cbJo]

[Doe Be Doe]

That's funny but wasn't it kind of rude? I mean the guards are real guards, right? In theory at least they have a very important job so to distract them from that would not be nice. Still, rather funny.

[Diverdan]

RUDE is not even close.... that guy (not the guard) is an ASS... I don't see anything funny about this video.. just shows the depravity of some guys...

[adriano46]

Knowing that these guard posts are on security camera, I imagine many of the guards (off duty) have a chance to say what they would REALLY like to have done to these a$$holes. That spike with the plume on the helmut would have looked great impaled up this imbecile's abundant a$$.

[Frequentflier]

First, the guard sure looks handsome.

Second, I agree with the response of others. I don't know the customs in England surrounding interacting with these guards. Unless the guards have made it known that its not outrageously unacceptable to do as this guy did, it seems disrespectful. When I googled the topic it seems fairly common for tourists to try and make the guards smile or laugh. I would think tourists standing near them for a photo is ok, but to talk about them as if they are just objects and knowing they aren't allowed to respond isn't right. I'm guessing its not a huge issue or the Brits would make this behavior illegal and start handing out their equivalent of tickets/summons and/or authorize the guards to respond harshly to people who cross the line. And I'd like to think the guards don't get into any trouble if they react by smiling or laughing at the tourists.

 

Truth is my mind thinking a guard like this should be on duty in just shorts and flip flops isn't showing him much respect either, although I'm not as bad as the guy in the video because I would never say this to the guard. A big helmet and all that uniform hiding what might be really nice underneath seems somehow not right

 

Thanks for the video post. Keeps the site interesting and I wouldn't likely come across it another way.

[marylander1940]

His looks and attitude are obnoxious.

I wish the guard had reacted like this.

 

[video=youtube;koT0vkaz81g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koT0vkaz81g

[Steven_Draker]

I'd rather see him smiling

 

[video=youtube;pgnaPAY1nWU]

[Bosguy]

I'd rather see him smiling[/color]

 

[video=youtube;pgnaPAY1nWU]

 

He really looks like he's hot- love to see that smile OUT OF UNIFORM

 

Boston Bill

[Nvr2Thick]

Second, I agree with the response of others. I don't know the customs in England surrounding interacting with these guards. Unless the guards have made it known that its not outrageously unacceptable to do as this guy did, it seems disrespectful. When I googled the topic it seems fairly common for tourists to try and make the guards smile or laugh. I would think tourists standing near them for a photo is ok, but to talk about them as if they are just objects and knowing they aren't allowed to respond isn't right. I'm guessing its not a huge issue or the Brits would make this behavior illegal and start handing out their equivalent of tickets/summons and/or authorize the guards to respond harshly to people who cross the line. And I'd like to think the guards don't get into any trouble if they react by smiling or laughing at the tourists.

 

It's not really the big deal that folks make of it; It's just a tacky, touristy thing to do, and very common. There's even a Lucy episode in London where she tries to get one of these guys to laugh. The Royal Guard is decades past being relevant. They really exist as part of a veneer of authenticity for the tourists. Back in the days when Disneyland had a lot more costumed characters roaming the parks there were many more instances of inappropriate photo-ops, and this is pretty much the same thing.

[Steven_Draker]

Queen's Guard

 

http://www.catwalkqueen.tv/queen%20guard.jpg

 

The Queen's Guard is the name given to the contingent of infantry responsible for guarding Buckingham Palace and St James' Palace (including Clarence House) in London. The guard is made up of a company of soldiers from a single regiment, which is split in two, providing a detachment for Buckingham Palace and a detachment for St James' Palace. Because the Sovereign's official residence is still St James', the guard commander (called the 'Captain of the Guard') is based there, as are the regiment's colours. When the Sovereign is in residence, the Queen's Guard numbers three officers and 40 other ranks, with four sentries each posted at Buckingham Palace (on the forecourt) and St James' Palace (two at the main entrance in Pall Mall, two in Friary Court). This reduces to three officers and 31 ORs, with two sentries each when the Sovereign is not in residence.[1] The Queen's Guard is not purely ceremonial in nature. They provide sentries during the day and night, and during the latter hours they patrol the grounds of the Palace. Until 1959, the sentries at Buckingham Palace were stationed outside the fence. This stopped following an incident involving a female tourist and a Coldstream Guardsman – due to the continued pestering of tourists and sightseers, the guardsman kicked the tourist on the ankle as he marched. The tourist made a complaint to the police and, despite sympathy, the sentry was confined to barracks for ten days. Not long after, the sentries were moved inside the fence.[2]

 

Incidents

The Queen's Guard is an operational posting, with the primary purpose of protecting the Sovereign. However, there have been a handful of incidents over the years when this protection has been tested; in 1982, a man named Michael Fagan was able to evade the sentries stationed in the grounds of Buckingham Palace and make his way to the Queen's bedroom, before he was captured by police. In this instance, security of the Queen's room was the task of the Metropolitan Police. In 2004, a member of the pressure group Fathers4Justice spent five and a half hours standing on the parapet by the balcony at the front of Buckingham Palace (See Fathers 4 Justice Buckingham Palace protest). Again, the security was the primary responsibility of the Metropolitan Police; although the Queen was not present at the time, it raised fears of the possibility of a terrorist attack on the palace, and gave rise to calls for the British Army to be given a greater hand in the overall security of the Royal Family.

 

Procedure Whilst at Post

A sentry will be on duty "at their post" for a two hour period. Every 10 minutes, he comes to attention, slopes arms and does a march of 15 paces across the area of the post. Each sentry will do this four to five times before halting. He will then shoulder arms and stand at ease. Standing "easy" is not permitted whilst a sentry is at post. Orders for sentry duty read out before each 2 hour 'tour of duty', make it clear to each individual that: "you may not eat, sleep, smoke, stand easy, sit or lie down during your tour of duty".[10]

Sentries receive instruction on how to eliminate nuisance or any suggestion of threat from members of the public. There is a protocol they follow which begins with "stamping" (coming to attention sharply). He will also shout: "Stand back from the guard" or words to that effect. If this does not eliminate the nuisance or threat he will repeat the stamp and shout again. If the nuisance or threat still doesn't cease the sentry will assume the position of "port arms" whereby he points his rifle at the source of the interference with his duties. If these warnings are not heeded the sentry then has the choice of detaining the person(s) himself or pressing the button in his sentry box to summon assistance. [11]

If a person or persons step in front of a sentry while he is marching he will shout: "Make way for the Queen's guard". (Or Castle guard/Tower of London guard etc).[12]

 

Discipline

Whilst The Foot Guards are also fully operational soldiers, part of their duties is of course guarding The Queen and her residences. The duty of mounting 'Queen's Guard' as it's known within the Army is one which many also take on with great pride. The guards remain a fully functional part of royal defences though through the years they have become a tourist attraction.

Although formerly the guards were able to be positioned among the public, in recent times, more and more of the sentry posts have been moved away from the public because of incidents involving tourists interfering with the guards' job. Most recently, the sentry posts at Clarence House were moved behind a chain linked fence when a guardsman in the Coldstream Guards assaulted a tourist who was mocking him, pretending to march alongside him. In London, the only open sentry posts remaining not usually behind any sort fence are those under the clock at St James's Palace.

 

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen%27s_Guard

[Antinous]

A small detail most won't know, but the Queen's Guard is made up of the rotating companies from one of the 5 regiments of Foot Guards; the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards, Irish Guards, and Welsh Guards.

 

The gentleman in the video is not actually from one of the Foots Guards regiments, nor was it Buckingham Palace. The trooper is part of the ceremonial troop of the Royal Horse Guards (currently the amalgamated Blues and Royals) which, along with the Life Guards, provide the cavalry contingent to the Household Division. They stand guard at Horse Guards on Whitehall, where this video appears to have been taken.

 

There does not seem to be a rule against smiling. It is rather a question of tradition and pride, and tourists have been trying to make guardsmen smile/laugh for decades. And if tourists become too bothersome, then regular police (who are also on duty in these same areas) will suggest that the tourists move on.

[Frankly Rich]

It really is an asshole who tries to interrupt the guard in the performance of his duties. Why are some people so selfish that they think their little joke is so much more important than the guard's job?

[Steven_Draker]

There does not seem to be a rule against smiling.

 

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Mr_bean_rifle1_3140.jpg

 

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/V0holdxU4Dw/hqdefault.jpg

 

http://v012o.popscreen.com/eGZmNzR5MTI=_o_mr-bean---meets-a-royal-guard.jpg

 

http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/-3A6oMSRmvo/hqdefault.jpg