The Queen’s Guards, mainly famous for their distinctive red tunics and black bearskin hats, symbolize British tradition and military precision. All the royal residences, such as Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, are guarded by soldiers to ensure the safety of the royal family.
Since many tourists visit the royal palace, there are royal guards managing crowds and maintaining order.
Many people have posted on social media, or written about how aggressive the Queen’s Guards act toward tourists.
Samantha Ibrahim from the New York Post said, “A King’s Guard at Buckingham Palace gave a tourist a royal scare when he screamed in her face as she was trying to get a picture.”
Actual footage of this event went viral on a TikTok post that gained over 25 million views. The video showed the woman standing next to the guard, smiling for a photo. She touches the royal guard by mistake, and he yells, “Do not touch the King’s LifeGuard!” There are many other cases of similar incidents as well.
The main explanation for this behavior from the royal guards is that it is simply their duty to exhibit an unwavering sense of professionalism, with an air of formality. These guards have a strict adherence to protocol and commitment.
“The horse guards are elite soldiers who protect the monarchy. So naturally, any overzealous tourists who overstep the mark can trigger some defensiveness – and sometimes aggression – among the soldiers,” said James Roger from BirminghamLive.
Another factor contributing to the aggression of the Queen’s guards is the behavior of the tourists. It is very common for people to overlook the rules and borders set by the guards. Many tourists have attempted to touch or taunt the guards, take inappropriate photographs, or take part in unruly behavior.
The guards must then respond to their behavior by employing assertive actions to discourage such behavior and keep everyone around safe.
Jonathan from Londontopia says, “One should never touch a member of the Queen’s guard. If this is the case, they are allowed to shout warnings […] to make [them] go away. If people start acting aggressively, the soldiers can even present their bayonets at them.”
Their measures reflect their commitment to their duty instead of any personal animosity towards tourists.
However, the royal family has seemed to notice the lack of communication between the guards and tourists and, in recent years, have been supplied with further training to strengthen their communication skills and to handle situations with more thoughtfulness and diplomacy.
Additionally, most tourists are aware of how and why the guards behave this way, and yet they still choose to taunt them or touch them. Many people who commented on the TikTok post defended the guards, yet when they go to the palace themselves, they act as if they don’t know the rules. It is important to respect the Queen’s guards, as they are just doing their duty of protecting the royal premises.