See the changing of the Guards at Windsor

Much the same as the Buckingham Palace ceremony, it involves one regiment of guards replacing another as protectors of the Castle. The new guards march from Victoria Barracks to Queen Victoria's Statue at which point they turn up into Windsor Castle to meet the old guard who have formed outside the Guardroom. To witness the march in full flow and hear the band play out loud and proud, we recommend heading to the High Street early to ensure a good spot.

Any one of five regiments could be taking part in the age-old tradition, and don’t be fooled by their fancy parade costumes and shiny buttons, these guards are real soldiers and there is every possibility they were in a combat situation only the week before. This is a serious business. Once inside the Castle, the Captain of the Old Guard hands the keys to the new Captain and fresh sentries are posted. If you buy a ticket to the Castle, you can watch as the impressive scenes unfold, surrounded by almost 1000 years of history.

Experiencing the echo of the guards’ boots in the courtyard and the strained notes of the bugle is strangely moving and something you won’t forget in a long time.