A lot of people think they know what it’s like to be a Queen’s guard .
Thanks to movies and TV shows like Mr. Bean , Winning London , and Paddington , we see stuffy men in red uniforms that are unable to talk or laugh, even when people try to get them to react.
Here, we find out what really goes on inside those thick bearskin heads.
Being the Queen’s Guard is a very serious job.
They are required to provide a high level of safeguarding to the Queen and other members of the royal family.
Just like the royals have rules they follow, so do the Queen’s guard. Here are some of their duties, including some fun ways they pass the time.
They must carry live ammunition in high-risk situations
When there is any sort of perceived threat, they must be armed and be ready to deal with it, according to Reddit u/nibs123 . With history that dates back to the mid-17th century, the guards are authorized to use their weapons when necessary.
A scary incident happened in 2017 when a royal guard almost shot the Queen by accident.
In a dairy column for The Times , a former guard wrote that he had thought he spotted an intruder walking across the palace grounds at 3 a.m.
After learning that it was the Queen who was unable to sleep, he told her that he nearly shot her.
According to the report, the Queen replied, “That’s quite all right. Next time I’ll ring through beforehand so you don’t have to shoot me.”
They like to pull pranks to pass the time
Standing still all day would get boring really fast. That’s why some guards aren’t afraid to get a little silly. “When I’m really bored, I like to mess peoples’ pictures up,” Reddit u/nibs123 wrote.
They must keep track of the royals
Being aware of all the royal comings and goings is a big part of the job. Back when Prince Harry was in his bad boy phase, this meant carrying him on a guard’s shoulder when he was super drunk.
They people-watch to pass the time
In addition to pulling pranks, a lot of the guards will watch the tourists. People travel from all over the world to see them, so they figure they might as well do the same to them.
They have to be careful, though, as they can get penalized for responding to tourists.
Redditor /u/ nibs123 said that they laugh sometimes, even when they’re not supposed to. They results in them getting charged a week’s pay for moving on parade.
They have to wear bearskin hats
There’s been a lot of controversy over these hats, with conservationists wanting them replaced with synthetic fur.
But this is unlikely to happen. “In the old days, it made us more intimidating… “ the same Redditor explained.
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They have to “faint to attention”
Yes, royal guards are taught to faint . When the hot heat and their heavy uniforms become unbearable, they must topple face forward while still holding onto their rifles. This may mean a broken nose or missing teeth.
They sometimes interact with the royal family
Many royal guards have described the royal family, AKA their employers, as “nice.” Redditor /u/ Killco_Joe wrote that the late Prince Phillip was hilarious. “You have to take what he says in jest; he’s an old fella with a great sense of humor.”