Buckingham Palace Changing of the Guard 2026: Top Tips

Stepping out from our accommodation, today was all about witnessing the iconic Changing of the Guard ceremony!

The Changing of the Guard typically takes place at 11:00 AM on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Unless there's heavy rain, you can usually count on it happening on these days.

For the most accurate and up-to-date schedule, always check the official website:

Changing of the Guard Dates & Times

I was a bit worried when it rained early in the morning, thinking the ceremony might be canceled. But thankfully, a little drizzle is no match for the Guards! The show went on as planned.

The Guards with musical instruments typically march from the left building (when facing Buckingham Palace)!

We practically followed them live! They looked just like toy soldiers. I found a spot in this particular section where I believe you get the absolute best view!

Why? Because if you try to get too close to the palace, the fences block your view, and it gets incredibly crowded and distant. This spot offers a much better vantage point.

The yellow highlighted area in the image is where you can see them up close as they march by, playing their instruments.

It's a relatively short spectacle, but I highly recommend catching this part and then heading straight for lunch!

Those people crammed against the fences? No thanks! I'd rather avoid that chaos.

Many also watch from the main square, but honestly, it's quite a distance, so the view isn't ideal there either.

My mom and I snapped some photos in the square afterwards!

We originally planned to find a highly-rated restaurant, but my mom wasn't keen on searching, so we just popped into a random place.

And you know what? It was actually delicious! A great spontaneous find.

We had a burger and something similar to a kebab.

Later, I bought some jelly from a Harry Potter shop, but it was surprisingly awful... A total waste of money!