Ceremonial schedule
Changing the Guard Schedule
Check the latest published Changing the Guard dates for Buckingham Palace, including ceremony times, participating units and musical support.
Only dates published by the Household Division are listed. Ceremonial arrangements can change or be cancelled at short notice.
Today and tomorrow at Buckingham Palace
Published ceremonial activity for today and tomorrow, based on Household Division dates through 30 November 2026. Use the calendar for the full list.
Optional guided tours
Guided Changing the Guard experiences
Watching the ceremony from public streets is free. These guided walking tours are optional paid experiences that help with positioning, crowd navigation and context around the published schedule.
They do not replace the free outdoor viewing, and they do not automatically include Palace State Rooms admission unless the listing clearly says so.
Free to watchPublic viewing from outdoor areas around the Palace is free. Book a guided tour only if you want an escorted vantage-point and commentary experience.
Changing the Guard Included
The Changing of the Guard Tour and Buckingham Palace
Provided by Viator
from£18
Changing the Guard Included
Changing of the Guard Guided Tour at Buckingham Palace
Provided by Viator
from£14
Changing the Guard Included
Buckingham Palace, Change the Guard & Crown Jewels Tour
Provided by Viator
from£129
Changing the Guard Included
Buckingham Palace and Changing of the Guard Walking Tour
Provided by Viator
from£19
Official Household Division calendar (opens official external site)
Calendar view
Months shown below contain published Buckingham Palace dates only. Unpublished months are not filled with guessed weekdays.
- Guard Change
- Inspection
- Sunday Parade
- Changed
- Cancelled
Status is also described in text on each event. Colour is not the only indicator.
October 2026
November 2026
The November 2026 Buckingham Palace ceremonial schedule has now been published by the Household Division. Dates include Guard Changes, Captain’s Inspections and Sunday Parades. Timings and units can change, so check the latest schedule before travelling. Later months appear here only after they are published.
List view
Chronological Buckingham Palace entries from the same published schedule used by the calendar. Select a date in the calendar to jump to its row here.
| Date | Event | Time | Unit | Musical support | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Scots Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards | Band of the Scots Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards | Band of the Grenadier Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Grenadier Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Grenadier Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards | Band of the Irish Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards | Band of the Grenadier Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Grenadier Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Household Cavalry | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | Number 9 Company Irish Guards | Band of the Welsh Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | Number 9 Company Irish Guards | Band of the Welsh Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | F Company Scots Guards | Band of the Welsh Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | F Company Scots Guards | Band of the Welsh Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Welsh Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Welsh Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Sunday Parade | 10:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Coldstream Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards | Band of the Grenadier Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards | Band of the Irish Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | Number 12 Company Irish Guards | Band of the Grenadier Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | Number 12 Company Irish Guards | Band of the Scots Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Grenadier Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Grenadier Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Sunday Parade | 10:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Irish Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards | Band of the Irish Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards | Band of the Grenadier Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Coldstream Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Coldstream Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards | Band of the Grenadier Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards | Band of the Irish Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Sunday Parade | 10:00 | Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards | Band of the Irish Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Grenadier Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Grenadier Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards | Band of the Scots Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards | NO MUSIC | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Grenadier Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Welsh Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | Number 12 Company Irish Guards | Band of the Grenadier Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | Number 12 Company Irish Guards | Band of the Scots Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Welsh Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Grenadier Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards | Band of the Irish Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards | Band of the Scots Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Sunday Parade | 10:00 | 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards | Band of the Coldstream Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Scots Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Irish Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | F Company Scots Guards | Band of the Irish Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | F Company Scots Guards | Band of the Welsh Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Welsh Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Royal Bermuda Regiment | Published in the official schedule | |
| Sunday Parade | 10:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Scots Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards | Band of the Irish Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards | Band of the Welsh Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Welsh Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | 26 Engineer Regiment | Band of the Irish Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | Number 9 Company Irish Guards | Band of the Household Cavalry | Published in the official schedule | |
| Captain’s Inspection | 15:00 | Number 9 Company Irish Guards | Band of the Irish Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Sunday Parade | 10:00 | Number 9 Company Irish Guards | Band of the Irish Guards | Published in the official schedule | |
| Guard Change | 11:00 | Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards | Band of the Grenadier Guards | Published in the official schedule |
Understanding event types
The Household Division calendar for Buckingham Palace can list more than one kind of ceremonial activity. Do not assume every entry is a full Guard Change.
Guard Change
The formal handover between the Old Guard and New Guard, normally involving troop movements and musical support where scheduled. This is the ceremony most visitors mean by Changing the Guard.
Captain’s Inspection
An inspection of the Guard rather than the full public Guard Change ceremony. Timing, music and the visitor experience can differ.
Sunday Parade
A separate Sunday ceremonial activity and not the same event as the main Changing the Guard ceremony.
Other event
Where the Household Division lists another ceremonial activity, this page retains the official description rather than relabelling it as Changing the Guard.
Schedule availability
The official schedule is commonly released for a limited future period. There is no fixed promise that a whole new month will appear on a particular day.
The November 2026 Buckingham Palace ceremonial schedule has now been published by the Household Division. Dates include Guard Changes, Captain’s Inspections and Sunday Parades. Later months may not yet be available. The absence of dates does not necessarily mean ceremonies will not take place later; unpublished dates must not be treated as confirmed.
This page is manually checked against the Household Division calendar and updated when new Buckingham Palace rows are published. Timings and units can change, so check the official calendar before travelling.
Current coverage: 1 October 2026 to 30 November 2026.
Changes and cancellations
Ceremonial activity may change or be cancelled at short notice. Changes can happen on the day.
Possible causes include weather, operational requirements, major ceremonial events, public safety requirements and other official circumstances. This list is not exhaustive.
If Changing the Guard is the main purpose of your journey, check the official Household Division information before travelling. BuckinghamPalace.co.uk may not always reflect same-day changes immediately.
Planning your visit
Changing the Guard is an outdoor public ceremony. Crowds, weather and transport delays all affect the day.
- Arrive early, especially on popular dates and weekends.
- For popular dates, arriving around an hour before the main Palace ceremony can improve your choice of viewing position.
- Allow time for transport disruption and walking from stations.
- Expect crowds and keep personal belongings secure.
- Wear suitable footwear and check the weather forecast.
- Follow police and steward instructions at all times.
- Viewing is outdoors and visibility cannot be guaranteed from every position.
Changing the Guard guide · Getting there · Accessibility · Security · Opening times
Best viewing areas
Public viewing is outdoors. Each area offers a different part of the procession or ceremony. Visitors cannot enter restricted Palace areas.
Buckingham Palace gates and forecourt approach
Closest public views of the main Palace ceremony, often the busiest positions.
Victoria Memorial
Elevated public space facing the East Front; useful for wider views when crowded nearer the gates.
The Mall
Procession routes and approaches can be visible along The Mall depending on the day’s movements.
St James’s Palace
Part of the wider ceremonial picture when guards form up or move in that area.
Wellington Barracks vicinity
Relevant when New Guard elements form up and march towards the Palace.
Ceremony timeline
Activity often begins before the main Palace ceremony as guards form up and march from locations including St James’s Palace and Wellington Barracks.
Published start times on this page refer to the Buckingham Palace entry in the official calendar. Processions and related activity can be underway earlier.
Timings are approximate and may change. Use the schedule table for the published Palace time, then allow extra arrival time for crowds.
How this schedule is maintained
Dates are manually checked against the official Household Division calendar. Only Buckingham Palace entries are imported.
Event names, units, times and musical support are retained from the official listing. Later dates are added when they are officially published.
Urgent same-day changes may appear first on the official Household Division source.
Changing the Guard schedule FAQs
Clear answers about published dates, times, cancellations and how to plan around the ceremony.