The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace has become something of an icon in its own right. Unfortunately, it had to be put on hold last year like so many other royal traditions.

The ceremony is now back in action, as members of the 1st Battalion of the Coldstream Guards carried out the first public guard change since March 2020. To mark the occasion, the band played several songs in honor of the British Olympic team including â??Goldâ? by Spandau Ballet and â??The Olympic Themeâ? from the movie Chariots of Fire, as well as Whitney Houstonâ??sâ? One Moment in Time.â?

Not only does this event mark the return of the tradition itself but also signals a move toward the return of the pre-pandemic way of life. While crowds gathered to see the display of military pageantry, the Queen was not in attendance, as she is vacationing at Balmoral.

Ceremonial duties will now continue at Buckingham Palace, St. Jamesâ??s Palace and the Tower of London during Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

During the pandemic, an Administrative Guard Mount went ahead in place of ceremonies, which saw soldiers take up their sentry duty positions but no formal changeover procedure was carried out.

Household Troops have guarded the Sovereign and the Royal Palaces since 1660. When Queen Victoria moved into Buckingham Palace in 1837, the Queenâ??s Guard remained at St. Jamesâ??s Palace with a detachment guarding her official residence in London.

The guard duties are normally provided by a battalion of the Household Division, but soldiers from Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan all participated.

The pause during the pandemic was the first time there was a significant break in the ceremony. The â??Changing of the Guardâ? even continued through the dark days of the Blitz.