The Army in London - HQ London District

17/08/2026

A reminder that there will be no horses on duty at Horse Guards until 29 August.

This is to allow for infrastructure related works to be carried out in the stables area. Guard Mounts will commence again at 1100 on 29 August on Horse Guards Parade Square.

You can still enjoy Ceremonial Operations at Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace and HM Tower of London and The Household Cavalry Museum at Horse Guards will also remain open to visitors to Horse Guards during this time so pop in and find out more about our trusted guardians!

13/08/2026

Due to continued excessive temperatures this week, including an AMBER heat alert, you may have noticed some important changes to Ceremonial Operations across London and Windsor.

The wellbeing of our soldiers, military working horses, and the public who gather in large numbers to watch these events is always our priority. In line with advice from the Met Office and other Government agencies, who are recommending a reduction in travel and outdoor activities, the following changes are in place this week:

There will be no ceremonial Guard Changes in Windsor or London.

On Friday, the King's Life Guard at Horse Guards will change without ceremony and horse exercise will take place very early when the temperatures are cooler.

While soldiers are on Guard, you may notice they have been moved to shaded positions and are changed more frequently — this is normal practice in hot weather.

We know this is a busy and popular time of year to visit, and we're sorry if this is disappointing. Thank you for your understanding and please do follow the Met Office advice to stay safe in the heat.

For full details, visit: www.householddivision.org.uk

05/08/2026

From 17-28 August, daily Ceremonial operations involving the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment will not take place at Horse Guards. This is to allow for infrastructure related works to be carried out in the stables area. Guard Mounts will commence again at 1100 on 29 August on Horse Guards Parade Square. Should there be any changes to these dates, these will be shown on the Household Division website – www.householddivision.org.uk and our “Army in London” social media platforms. St James’s Park and Whitehall will still be accessible through Horse Guards but there will be no publicly visible soldiers or horses on duty during this period.

Ceremonial Operations will continue as usual at Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace and HM Tower of London where members of the public will still be able to enjoy watching them taking place. The Household Cavalry Museum at Horse Guards will also remain open during this time.

17/07/2026

Soldiers from across the British Army marked the 79th birthday of Her Majesty The Queen today with traditional Royal Salutes in London.

At noon, The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery thundered across Green Park, with horses pulling First World War-era 13-pounder Field Guns into position before firing their Royal Salute. Dressed in their distinctive full dress uniform, the soldiers demonstrated the ceremonial precision and adaptability for which the Regiment is renowned around the world.

An hour later, the Honourable Artillery Company fired a Royal Salute from Tower Wharf at the Tower of London. Operated by Army Reserve soldiers, the guns fired in turn overlooking the River Thames, continuing a centuries-old tradition, today in honour of Her Majesty The Queen’s birthday.

The Royal Salutes highlighted the British Army’s rich heritage and ceremonial excellence, while recognising a significant Royal occasion.

14/07/2026

The Grenadier Guards marched alongside their French counterparts the 1er Régiment de la Garde Républicaine today at the Bastille Day parade in Paris.

The two regiments have been paired together under the Bonds of Friendship initiative.

They were among troops from 30 nations who took part in the parade, including Ukraine, making it one of the most internationally significant Bastille Day celebrations in recent memory.

Alongside UK sailors, aviators and cadets, it was the largest British contribution to the parade since 2004, when UK personnel led the march for the centenary of the Entente Cordiale, which helped pave the way for the strengthening of Anglo-French relations.

12/07/2026

Each year on the Saturday before Belgian National Day, something remarkable takes place in the heart of London. Belgium is the only non-Commonwealth nation in the world permitted to parade its troops in uniform, bearing arms, in central London — an honour granted by King George V in 1934 in recognition of Belgian heroism in the First World War.

This weekend, approximately 250 Belgian veterans and soldiers joined the Royal Dragoon Guards, the Grenadier Guards and 100 UK veterans and cadets at The Cenotaph, Whitehall, for a solemn Service of Remembrance. Led by the Band of the Coldstream Guards, the parade moved through Whitehall to Horse Guards Parade and the Guards' Memorial, before a final act of remembrance at the Flanders Fields Memorial Garden, where a lone cornet player sounded the Belgian Last Post.

A tradition over ninety years in the making. An alliance that endures.

🇧🇪🇬🇧

11/07/2026

What a night. What three nights.
Up to 4,000 people filled Horse Guards Parade each evening as A Military Musical Spectacular lived up to every syllable of its name — and then some. Pyrotechnics lighting up the London sky. Hundreds of musicians performing in perfect unison. The music of Andrew Lloyd Webber echoing off some of the most historic walls in the capital.
When the Ukrainian Choir took to the stage the audience fell quiet in a way that said everything words could not. Their voices of extraordinary power and beauty, carrying with them the resilience, the dignity and the unbreakable spirit of a nation.Слава Україні. 🇺🇦🕊️
🥁🇨🇭!Top Secret Drum Corps performance this week was one of the highlights of the entire Spectacular. Thank you, Top Secret. Come back soon. 🎶
The West End Musicals Choir’s energy and superb performance brought the best of London’s theatre land to Horse Guards.
The SHAPE International Band — the official musical voice of NATO and the Supreme Allied Commander Europe represent the alliance at its highest level, performing at official ceremonies and civic events across Europe. This week, they brought that same standard to London — and reminded every person in that audience of something important.
The UK works with NATO partners every single day. In training, in operations, in diplomacy, and yes — in music. The alliance is not just a document. It is people, side by side, doing extraordinary things together. 🎺🌍
The Bands of the Household Division set an extraordinary standard and the finale where everyone played as one was superb. The Royal Corps of Army Music offers the most impressive and exciting of careers and events like this will hopefully inspire a new generation of military musicians.
We couldn’t have asked for a more extraordinary backdrop. We couldn’t have asked for a more extraordinary audience. And in 30-degree heat that would have tested anyone, our military musicians didn’t miss a single beat.
Thank you to everyone who came, cheered, and made these three evenings something none of us will ever forget. 🎶🎺

09/07/2026

The night the West End came to the parade ground — and the composer was there to see it.

Lord Lloyd Webber took the salute on the opening night of A Military Musical Spectacular, watching as the Bands of the British Army brought his greatest works to life in one of the most dramatic settings imaginable. From Phantom of the Opera to Cats, his songs have defined British musical theatre for half a century, and tonight were reimagined by some of the finest musicians in the world.

4,000 people in the audience. 30-degree heat. And not a single note out of place. When the conditions are against you, that's when military training really shows. Our musicians didn't miss a beat. Not one. That's soldiers for you. ✨

A Military Musical Spectacular at Horse Guards Parade was everything we hoped it would be — and more. Pyrotechnics lighting up the London sky, musicians from the British Army, NATO, Switzerland and Ukraine performing side by side in one of the most iconic venues in the world. 🎶

This is British Army Music at its very best. 🎺

A Military Musical Spectacular runs every evening from 8–10 July 2026

👉 Find out more and get your tickets now!
https://www.householddivision.org.uk/mms-tickets

08/07/2026

This July, Horse Guards Parade becomes the most spectacular stage in London. 🎶

The Massed Bands of the Household Division join forces with Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, the Swiss Top Secret Drum Corps, NATO's SHAPE International Jazz Band, a Ukrainian Choir, the Band and Bugles of the Rifles, the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas, the London Scottish Pipes and Drums, and the West End Musical Choir for three extraordinary nights of military music, West End classics, pyrotechnics and precision drill.

Despite the heat of the day, these resilient professionals have completed their exacting rehearsals and tonight will appear in all their finery as London basks in a beautiful heatwave.

A Military Musical Spectacular. Every evening 8–10 July 2026. Horse Guards Parade.

From Phantom of the Opera to the parade ground — this is British Army Music at its very best. 🎺

👉 Find out more and get your tickets NOW https://www.householddivision.org.uk/mms-tickets

06/07/2026

It’s almost showtime! Quick, quick! Get your tickets for this week’s Military Musical Spectacular on Horse Guards Parade. Join us for three memorable evenings on Horse Guards Parade this July, bringing together the best of British Military music and international guests. For the first time ever, The Household Division is collaborating with Andrew Lloyd Webber Musicals, presenting a stunning finale of the most phenomenal and thrilling music from ‘Phantom of the Opera’ and ‘CATS’.

Presenting visual splendour and inspired by music and tradition, the Bands of the Household Cavalry, Grenadier, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards are joined by the Pipes and Drums of the Scots Guards and The London Scottish Regiment. This year we are joined by The Band and Bugles of The Rifles, The Band of The Brigade of Gurkhas, the Big Band from NATO headquarters in Belgium, and the spectacular Top Secret Drum Corps flying in directly from Switzerland. This incredible group of young drummers, known for their precision, humour and thrilling tempo, will march onto Horse Guards for a unique performance with the Foot Guards Bands.

Refreshments will be available on the parade ground for purchase. So arrive early and enjoy the weather and our beautiful location before the show!

Her Majesty The Queen's 7 Guards' Regiments in the British Army. The Household Division is a group of 7 Army Regiments who, in addition to their operational duties, provide Her Majesty The Queen�s Household Troops and support military ceremonial duties and major public events in London.