It’s only natural that between these events come moments of comedic relief. The traffic of locals and the chaos of tourists have created plenty of viral moments outside of Buckingham Palace.
Keep scrolling to revisit some of the craziest moments outside of the gates:
Crime in Gotham City must have been under control in September 2004 when Batman took time out of his busy schedule to pay London a visit. Jason Hatch bypassed palace guards with ease, scaling the side of the palace in a Batman costume. Alongside his trusty sidekick (yes, David Pyke dressed as Robin), the protester unveiled a banner reading “Superdads of Fathers 4 Justice.”
While citizens were concerned over the ease of the security breach, tourists couldn’t help but have a laugh.
“Personally I think they should’ve called London Zoo, got them to come over and dart the guy, catch him in a net, and have him wake up in a gorilla cage,” said Chris Rodrigues , visiting from South Carolina.
The Guard That Fell
Buckingham Palace guards are known for their expressionless demeanor, appearing unbothered by teasing tourists who often try to catch them slipping up. In April 2015, someone succeeded.
A palace guard had a literal slip-up, wiping out during the changing of the guard. Not only did the poor man fall during the formal ceremony, he was forced to relive the moment when a tourist’s video of the event went viral . The fall was straight out of a cartoon, leaving Us searching for a banana peel left at the scene.
The King’s Guard left tourists baffled once again in March 2024 when they took their duties a little bit too seriously, addressing a sure threat from two pigeons. “Make way,” the guards shouted at the two birds, who were apparently impeding some very important business. The confrontation went viral on TikTok , with fans calling the pigeons’ startled response to the guards a “10/10.”
The Ornery Horse
@busk1976/TMX/Mega
In July 2024, one tourist had quite the standoff with royal security. A horse outside of the The Household Cavalry Museum in London bit a woman who came a little too close for a photo.
Despite the unfortunate nature of the event, the woman can’t claim she wasn’t warned. Signs posted beside the guards read, "Beware: Horses May Kick or Bite. Don’t touch the reins. Thank you." The woman received treatment shortly thereafter when officers arrived on the scene.
A Nod to Taylor
After seeing Prince William “shake it off” for his birthday with Prince George and Princess Charlotte at the Eras Tour in London in June 2024, the palace guards proved they’re also loyal Swifties.
Ahead of Taylor Swift ’s London takeover, the British Army band expressed their excitement for the pop star’s eight-night run at Wembley Stadium with an orchestral tribute to one of her iconic hits, “ Shake It Off .”
“Can’t stop, won’t stop groovin,” the royal family’s official Instagram account wrote in the caption, quoting Swift’s lyrics.
A bit of trivia; Queen Victoria was the first Royal inhabitant of Buckingham Palace. Not too many people, at least here across the pond are aware of that. I have a bigger interest in Windsor Castle, it was built along with the Tower of London by William the Conqueror, also known as William I. What fascinating history it's seen in nearly a millennium.
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