Horse Guards Parade

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  • Phone
    0906 866 3344
  • Transport
    underground rail: Westminster

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Lonely Planet review

In a more accessible version of Buckingham Palace's Changing of the Guard, the mounted troopers of the Household Cavalry change guard here daily, at the official entrance to the royal palaces (opposite the Banqueting House). A lite-pomp version takes place at when the dismounted guards are changed. On the Queen's official birthday in June, the Trooping of the Colour is also staged here.

Fittingly, as the parade ground and its buildings were built in 1745 to house the Queen's so-called 'Life Guards', this will be the pitch for the beach volleyball during the London 2012 Olympics (see www.london2012.org). When this choice of venue was first announced, it had Tony Blair gloating about what a good view of the bikini-clad players he would have from his Downing St back window, though he may have to go around to Gordon Brown's now to get a glimpse (if Brown will let him in, that is).