It was thought that the 19-inch tall caps would make soldiers look taller and more intimidating to their enemies. To commemorate their war victory, the hats were introduced to the soldiers guarding royal residences, where they continue to be used today.
It's called a 'bearskin', a type of ceremonial military cap that dates back to the 17th century. And yes, despite some controversy, the bearskin is exactly as its name suggests. Bearskin hats are made from the skin of black bears, hundreds of which are killed annually from a large population in Canada.
A bearskin is a tall fur cap, usually worn as part of a ceremonial military uniform. Traditionally, the bearskin was the headgear of grenadiers, and remains in use by grenadier and guards regiments in various armies.
Why do the King's Guards wear bearskin? Bearskin caps were introduced by the British Army following the Battle of Waterloo (June 1815). The idea was to make the soldiers appear taller and more intimidating when in combat. Today, five of the British Army's foot guard regiments wear bearskin caps.
Answer. Answer: The origins are that every gunner in the British military and the French military wore bearskin caps to make them taller and more intimidating because they were the ones that did the hand to hand fighting. In Napoleon's imperial guard everybody wore them, and they were supposed to be his elite troops.
The Guard's intimidating weapons only have ammo in them when they are aware of a potential serious security threat. The guard on Reddit, who uses the username "nibs123," says that he has never carried a loaded gun as a Guardsman.
It's reported that the decision to wear the chained strap for these headpieces under the lip comes from when soldiers actually fought while wearing them. If a soldier was shot, the heavy hat could fall backwards and cause the soldier's neck to break if they were wearing a chin strap.
Guards “are allowed to get [people] away by shouting… warnings if they fail to move away or start to act aggressively,” the Reddit guard says. For instance, they're known to yell “make way for the Queen's Guard!” at tourists who get in their way. He finds shouting this to be a fun part of the job.
The King's Guard has strict rules to abide by, including not speaking or smiling while on duty, but a British travel blog notes that the men are permitted to warn rule-breaking tourists. “One should never touch a member of the Queen's Guard,” according to Londontopia.
If a Queen's Guard needs the toilet, they must leave the area to use it. Royal Protocol does not allow for Guards to take toilet breaks while still on duty. Their primary role is to protect the Royal Family, so any request for a break is out of the question.
The soldiers come from active regiments in the British Army, and any action deemed threatening, regardless of how minor, can cause them to react forcefully. If a member of the public touches them or their horse or invades their space, they are allowed to shout clear verbal commands at them to back off.
Although we'd be forgiven for believing that the Queen's guards have taken a vow of silence while in post, they can indeed speak on some occasions. Although we do not recommend provoking them to do so, the can speak (or more specifically yell) if visitors come to close to them or acts aggressively.
You just can't move
While on duty, Queen's Guards are not supposed to move or respond to anything that the tourists may throw at them. However, the rules indicate that after being still for at least 10 minutes, they can march up and down the street in order to stretch their legs and avoid passing out.
While there is some debate about this topic, the answer is that in general, Buckingham Palace guards are not allowed to smile while on duty. This is due to the fact that their role is to be stoic and serious and to give off an air of authority, which smiling would detract from.
The guards do not just perform ceremonial duties at Buckingham Palace, they also take an active role in protecting their Sovereign. At night they patrol the grounds of both Buckingham Palace and St. James's Palace.
Guard shifts at Buckingham Palace typically last between 2-4 hours. The day shift is usually from 8am-4pm and the night shift is from 4pm-midnight. Each shift consists of two foot guards walking back and forth in front of the palace gates, with one guard changing direction every 5 minutes.
The first thing that will happen is the guard coming to attention and telling you to step back from the Queen's Guard. If this is ignored or should the person approach or threaten the guard then this is repeated.
The royal guard took to Reddit to clear up 'a lot of false info and myths about what we do'. And this included the infamous no laughing or smiling while on duty rule - turns out that the guard cracking a smile in the video would not get him fired, though he might get a 'telling off'.
Getting a photo with one of the royal guards is part of the tradition of visiting London but there are certain rules such as no touching, which some tourists often attempt to push it to the limit.
The first black man to join an elite regiment that guarded the late Queen says writing a book about his experiences was "a coping mechanism" for the racism he faced. Bristolian Richard Stokes joined the Grenadier Guards in 1986 after encouragement from his adoptive father.
Guards are actively serving the Queen and must follow strict rules such as no laughing. Though some rumours suggest guards are fined if they are caught laughing while on duty, they do not have to cough up a hefty fine, according to reports online.
Traditionally the Queen's Guards are not allowed to move. Typically, a Guardsman spends two hours on duty and four off. He is not expected to stand still for any more than ten minutes at a time. Every so often, he will march up and down in front of his sentry box, rather like a policeman "walking the beat".
Each Guard was outfitted with the best weapons, uniforms and horses available to keep the Swedish Royal Family safe. They were elite, loyal and obedient to the core, and their lives were expendable if it meant catching a bullet for the King.
The guards at Buckingham Palace and St James Palace are on duty for 24 or 48 hours. During that time a Guardsman will have 2 hours on sentry duty and then 4 hours off.
Paul Whybrew, Queen Elizabeth's longtime Page of the Backstairs, had a prominent role beside her coffin during the processions for the late monarch's state funeral. Nicknamed "Tall Paul" because of his 6-foot-4-inch stature, Whybrew worked for the Queen for more than 40 years as her loyal righthand man.