Things That Will Get You Yelled At By British Royal Guards

The British Royal Guards are an elite squad of soldiers who protect the royal family and their properties, including Buckingham Palace, St. James's Palace, and the Tower of London. If you haven't seen them in person across the pond, you may have seen them depicted in movies or TV shows. They don iconic red tunics, bearskin caps (featuring different colored plumes that carry certain meanings), and emotionless faces as they make their rounds. Their getup is certainly eye-catching, but it's that stoic nature that seems to capture the public's attention most. 

Humans read one another through facial expressions and body language, and a British Royal Guard's unbreakable demeanor and blank face tell us one thing: They mean business. It's hard to imagine such highly-trained and stern soldiers losing their cool, but make no mistake — they can, and will, break from their stoic stances to scold ill-behaving people. In fact, learning how to navigate public displays of foolery is part of their training process. The protocol incorporates three levels of warning for cheeky civilians, and all of them require a guard to shout at the culprits. 

Yep, you read that right; these ultra-serious soldiers can yell at people. But which tactics get people into the doghouse with some of Britain's best soldiers? Well, most people may not know what living at Buckingham Palace is really like, but we do know a few things that will get you yelled at by British Royal Guards.

British Royal Guards have very regimented routines while working, similar to the strict rules guards of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier must follow. They're on duty for either 24 or 48 hours, and during those shifts, they alternate between guarding for two hours and having a four-hour break. They also must march a particular way while on duty. On top of that, they participate in the highly organized and prestigious Changing of the Guard ceremony, which draws in tourists from all over the world. 

The legendary commemoration dates back to the mid-1600s and signals the relief of the Old Guard by the New Guard. The New Guard, accompanied by a military band playing music, marches from their barracks to their destination and takes over for the Old Guard. Soldiers work hard to master this choreography down the minute, and they have no issue yelling at people who obstruct their paths.

These interactions have been caught on camera several times, as evidenced by the above video showing a tourist standing in the way of a guard as he walks through a crowd. The guards typically yell, "Make way!" at an ear-splittingly high volume, and if that doesn't work, they simply push past the offending tourists to keep up with their routine. Other variations on the theme can be witnessed, such as, "Make way for the Queen's guard!" While this may seem rude to some people, remember that following a strict procedure is part of a guard's job — and they'll do what's needed to follow it to a T. 

The King's Life Guard is a group of guards whose origins date back to 1660. They're posted at the fittingly named Horse Guards, the entrance to Buckingham Palace and St. James's Palace. They look a little different than the other soldiers in the British Royal Guard, sporting breastplates, helmets, and swords, but a key difference is that they're mounted on horses. 

The horses are important members of the guard, and tourists are expected to treat them with respect and not interfere with their duties. Some tourists, however, get excited and approach the horses, grabbing their reins to say hello or pose for a photo. This is a big "no-no" for the guards, who will yell at people for getting too close to their equine colleagues. 

An instance of this was captured in the video above as a person calmly walks up to a guard on a horse and grabs its rein to get a photo. A guard will yell some variation of, "Do not touch the reins!" in a firm tone until the person lets go. That warning typically does the trick, but they have another strategy if the person doesn't get the hint. If someone doesn't release the rein in a timely fashion, the guard will direct the horse away from them and quickly return to their post. That way, both the horse and Royal Guard can perform their duties without distraction and, hopefully, without further interruption.

One of the most distinct characteristics of the British Royal Guard is the stoic nature of its soldiers. They stand seemingly emotionless to honor centuries of tradition and customs while protecting the royal properties. It also represents their dedication to the job and their ability to maintain composure in any situation. Well, almost any situation. 

Some people like to stand next to a guard and snap a photo with them, and some guards are ok with this as long as civilians are respectful and don't interfere with their responsibilities. However, expect a guard to yell if you get too close to them or, even worse, touch them. Guards don't appreciate people infiltrating their personal space and have no problem telling people to back off. 

Perhaps someone is standing a little too close to a guard for a little too long? A guard can keep their cool in this situation for a bit, but if they want you out of their space, they'll stamp their foot and shout, "Stand back!" loudly and with authority. People typically get the picture and back away, but others may want to push those boundaries, such as placing their hand on a guard's shoulder. Big mistake. If this happens, a guard can point their weapon at the perpetrator and yell, "Get back from the Queen's guard!" to signal they mean business. These interactions may not make the list of the five most embarrassing moments of the British Royal Guard, but they are firm reminders to the public to look, not touch. 

The main job of the Royal Guard is to protect Britain's royal family and royal property from threats — including civilians who don't understand that "royal property" isn't public property. Spots like Buckingham Palace have fences to distinctly show spectators where they're allowed and where they aren't. Some people like to casually lean on the barrier or, in some cases, climb on it. Both these moves could easily get you yelled at by a guard. 

If an adventurous tourist is caught leaning on a fence, a guard can march up to them, stand his ground, and yell, "Get off the fence!". Usually, that's enough of a warning. However, a guard may have to take a more drastic route if someone climbs a barrier. This situation can start with a guard shouting, "Get off the fence!" to the perpetrator, then shifting his weapon a few times and stamping his foot twice before yelling, "Get down!". If the climber still doesn't make their way down, the guard could point his weapon and yell, "Stay off the fence!" This escalation shows just how serious the guards are about their duty to the Crown and its assets.

The British Royal Guards have a precise marching routine to stick to while on duty, and they train hard to get it down to a science. Every 10 minutes, a guard will snap to attention, make several short 20-pace marches about their post, and then return to standing at ease. Their march is another nod to the Royal Guard's history and the guards' commitment to precision and excellence. Some tourists and civilians, on the other hand, may think the guards' strict routine is funny and mock their movements. 

People have made fun of the guards' movements before, but be warned — if they're pushed enough, the guards will react. Guards can tolerate mocking for a little while, but the act gets old after a bit. Unimpressed and completely over the shenanigans, a guard may approach their antagonizer, stamp his foot, and yell, "Stand back!" or a similar phrase. Then, they can resume marching. Lesson learned: Keep any funny thoughts about the march in your head — and don't put on an act for the guards.