Sophie Campbell

The key to the Changing of the Guard – no simple exchange, this, but an elaborate ceremony choreographed to the minute – is to see as much as possible without hanging around. This half day tour combines the best bits of the Horse Guards, St James’s Palace and Buckingham Palace ceremonies with a visit Westminster Abbey and Parliament Square. The full day can include the Churchill War Rooms and a Westminster Village walk, or a boat ride to see more guards in action at the Tower of London.

From August to March the ceremony takes place on alternate days. The schedule may be affected by royal events, particularly in June, and the foot guards do not appear in rainy weather. So the more flexibility, the better!