A visitor's guide to British ceremonial dress: what each regiment wears, when they wear it, and what to look for.
Quick answer. British ceremonial dress today is organised around five main occasions: the daily Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, the daily Household Cavalry mounting at Horse Guards, Trooping the Colour on the sovereign's official birthday in June, state visits by foreign heads of state, and state funerals and investitures. Each occasion has its own order of dress and specific regimental uniforms.
Changing of the Guard
The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is held daily in summer (May to July) and on alternate days in winter. The regiment on duty wears scarlet tunic and bearskin, with the Royal Standard flying if the monarch is in residence. The ceremony involves a troop of Foot Guards marching from Wellington Barracks or St James's Palace with a band, replacing the Old Guard. Observers can identify the regiment by the plume on the bearskin and the button pattern on the tunic.
Horse Guards mounting
The Household Cavalry mounting at Horse Guards in Whitehall is held every weekday at 11 a.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m. A troop of twelve mounted guardsmen rides from Hyde Park Barracks to replace the sentries at Horse Guards Parade. Life Guards in scarlet with white plume; Blues and Royals in blue with red plume. The ceremony lasts about forty minutes and is one of the most reliably attended tourist events in London.
Trooping the Colour
Trooping the Colour marks the sovereign's official birthday in June. One of the five Foot Guards regiments is chosen each year to troop its colour (regimental flag) past the sovereign on Horse Guards Parade. The parade involves around 1,400 men, including all five Foot Guards regiments, the Household Cavalry, the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery (in blue hussar dress) and massed bands. The whole parade is choreographed in exact nineteenth century dress and movement.
The scale and precision of Trooping the Colour has no equivalent in any other army. It is the single best place to see the full range of British ceremonial dress on one morning.
State visits
State visits by foreign heads of state involve ceremonial mounting at Horse Guards, inspection of a Guard of Honour at Horse Guards Parade or Buckingham Palace, and sometimes a state carriage procession. The Guard of Honour is drawn from the Foot Guards in full scarlet. The Household Cavalry provide the mounted escort for the state carriages. Bagpipes and the state trumpeters of the Household Cavalry add to the sound.
State funerals
The funerals of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 and Winston Churchill in 1965 showed the full scale of British military ceremonial. The gun carriage was drawn by sailors of the Royal Navy (a tradition from Queen Victoria's funeral). The marching contingent included every regiment of the British Army in full dress. The gun salute was fired by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery. The order of dress and the music were documented in a Ceremonial Instruction issued by the Earl Marshal.
Orders of dress
The British Army maintains a formal set of dress orders. No. 1 Dress is the full ceremonial for most regiments (scarlet or blue tunic with cap). No. 2 Dress is service dress (khaki). No. 3 Dress is warm weather tropical. Mess dress for officers includes a short scarlet jacket with miniature medals. Each regiment has its own distinctions within each order of dress. The full table runs to many pages and is updated regularly.
Common questions
When is the Changing of the Guard?
Daily in summer at 11 a.m. In winter it runs on alternate days. The schedule is published in advance on the Household Division website.
What is Trooping the Colour?
A parade on Horse Guards Parade marking the sovereign's official birthday. The Foot Guards troop their regimental colour past the monarch. Held each June.
Can tourists attend these events?
Yes. The Changing of the Guard and Horse Guards mounting are free and open to the public. Trooping the Colour tickets are sold by ballot each spring.
Why does Britain still do ceremonial on this scale?
A combination of royal tradition, military history, tourism and soft power. The Household Division finds it maintains regimental discipline and public engagement.
Where can I learn more about British dress?
The National Army Museum in London, the Household Cavalry Museum at Horse Guards, and the Guards Museum at Birdcage Walk all have superb permanent collections.