Discover celebrations fit for a King and Queen — from the Household Cavalry to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Spot royals among a clutch of huge hats at the Royal Ascot races, marvel at a 700-year-old tradition known as the Changing of the Guard, or feel the beat of drums outside an ancient castle. No matter where royal ceremonies take you, our nation is packed with places to get that regal fix.
Embark on a royal adventure, with daily ceremonies and annual events that leave the skies dazzling with fireworks and bring our cities alive with military parades. With a jam-packed calendar of events, some of them free, there’s something for royal enthusiasts on every budget to get stuck in to.
Did you know that His Majesty King Charles III has two birthdays? He was born on 14 November 1948 but like past British monarchs, he marks an official birthday in June. Over 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians come together each June for Trooping the Colour, a great display of military precision, horsemanship and fanfare to mark the special occasion.
Party to the beat of the drum at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, filled with marching bands, bagpipes, drummers and traditional dancers. Taking place outside the dramatic setting of Edinburgh Castle, you’ll be wowed by regiments and military units from around the world, rousing music and a grand firework display.
The beginning of each new Parliamentary year is marked by the State Opening of Parliament. See a member of the Royal Family travel to the Palace of Westminster in a state coach, escorted by the Household Cavalry. The Imperial State Crown and regalia travels in front in a carriage of its own.
Changing the Guard at Windsor Castle encompasses colourful spectacle and British pageantry. The ceremony usually takes place three times each week at 11am within the Castle grounds. Watch the Old Guard forming up outside the Guard Room and a New Guard arriving, led by a Regimental Band, Corps of Drums or a Pipe Band.
At exactly seven minutes to 10pm every night at The Tower of London, see the Chief Yeoman Warder (also known as Beefeaters), escorted by one of the Guard, secure the Palace and Fortress in the ancient custom of the Ceremony of The Keys.
The Guards, recognisable by their parade uniform of red jackets and bearskin hats, are mainly infantry soldiers protecting the Royal Family, Buckingham Palace and St James’s Palace.
The guard on duty at St James’s Palace is inspected at 11am and then marches, accompanied by drummers or a military band, to Buckingham Palace. There, the guard on duty is also inspected, before a new guard regiment arrives from Wellington Barracks to take over. Symbolically, the key to the palace is handed over from the Old Guard to the New Guard.
The Changing of the Guard takes place daily at 11am from April to July, but only every other day in autumn and winter. It lasts for 45 minutes.
Royal Ascot takes place between 17 – 21 June 2025.
See the arrival of The Royal Family at 2pm on each day of Royal Ascot. The horse-drawn royal carriages can be seen from all the enclosures as they arrive and circle the parade ring, before they enter the Royal Box at the top of the Grandstand.
Saturday and Thursday’s Ladies’ Day are the hottest tickets in town, so book early to avoid disappointment. Enclosure upgrades and add-ons include access to private bars and fine dining packages.
Dress codes differ depending on your chosen enclosure. In the Royal Enclosure, men are required to wear a waistcoat and tie, a top hat and black shoes. Dresses worn by ladies must fall just above the knee or longer. Hats should be worn, but if a fascinator (a headpiece) is worn it must have a base greater than four inches. The Queen Anne Enclosure requires suits to be worn by men, and women to wear hats, while no formal dress code exists for the Windsor Enclosure.
Pack a picnic or book one of the many restaurant packages, ranging from dishes from Michelin-starred chefs in the Royal Enclosure to The Restaurant in the Village, at the heart of the Village Enclosure, featuring a three-course luncheon and live bands.
Royal Ascot is less than a 10-minute walk from Ascot station. London Waterloo is under an hour away by train and Reading station is under 30 minutes away. By car, the village of Ascot is within 10 miles of the M4, M3 and M25 motorways.
