Prince Edward and Sophie Stand in for King Charles During Historic Changing of the Guard

For any first-time visitor to London, the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, a military maneuver that has been in place for hundreds of years, is a must-see. The ritual is meant to show the precision and discipline of the royal guard, and the bright red uniforms and towering bearskin caps its participants wear have become synonymous with the palace. On Monday, this long-standing tradition took on a historically unique twist, as Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, oversaw the ceremony, and watched French troops join their British comrades in the routine.

Monday marked the 120th anniversary of a diplomatic agreement between the United Kingdom and France, called the “entente cordiale.” It was not a formal alliance, but the agreements laid the groundwork for a long diplomatic relationship between the two territories, the longevity of which is being celebrated by the governments throughout 2024. Typically, King Charles III would oversee the special commemoration of the date and inspection of the troops, but due to his recent cancer diagnosis and treatment, the monarch has limited his public-facing engagements.

When 32 members of the Gendarmerie’s Garde Républicaine joined 40 guardsmen from the Scots Guards F Company for the ceremony at Buckingham Palace, it was the first time in history that members of the military from a non-Commonwealth country had participated in the ceremony. Sophie, Edward, and Hélène Duchêne, the French ambassador to the U.K., inspected the troops in front of the palace, taking in a parade honoring the occasion. The Band of the Grenadier Guards played the national anthems of both countries to underscore the importance of the relationship between the two countries, and of the diplomatic agreements. 

In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron likewise took part in an inspection at the French presidential residence at the Elysée Palace, where 16 members of the U.K.’s Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards, as well as two military musicians, joined members of France’s 1st Régiment de la Garde Républicaine in a counterpart ceremony Monday. This is the first time that British troops have joined the French presidential guard, making the day all the more notable. 

French Squadron Chief Guillaume Dewilde, who oversaw the French detachment at Buckingham Monday, told the Telegraph, “I am extremely proud to have been asked to share this moment with our British friends. We are like siblings, and to celebrate this moment together is a symbol of the strength of the relationship between our two countries.”

Ahead of the ceremony, British Lt Col James Shaw, who helped plan the event, told the outlet that the occasion not only honored the past, but looked forward to the future of the continuing relationship. 

“This is a sign of the strength of our relations. The French are some of our closest friends,” he said.  “And who knows when we might need each other?”