Horse Guards

In front of you, two mounted troopers of the King's Life Guard sit perfectly still, each in his own sentry box. Behind them is Horse Guards, for centuries the gateway to the royal parks. Only the monarch may drive through the arch without a pass. Look up at the clock above the arch. Just above the Roman numeral two there's a dark mark. It's said to record the hour when King Charles the First was beheaded in 1649, just across the road. Turn around and look at the pale stone building directly opposite. That's the Banqueting House. Outside it, the King was put to death on a scaffold, condemned by his own Parliament. There's a younger story here too. The story goes that Queen Victoria passed by unannounced in 1894 and found the guards drinking and gambling instead of standing to attention. As punishment, she ordered a daily inspection for a hundred years. The century is long over, but the inspection still happens every afternoon at four. The colours tell you the regiment. Red tunic and white plume means the Life Guards. Blue tunic and red plume, the Blues and Royals. Next stop: Downing Street, about 200 metres or 3 minutes further down Whitehall. The gates are on your right.