Okay...if you've seen my blog before you know that my husband was a Coldstream Guard with the Brigade of Guards that guards Buckingham Palace among other places. Well I just saw this news release on the Mail Online about a young Irish Guardsman who fainted during practice for the Royal Wedding of William and Kate.
The poor guy...but, says my husband, happens fairly often. First of all the uniform is wool, the bearskin hat (yep..it's the real thing) weighs 7-8 pounds and it is unseasonably warm in London at the moment. 24 degrees celsius is 72-75 degrees farenheit with a fairly high humidity. That isn't warm by a lot of world standards, but for the UK it's getting up there. Remember it's a country better known for fog and drizzle! But what ads to the poor guy's trouble is, that he will get charged with a charge called "Idle On Parade" and will be sent to the guard house, taken before the Company Commander and bawled out. He may also get assigned KP or other not-fun duty plus he will be ragged by the other guys. Ahhh.....
My husband says they go over forward because you are told to stand with your weight on the balls of your feet, slightly forward. If you have your knees locked and lean on your heels...not to do that...you go over backwards.
So...now you know! Take that bearskin off & get out of the sun!!!
Household Cavalry rehearsals in Hyde Park
Well - this sure explains why you have really been following all this! I understand your great interest.
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