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Original poster

What's going on on the live stream?

11 replies

Zonder · 16/09/2022 22:47

We just thought we would have a quick watch of the live stream of the people going to see the coffin. About 10 minutes ago they brought in duplicates of all the guards, swapped them all over and the original ones left. Ok so that was clearly the changing of the guard. But now they have just done it again. Some banging and then in walked another set of duplicates and they've swapped them over again. The queues have to stand still while it happens then they just walk on by once it's finished.

Why would they change the guard over twice in 10 minutes?

OP posts:

girlmom21 · 16/09/2022 22:51

I thought it was every 20 minutes they were changing guards

Original poster

Zonder · 16/09/2022 22:52

Thanks I just saw that - I'm sure it was not even 10 minutes this time. I wonder why they change guard every 20 minutes anyway.

OP posts:

SpidaMama · 16/09/2022 22:53

Why do they change them every 20 mins? Surely that's such a faff?

Original poster

Zonder · 16/09/2022 22:53

Yes I thought that. And they must be used to standing still for more than 20 minutes at a time anyway.

OP posts:

FrazzledFirefly · 16/09/2022 22:54

As they need to be extremely alert, I would imagine twenty minutes is an optimum attention span. Or something like that.

CaptainBarbosa · 16/09/2022 22:55

It's because of the way they are having to stand, with their head bowed down, much more than 20minutes and you run the risk of some of them fainting. Also it hurts the neck with the headressees on.

I think it's wise to swap them out every 20mins. The guards to a 6hour stag in full on shift, but they take it in 20minute turns.

Wishiwasalittlebitsmaller · 16/09/2022 22:55

Its because of the position the guards have to stand in, head down etc. One fainted earlier in the week. They need to rotate frequently.

Pixiedust1234 · 16/09/2022 22:56

Have you tried standing perfectly still for 20 minutes? It takes supreme effort to not only do that but walk away without staggering sideways.

They are all amazing.

Justleaveitblankthen · 16/09/2022 23:04

Yes I thought it must be because of the head bow. I think it's a beautifully poignant pose and brought tears when I first saw it at the finish of the procession ceremony.
The guards at Buckingham Palace stand for 2 hours.

LIZS · 16/09/2022 23:09

Maybe there is a discreet signal in case one has a problem to prompt a quicker changeover. Has anyone noticed how many groups are rotated each shift, so if 3 do each do 20 minutes per hour for six hours?

FrazzledFirefly · 17/09/2022 08:17

The bowed head stance - I never thought of that.

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