UK and French troops swap roles for Changing of the Guard ceremonies
British and French troops swapped roles for Changing of the Guard ceremonies for the first time on Monday, celebrating 120 years since the Entente Cordiale.
Sixteen soldiers from Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards joined troops from 1er Regiment de la Garde Republicaine to provide the Presidential Guard outside the Elysée Palace in Paris, marking the first time a foreign state has guarded the French presidential residence.
At 11 am in London, 32 members of the Gendarmerie’s Garde Republicaine and 40 Guardsmen from F Company Scots Guards marched together on the Buckingham Palace forecourt, inspected by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
That also marked a historic moment - the first time a non-Commonwealth country has been afforded the honour of participating in the Changing of the Guard ceremony.
The joint op-ed from David Cameron and Stéphane Séjourné said it was “vital” for the two countries to work together, “not only as a mark of the Entente Cordiale but as a reflection of an Entente renewed”.
In Paris, Emmanuel Macron was photographed with the French and British troops and went on a walkabout, shaking hands with members of the public waving small Union flags.
Speaking ahead of the Buckingham Palace ceremony, Lt Col James Shaw, who was responsible for its planning, said: “This is a sign of the strength of our relations. The French are some of our closest friends.
“And who knows when we might need each other?
“Practice has been relatively straightforward. The French look great and we’re in a really good place for Monday.
“We’re super excited for this historic moment.”
The ceremony saw the group of soldiers traditionally relieved by a new detachment of troops in front of an audience of 40 VIPs.
They were inspected by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, General Sir Patrick Sanders, the UK Chief of General Staff, General Pierre Schill, the French Chief of the Army Staff, and Helene Duchene, the French ambassador to the UK.
The Gendarmerie was marched on and off the Buckingham Palace forecourt by the Band of the Grenadier Guards, who also performed both countries’ national anthems and a programme of Anglo-French music.
Although the Gendarmerie participated in the ancient ceremony, they will not take the place of their British counterparts in guarding the King. This responsibility is only afforded to members of the British Armed Forces and Commonwealth troops.
Squadron Chief Guillaume Dewilde, who was head of the French detachment during the Changing of the Guard, said: “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.”
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Also speaking ahead of the Buckingham Palace ceremony, Garrison Sgt Maj Andrew Stokes, responsible for delivering all ceremonial training, said: “It is crucial for everyone in Nato to have a strong relationship.
“And this is an opportunity to both celebrate the 120th anniversary of the signing of the Entente Cordiale and also demonstrate our close relations with the French.
“Our first rehearsal went really well so we’re not nervous at all.
“It will be a wonderful celebration and an opportunity for the public to witness such a spectacle.”
The Ministry of Defence said the appearance by French personnel at Buckingham Palace forms part of a longer-term programme of joint UK-French activity that celebrates the two nations’ historic military and diplomatic ties in 2024.
This will include military sporting events, participation in each other’s air shows, and major events in Normandy this June to commemorate the heroic service of Allied veterans who fought to liberate France from Nazi occupation.
