They are famous for marching outside Buckingham Palace in all weathers – and sometimes collapses when the summer heat gets too much.
But today members of the Queen‘s Guard, dressed in their traditional red tunics and bearskin hats, were seen getting refreshments – sort of.
Photos showed two marching soldiers bringing a cup with something to drink on a tray to a colleague who was on duty outside Buckingham Palace.
The grateful recipient enjoyed his drink while the other two men watched as temperatures hit at least 37C (98.6F) in the capital today.
They are famous for marching in front of Buckingham Palace in all weathers – and sometimes collapsing when the summer heat gets too intense. But today, members of the Queen’s Guard, dressed in their traditional red tunics and bearskin hats, were spotted getting refreshments – sort of
The Queen’s Guard is responsible for guarding royal residences across the country.
In addition to Buckingham Palace, they are in service at palaces such as St. James’s Palace, Windsor Castle and Balmoral.
Even in hot weather, the soldiers are on guard duty for two hours at a time.
Measuring up to 18 inches, their hats are made from real bear fur and weigh about 1.5 pounds.
Photos showed two marching soldiers bringing a cup with something to drink on a tray to a colleague who was on duty outside Buckingham Palace
Today’s photos come after a member of the Queen’s Guard was filmed tipping over earlier this year.
The guard, dressed in a winter dress, was seen falling after his left foot slipped from under him.
He then fell backwards before reaching for his sentry box.
In June, five soldiers fainted while standing guard outside St Paul’s Cathedral during the thanksgiving service to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Three soldiers were then pictured being helped back to their feet with aids.
Temperatures rose to 37.5C (99.5F) at 3pm today in London at Kew Gardens making it the hottest day of the year.
The Met Office forecast temperatures could rise to 38C (100.4F) or even a record-breaking 39C (102.2F) on Monday, while chief executive Penny Endersby said models showed that even 43 °C (109 °F) could be reached.
Wales has recorded its provisional hottest day on record, with the temperature reaching 35.3C in Gogerddan, near Aberystwyth, beating the previous record for the country, which has stood since 1990.
What is the Queen’s Guard?
The standard bearskin hat is 18 inches tall and weighs 1.5 pounds
The Queen’s Guard is stationed at royal residences such as Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and St James’s Palace.
Also known as the household division, the units are both ceremonial and protective.
When the Queen is at Buckingham Palace, there are four guards outside. When she’s gone, it’s two.
Between April and October, the guards wear red tunics and bearskins—that’s what the big black hats are called.
During the winter months, they wear a longer, gray coat.
The standard bearskin hat is 18 inches tall and weighs 1.5 pounds.
Tuesday is expected to be even hotter, with temperatures in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire potentially reaching a ‘crazy’ 41C.
The existing UK record of 38.7C recorded in Cambridge in 2019 is certain to fall given the sweltering heat.
Meteorologist Luke Miall said: “For a good part of east Wales, England and southern Scotland we’re looking at the 30s if not the high 30s.” He added that temperatures of 40C could be reached in London.
He said: “I’ve been a qualified meteorologist for 10 years and telling people in the UK about 41C doesn’t seem real.
“It’s crazy how we talk about these kinds of values, I’ve never seen the models come with these values.
“With all these temperatures in the UK, it was quite an eye opener for climate change.”
Climate change, which has raised global temperatures by 1.2°C above pre-industrial levels, is making heat waves longer, more intense and more likely.
Experts have warned of the need to adapt Britain’s homes, cities and infrastructure to a future of more intense summer heat.
Hot air from Europe is contributing to the UK’s extreme heat, with a searing heatwave sweeping across much of the continent and fueling fierce wildfires in France and Spain.
Britain’s Health Security Agency has issued a Level 4 heat health alert – described as an ’emergency’ – and Britain is under its first red extreme heat warning for much of England issued by the Met Office.
The government is holding another emergency Cobra meeting to discuss the response to the heat, but opposition politicians have criticized Boris Johnson for “off-branding” him by not taking the lead on the issue.
Cabinet Secretary Kit Malthouse, who chaired Monday’s meeting, claimed it was unfair to criticize the Prime Minister and insisted Mr Johnson had been fully briefed on the situation.
Reduced rail services and slower train travel times have been introduced amid fears that the rails will buckle in the heat, with customers advised to only travel on Mondays and Tuesdays if necessary.
Network Rail said the number of passengers using major train stations across the UK on Monday was around 20% lower than a week ago.
Road traffic was also down, with location technology company TomTom saying 9am congestion was lighter in most UK cities than at the same time last week.
In London, the congestion rate fell from 53% on July 11 to 42% on Monday.
There were also reduced connections on the Tube, which saw around 18% fewer journeys compared to the same time the week before, as people heeded advice to avoid travel where possible.
About 1.07 million bus journeys were made by 10am, down 10% week-on-week, Transport for London said.
Some schools in several counties, including Nottinghamshire, Buckinghamshire and Hampshire, have been closed, while others canceled sports days and detentions and relaxed uniform codes.
For emergency services, there is additional emergency support such as: B. More call attendants and extra working hours, but health chiefs warned the NHS will come under pressure in the face of the extreme heat.
NHS Providers interim deputy chief executive Miriam Deakin said the whole healthcare system was under pressure as temperatures soared and some operating rooms were getting too hot, causing surgeries to be cancelled.
She added: “People with underlying medical conditions, the elderly and children tend to be most at risk.
“And while additional steps have been taken to increase ambulance capacity, ambulance trusts will be under significant pressure as the number of 999 calls is expected to increase.”
The grateful recipient enjoyed his drink while the other two men watched on in temperatures hitting at least 38C (100F) in the capital today
The guards watch as the sentry enjoys his drink in the shack outside Buckingham Palace
Brian Jordan, director of 999 operations at the London Ambulance Service, urged people to only dial 999 in emergencies as he told the BBC there would be 5,500 calls to the service on a busy day, but he counted on up to 8,000 on Monday.
Brits are being urged to stay indoors and wear sunscreen and a hat, stay in the shade and drink water during the hottest part of the day between 11am and 4pm, and there are warnings against swimming in lakes, rivers and reservoirs .
Officers searching for a missing 13-year-old who got into trouble in a river near Northumberland have found a body, Northumbria Police said, while a 16-year-old boy died after being killed in Bray Lake in got into trouble near Maidenhead. This was announced by the Berkshire, Thames Valley police.
The body of a 50-year-old man was recovered in Ardsley Reservoir between Leeds and Wakefield on Sunday.
There are also wildfire warnings, with people warned not to use barbecues or leave litter that could start fires in the countryside, while zoos and wildlife parks are closed to protect animals, staff and visitors.
Water companies have seen “an unprecedented spike in demand”, with people encouraged to “assess carefully” their water use and urged not to waste it.
