Yeomen of the Guard

Yeomen of the Guard, the personal bodyguard of the sovereign of England, in continuous existence since they were established by King Henry VII in 1485. They should not be confused with the yeomen warders of the Tower of London, often called “Beefeaters,” who, like the Yeomen of the Guard, wear Tudor costume. Originally, the Yeomen of the Guard were responsible for the king’s safety on journeys at home or abroad and on the battlefield; within the precincts of his palaces, they guarded the entrances and tasted the king’s food. In the 20th century the yeomen are called to their guardroom at St. James’s Palace, London, only when required, a circumstance occurring normally only when the sovereign is performing certain ceremonial functions or receiving foreign heads of state. At the royal opening of Parliament, a party of yeomen, by custom since the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, search the vaults of the Palace of Westminster. Originally the guard numbered 50, but there are now 79 yeomen, chosen from the army, the marines, and the Royal Air Force, together with a captain (appointed by the government) and various other officers and members chosen for distinguished service from the army. Yeomanry was also the designation of the volunteer cavalry units that were initially raised for home defense in the 18th century, Some of these units fought in World War II in armoured and artillery formations.