A Buckingham Palace King’s Guard suffered a fall from grace, caught on camera taking an unexpected tumble while on duty.
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After the dignified guard took his spill, hoping no one noticed his tumble, he swiftly got back up and pretended as if nothing had happened.
However, Anthony Smith, a tourist from Liverpool, caught the moment the guard took the unexpected Royal rear-end rumble—landing squarely on his rump.
“I was just filming randomly, and he just slipped right over,” Smith told SWNS, via the NY Post. “I had to watch the video back to believe it.”
Of course, now the footage has reached every possible corner of the internet.
In the clip, a guard clad in a tall bearskin hat and a red tunic strides at attention, but soon loses his footing and falls onto his backside. Laughter erupts from the spectators in the background, amused by the unexpected tumble.
“People watching were shocked – everyone was saying, ‘did that just happen?’” Smith added.
The Buckingham Palace Guard Tried to Maintain His Dignity Following the Fall
Of course, the King’s Guard swiftly straightens his hat and uniform, readjusts his rifle, and returns to his post.
“[He] jumped back up quickly and recomposed himself, then he was straight back into action,” Smith noted.
Onlookers found the palace guard’s mishap amusing, as these guards are renowned for their stern demeanor. This is despite the countless tourists trying to break their focus.
According to the British Army, the highly trained personnel responsible for guarding the exterior of the Royal Family’s Palace are prepared for any situation. Candidates for this role must successfully complete a physical fitness assessment as well as the British Army Recruit Battery test.
“You will be twice the soldier in the Guards and lead a life less ordinary,’ the British Army’s website boasts.
However, there are certain unspoken rules that the guards must adhere to. For instance, guards cannot be touched; if someone does so, they have permission to shout at them.
Meanwhile, guards suffer a steep penalty if they dare to crack a smile on duty. If a superior catches a guard smiling or, heaven forbid, laughing, the unfortunate individual may face a fine that ranges from a few days’ wages to as much as a week’s pay.
To top it all off, the Palace King’s Guard famously aren’t allowed to move.
“Rules indicate that after being still for at least 10 minutes, they can march up and down the street in order to stretch their legs and avoid passing out,” according to Londontopia.