Unbelievable Facts About the Queen's Bodyguards!

The Queen's now King Charles' bodyguards in the bearskin hats cannot leave their post even if they need to use the bathroom. They are trained to stand for hours on end, so if they need the toilet, they have to pee in their pants.

Also, another one for you: the bearskin hats cost £64,000 and they last over 60 years.

The guards are also trained to faint in a certain way that makes them lay out in their stand position while passed out on the floor.

The brown bear guards are not allowed to smile or laugh while on duty. If they are caught doing either, then they lose a week's wages and can also be sent to prison.

That's sheer dedication for you XX

Crazy.. They need to update and be more compassionate toward the bodyguards.

Why? It's been working for how long? I would guess that most who guard the leader of any country go through similar things, just maybe not as known to the general public.

Hello married. 
It is an interesting, humanitarian perspective you pose, but this is just a minor type of bullying within the armed forces, that apparently seems an acceptable way of carrying on for some people. There have been far too many incidents, even in modern times, when armed forces personnel have been killed during their so-called ‘training’ exercises.
But my perspective is coloured and biased by the fact that my father was a Grenadier Guard and, as he was ‘trained’ (brainwashed) by those sorts of bullying methods, he thought it was perfectly appropriate to bring that sort of bullying into the home environment.
Whilst I can understand that he had been ‘brutalised’ by his experiences, I have never been able to forgive him for brutalising (us) innocent others. (Which is the likely side-effect of this type of ‘training’).
Each time I watch this antiquated, ceremonial, outdated nonsense, it makes me ponder upon why the Italians/Romans don’t still feed people to the lions for entertainment. Perhaps the answer lies in realising what is right and what is wrong, and then deciding that a new moral order is needed if the human race is to progress into a more positive future. 
Thank you for your comment 
Best wishes
Bill

The ludicrous pomp surrounding the ludicrous royals is beyond my comprehension.  It's like having an inexplicable attachment to a hangnail.  

The British are very good at this, meticulous planning goes into it. The last massive send-off was for Sir Winston Churchill. What sort of love and affection and adulation makes someone stand 16 hours in a queue to pay their last respects to their sovereign? Some celebrities too, David Beckham queued for 12 hours. Perhaps something to do with being a part of history.

Hi Caz, I suppose it is dedication, but it's also abuse and mistreatment by their employer, and it should not be allowed to happen. Just because these guards tolerate it, doesn't make it OK. Some traditions are so outdated that they seem ridiculous in today's world.

Terry

24-hour plus waiting. Some have been camping since Thursday for the funeral.

More like well-dressed leech, I would think, Henry.

I would not exchange my level of freedom in order to be a royal. Yeah, they get a lot of high-status stuff, but they have almost no freedom. It's all about the arse-licking, a game that's been played for all time........

Honestly, I just do not get it at all! Why the adulation for any people in that type of sphere? I think people feel more powerful as they get just a little closer to people who actually have power (...and of course lots of money). Touching a hand, a ring...the hem of the gown of power is like rubbing the relic for the superstitious or religious person. If I touch it, I might acquire just a tiny bit of your power, fame, wealth...etc, etc. I think many people who get sucked into this royalist bullshit come to think of the royal family as their own family...sort of like Upstairs Downstairs (not the idyllic scene portrayed in the TV series!). I saw this same attitude towards the clergy in Ireland. As kids, we had to kneel down and kiss the bishop's ring if he happened to be in town and in our vicinity...the peasants always must show deference! Little did we know about their after-hours activities or cover-ups.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely! Every existing monarchy has become just a very expensive carnival sideshow for an overly nostalgic populace and are just giant, bloated leeches sucking on the public tax faucet every day of their lives. There is a tourism benefit, of course...so there's that!

I'm Irish but these days I have no beef with English people, just their silly monarchy. Magoo

Hi Magoo

I'm not a full-out royalist but I sure do feel that her late majesty brought a country together when we went through the tough times. She served as a great ambassador not just during her reign but hopefully King Charles the 3rd will follow and continue to build Great Britain to where it should be. She may have been royalty but she brought a hell of a lot more money into the UK than people realize.

As for feeling like a peasant, I certainly don't feel that way. You could say that about pop stars, film stars, sports. I mean, they, if anyone, make you feel like the peasants. What they tend to forget is that we are the ones who made them famous by buying their albums, going to concerts, etc. Prima Donna XX

I guess the monarchy serves as an anchor for many people and the Queen was the connection that held the anchor in place. I understand the affection. As you know, the monarchy would invoke much different thoughts and emotions among many (non-British people). To each his own is my philosophy! Live and let live... Magoo

Wow, 16 hours!

Although being an estimate has many negatives, a positive would be:

We could do this as we would not need to queue at the loo.

How interesting!

Hi Caz, I don't consider myself a royalist, but I was born and still live in a Commonwealth country, so the monarchy has always been a part of my life, and for much of it, I didn't question its existence. I'm not sure how I feel about its relevance now, but I think for Canada, the majority of citizens think it would just be too much trouble to exit from it. Clearly, from the recent response to the Queen's passing, the U.K. is still very strongly attached to the monarchy. I think the most important contribution that the new King can make in the coming years is his influence. It's well known that he is a strong environmentalist, and he can be a positive force for change. Say what you want about the monarchy, someone who is willing to devote their life to public service is more deserving of admiration than the latest movie or pop star, who spends their life accumulating wealth in order to buy a few more houses and a bigger yacht.

Terry