Horse Guards

The Royal Horse Guards, part of the Household Cavalry, on parade in Hyde Park, London.

In the UK, the Household Cavalry, or Royal Horse Guards, formed in 1661. Their headquarters, in Whitehall, London, England, were erected in 1753 by John Vardy (1718–65) from a design by William Kent, on the site of the Tilt Yard of Whitehall Palace.

Horse Guards

Trooping the Colour. This ceremonial parade dates back to around 1700, when the ‘colours’ or brightly coloured flags of a battalion had far more military significance. Nowadays, the Trooping the Colour ceremony is held every June on Horse Guards Parade, in London, to honour the official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II.

Building in Whitehall, central London, England; the headquarters of the Household Cavalry. The front of the building is always guarded by sentries. At the rear of the building lies Horse Guards Parade, a large exercise ground where the ceremony of Trooping the Colour takes place annually in early June to mark the sovereign's official birthday.

Horse Guards was built by John Vardy 1751–53 to a design by William Kent.

Horse Guards is the headquarters of two United Kingdom army commands: the London District, responsible for military administration in the City of London, and the Household Division, which has guard and escort duties, including taking part in ceremonial occasions. The building stands on the site of the tiltyard of Whitehall Palace.