Royal guard collapses next to Queen Elizabeth’s coffin on first night of lying in state

28 comments
  1. Looks like he was locking his knees. If you stand long enough with stiff knee joints you will reduce blood flowing properly to the point you don’t get enough blood and oxygen to your brain as the blood pools in your legs.

    I believe your meant to wiggle your toes as the muscles contracting and relaxing helps push blood back up

  2. Did the Queen’s immortal spirit possess him?! Her original vessel failed her so she took the nearest suitable replacement.

  3. You’re taught in the military that if you stand still too long, the blood pools in your lower body and struggles to reach your head. You’re supposed to wiggle your toes and shift your feet, flex your quads and calves now and then, or you’ll faceplant. And you’re taught to recognise when you’re reaching your limit and take action. You’re told never to lock your knees.

    To the commenters saying this is cruel, he hasn’t been forced to do this. You don’t become a Royal Guard unless you really want to be one. It’s a very hard position to get and the men who hold it generally consider it to be a massive honour. He volunteered for it. Most military positions are very low on ceremonial stuff and you really have to want it.

  4. When i was kid in the Boys Brigade we had an end of year parade and there were bets as to how long one particular guy would last before passing out every time.
    Best was 2 minutes out.

  5. “While the soldiers rotate every 20 minutes, the time remaining completely still while standing are six-hours in length.”

    I don’t understand how this works…

  6. This guy will probably get a booking on morning TV, a front page newspaper story and possibly a book deal.

  7. Watching this last night I couldn’t stop thinking about their necks.

    They have on the big bearskin hats which I presume are pretty heavy and they have their heads tilted forward. The weight of that hat and the distance from the pivot on their neck must be causing them a lot of grief.

  8. My partner, who used to work in a large tourist attraction with a military presence (I won’t say where) told me an anecdote that I think sums up how the military approach has changed over the last few decades:

    A younger guard was on duty on a *very* hot day, outside in full regalia. He ended up fainting and dropped his weapon. He was revived, given some water and his senior officer came over. The poor young guy was shaking and crying, thought he’d made this absolutely heinous error, but the officer gave him a little pep talk and told him, “This isn’t the old Army.”

    I’ve always thought that was nice. A realisation that yes, the Army trains you to follow orders, but also that you’re human.

  9. Is there any reason they don’t change more often? Feels such a horrendous feat to take on standing still for presumably 6 plus hours. Wouldn’t it have been best to change every 3 hours?

  10. A relative of mine was in the grenadiers at one point. He passed out (ironically) at his passing out parade and again during trooping of the colour. As far as I know he wasn’t reprimanded but he wasn’t allowed to parade again as it was determined that it just wasn’t for him. He got ribbed a bit and earned a nickname for a while but that was about it. He did get a queens commendation for bravery at one point too so I don’t think they’re too bothered. Some of them are just not suited to standing still for long periods in hot uniform.

  11. I seen a lot of not very nice word against this on a lot of site but this sort of thing douse happen they are only human after all and I hope he is ok and can get over this

  12. Happens at IS events as well.

    Source: My daughter date a guy in that group – they have extra stashed around the ceremonial location and drag the fainted soldier out and then take their spot

  13. Collapsed? Not suprised after standing still like that wearing a rediculous costume for that long,its kinda cruel.

  14. Honestly ngl I still think my favourite info about the Queens Guard is that if they are going to faint they have to faint properly.

    ​

    i.e, stand at attention the entire time, or at least try to, even if it means smashing your teeth directly into the ground as you pass out.

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