The Tower of London Ceremony of the Keys is one of the oldest rituals of its kind which still exists today! It’s said to be the oldest surviving military ceremony in the world, and is probably the best-known ceremonial tradition of the Tower. Here we’ve outlined everything you need to know before you go and see the ceremony for yourself!
While lots in the Tower of London has changed over the years, the rest of this exchange has not. It forms part of the traditional ‘Locking Up’ of the Tower of London, and while the monarch no longer lives there herself, the Crown Jewels and other invaluable objects which remain there have maintained the importance of this ceremony over the years.
History
The formal locking and unlocking of the gates started in the mid-14th century on the orders of Edward III, who was furious at the time as he had managed to walk straight into the Tower when he turned up unannounced one December night! He imprisoned the Constable of the Tower for dereliction of duty, and decreed that from then on the Tower would be locked at sunset and unlocked at sunrise every day.
He also carried out a thorough review of the Tower’s security measures and improved its neglected state. This was then re-done in 1555 on the orders of Queen Mary I who was nervous about her decreasing popularity, the then-recent failed Protestant plot, and the execution of Lady Jane Grey (fair enough, really!).
She ordered the Constable of the Tower to beef up the Beefeaters (not sorry for that pun), demanding that there were 21 of them appointed at any one time and that they were between the ages of 30 and 50. She also laid down rules for the number of Yeoman Warders patrolling each day and each night, and laid down detailed instructions for ensuring the keys were secured each night. The form of the ceremony which was developed in her time is the same as has been performed every night since then.
In 1826 the Duke of Wellington ordered that the ceremony time should be fixed at 10pm rather than the vague ‘sunset’ time previously set, to ensure that the soldiers stationed there were inside the walls before the gates were locked (as it would have been super awkward to get stuck outside for the night).
The Ceremony
Since then, at exactly 21:53 every night, the Chief Yeoman Warder of the Tower emerges from the Byward Tower, wearing the traditional red Watch Coat and Tudor Bonnet. In one hand, he carries a lantern, still lit to this day with a single candle. In the other he carries a set of keys – the Queen’s Keys.
He proceeds at a dignified pace to the archway of the Bloody Tower, where an escort is formed in readiness. This escort is made up of soldiers from the military garrison at the Tower. It comprises two sentries, a sergeant and another guard who represents the role of drummer (but who actually plays a bugle).
The Chief Yeoman Warder then hands the lantern to the drummer and they all march to the outer gates of the Tower. The Chief, assisted by the Tower’s Watchman, closes, locks and secures the outer gates, while the escort stands guard. The same process takes place at the inner gates.
As the clock strikes ten, the Chief Yeoman Warder moves two paces forward, raises his Tudor bonnet high in the air and says: ‘God preserve Queen Elizabeth’.
The guard answers ‘Amen’, exactly as the clock chimes ten, the soldier representing the drummer sounds 'The Last Post' on a bugle.
The Chief Yeoman Warder takes the keys back to the Queen's House, to hand them back to the Queen’s representative at the Tower, The Resident Governor, and the Guard is dismissed. Naturally, the wording changes depending on the monarch, as does the title of the Queen’s/King’s House.
So there you have it; everything you need to know about the Tower of London Ceremony of the Keys. Unfortunately tickets to see the Ceremony aren’t currently available, but the process itself is still being carried out (of course), and hopefully we’ll be able to see it for ourselves again soon! For more information about the Tower of London, check out our other blog posts here.
And if you want to know where to eat when you're in the area, don't fret! We've got the information about the best breakfasts, lunches, and dinners in the area right here for you.
In the meantime, book your Tower of London tickets with Klook for the cheapest prices and most convenient booking process, and we hope to see you there soon.
