Navy girl who marched into Palace history
SHE may be a head shorter than the bearskin-wearing soldier next to her, but Able Seaman Alex Stacey stood tall as she became one of the first sailors in the Changing the Guard ceremony yesterday.
Bearing her rifle with bayonet fixed, the 26-year-old helped to make history outside Buckingham Palace – despite only having joined the Navy in January.
For the first time in the ceremony’s 3 7-year history, 86 sailors replaced soldiers of one of the Regiments of Foot.
Able Seaman Stacey said: ‘The training’s been difficult, especially as a lot of the orders are Army-based and we’ve had to try to change them.’ Changing the Guard, which started after the restoration of King Charles II in 1660, is traditionally carried out by soldiers from the Army’s Household Division.
But after a month’s training, sailors from 4 Royal Navy ships and establishments took on the protection of the Palace as one of a series of events to mark 2017 as The Year of the Navy.
Watched by thousands of tourists, the New Guard of sailors marched into the palace forecourt to the theme tune from the Game Of Thrones TV show, while the Old Guard of soldiers marched away.