Retreat of the Queen’s guard
Windsor Castle tradition is axed over Nice-style terror attack fear
CHANGING the Guard ceremonies at Windsor Castle have been cancelled amid fears of a devastating Berlin or Nice-style lorry attack by terrorists.
The time-honoured military tradition will no longer take place on Saturdays because police believe jihadis could target soldiers and the thousands of tourists who gather to enjoy the spectacle.
Twelve people were killed and 50 more were injured when a terrorist drove a heavy truck into a packed Christmas market in Berlin at 40mph. And last July, 86 people were killed and another 434 were hurt when a jihadi drove a 19-ton lorry into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice.
Following the Berlin attack, Thames Valley Police ordered Army top brass to change their ceremonial timetable in Windsor to avoid the busiest times of the week. As a result, troops will only march through the town in their red tunics and bearskins on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Security has also been stepped up with armed police checkpoints and road closures.
But the move, which will be trialled for three months, has been attacked by local residents and traders, who fear they will lose money if the Saturday ceremonies are axed permanently.
Mother-of-two Polly Miller, 37, said: ‘Families won’t be able to go during the week because of school and work commitments. I think you are going to get a generation of disengaged British people, which is a shame.’
Islamic State is already thought to have terror cells in the UK. The jihadis are believed to be plotting a massacre on the scale of the atrocities in Berlin and Nice.
Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace has also been switched to fixed days as part of the shake-up, with armed police following the soldiers as they parade along the Mall. The Mail on Sunday revealed in December 2014 how Royal Guards were being removed from posts including Clarence House and St James’s Palace amid fears of a ‘lone-wolf’ attack.
The world-renowned ceremonies involving the Guards regiments have taken place since the 17th Century but are now under unprecedented threat. A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said: ‘Security measures have been increased in relation to the Changing the Guard in Windsor. These measures have been put in place as part of a review in order to reassure and increase the safety of the public and military.’