The royal guards at Windsor are as famous for being unflappable as they are for their ridiculous furry hats.
Many a tourist has tried their hand at making a Beefeater chuckle and many, if not all, have failed.
Want to know how to get a royal guardsman to lose his cool?
Step over the line.
One tourist found this out the hard way when, posing for a photograph, she stepped over a cordon surrounding the palace and was shoved out of the way by the marching guard. The woman was heard screaming as she fell to the ground.
This video with the hashtag ‘Overstep the boundary, take a photo, get pushed by the Royal Guard’ has since gone viral and has caused quite a stir on social media.
While some people thought the tourist was treated harshly, others, such as BBC reporter Tim Hauge, were quick to defend the royal guard.
“The cordon is there to signify that you should not overstep it, and if you do, then the Royal Guardsmen have the right to determine that you are a danger to the palace that they are guarding,” said Mr Hauge.
“They are permitted to use guns in such a situation. Pushing would be considered the most lenient way of settling such a matter.”
According to an ‘army source’ the whole thing was set up by the tourist so she could provoke the guard in the hope of a harsh reaction which would make her a star in a viral video.
Mission accomplished, it would seem.
The source claims that the woman had been hanging around all day, trying to take the guard’s arm, his hat and at one point, his rifle.
She had been asked to stop and when she didn’t, the rope barrier you see in the video was erected. It didn’t stop this annoying tourist from crossing the line, so to speak.
“This soldier was at the end of his tether and her reaction to the push … she took, like six steps … is ridiculous,” claims the source.
“The fact that she has stood there [inside the rope] like she didn’t know he was behind her is ridiculous … it appears to be a set-up to make a little video.”
The Ministry of Defence has released a statement about the incident.
“The Household Division is proud to guard Her Majesty and honoured that people come from around the world to watch our ceremonial spectacle,” a representative told The Sun.
“The ropes are there to protect both the public and our soldiers; please stay behind them.”
Many online also pointed comments to the irritating tourist who defended the guard’s actions.
“That’s not losing cool. That’s procedure. If you are in the way, over the line, during the patrol, you get moved. If you touch/assault a standing guard, they will protect their post,” said one comment.
“Loses cool while on duty with a loaded weapon and nobody dies. Do they offer international lessons for ‘losing cool while on the job without killing unarmed people’?” wrote another.
What do you think? Was the guard justified?
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