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The Household Division is made up of 2 regiments of Household Cavalry, and 5 regiments of Foot Guards. They are responsible for the safety and protection of the Sovereign.
The Foot Guards wear distinctive scarlet tunics and tall black fur caps known as bearskins. As well as the ceremonial duties that they perform, they are all fully trained soldiers and are actively deployed. The five regiments of Foot Guards take it in turn to guard the Sovereign at Buckingham Palace and St James's Palace. Click here for tours of Buckingham Palace.

All five regiments look similar, except for the number of buttons and the type of emblems and plumes used. The Scots Guards are the oldest Regiment of Guards dating from 1642. They can be recognised by their thistle collar badge. The Grenadier Guards were formed in 1656 to protect Charles II in exile and the Coldstream Guards date from 1650. They wear a red plume on their bearskins and the Irish Guards (1900) have a shamrock collar badge.

Up until the 1990's the Grenadier Guards and the Coldstream Guards had 2 battalions each, but the 2nd battalions were disbanded as part of the defence cuts made possible by the end of the cold war.

The Welsh Guards are the youngest regiment, having being formed in 1915.

There are two regiments of Household Cavalry. They stand guard at Horse Guards arch, which was, until the Mall was opened in the 1830's, the only entrance to Buckingham Palace and St James's Palace.

The Life Guards date back to 1659. They wear a red tunic and a white helmet plume. The Blues and Royals are a new regiment formed in 1969 from two existing regiments. They wear blue tunics and red helmet plumes.