The Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London

It’s 9:53 P.M. at the Tower of London. Footsteps echo on the cobblestones as the Chief Warder appears, carrying a candle lantern and the Queen’s Keys. As he approaches the sentry, the sentry demands to know “Who goes there?” The response: “The Keys.” “Whose Keys?” demands the Sentry. “Queen Elizabeth’s Keys” comes the response.



Each night this ceremony continues, uninterrupted by violent weather, political unrest, or war. (Although Adolph Hitler was listed as the reason the ceremony was late one night during the London Blitz.) And, unknown to many tourists to London, the ceremony is open to the general public. Better yet, it’s free.

Those of us who have been to London on a limited budget know that much of the city is an absolute bargain. From the Changing of the Guards to the Imperial War Museum and the Cabinet War rooms, to those wonderful bargain hotels, it is possible to have a vacation of a lifetime without breaking the bank. But of all the sights and ceremonies in London, the Ceremony of the Keys is my favorite.

You begin with the stories. As the early evening fog envelops your group, you hear the stories of the unusual happenings that the Tower has hosted. Some ghost stories, some merely unexplained. Sounds echo across the courtyard and noises that would otherwise go unnoticed become eerie. And your host continues to talk, weaving tales of the unexplained and the unexplainable, all of which involve the centuries-old tower in which you find yourself.

Eventually the Chief Warder appears, and the actual ceremony begins. Each night, for over 700 years, it has repeated itself, mostly unchanged. You get a real sense of the time which has passed, and of the people who have stood there before you. Eventually the Tower is locked up , the Crown Jewels are safe, and another page is added to the history of the Tower of London.

And it’s free. All you need to do is get tickets.

It does require some advance planning. You must apply in writing, at least two to three months in advance, and include the following information:

- the names of all attendees

- Two possible dates in which you can attend.

- A self-addressed envelope with either the appropriate British Postal stamps or at least 2 International Reply Coupons (available at many US Post offices.)

That’s it. You and your party of no more than six apply to:
Ceremony of the Keys Office
Tower of London
London, EC3N 4AB
Great Britain

When the tickets arrive, you bring them along at 9:30 and prepare for a real history lesson, the kind you’ll always remember. The kind that will leave you looking over your shoulder when you hear a strange sound, and will make you smile at yourself as you do so.

Go see the Ceremony of the Keys. You’ll be glad you did.