Ceremony of the Keys at Tower of London
Have you ever heard of the Ceremony of the Keys? No? But surely, you’ve heard of the Tower of London? Hard to miss that one when visiting London. For most people a visit to the Tower will be part of their itinerary when visiting London for the first time. But a visit to the Tower usually comes with a hefty price tag. So, what if I would tell you, you could get into the Tower of London for free? Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it? OK, enough of the teasing. Let’s dig right into it and I’ll tell you how to experience the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London.
Let’s cover the basics first:
What is the Tower of London?
The Tower of London is an ancient Royal Palace, founded in 1066 (so almost 1000 years old). It sits on the North Bank of the River Thames, to the east of the City of London. The Tower of London is a World Heritage Site and over the course of its life, the Tower was used as a Royal residence and fortress, as well as a prison. It houses some of the biggest treasures of the Crown, including the world-famous Crown Jewels.
There is loads more to say about the Tower of London, but that would easily demand its own blog post. So back to the actual topic today:
What is the Ceremony of the Keys?
Before I tell you how to experience the Ceremony of the Keys, it would probably be vital to know what the Ceremony of the Keys actually is?
Bluntly speaking, the Ceremony of the Keys is the process of locking the Tower of London for the night. But it is not as simple as just turning the key and closing the gate. The locking of the Tower is done in all pomp and ceremony and to a very rigid time scale.
The Ceremony of the Keys is said to be the oldest military ritual in the world, and it took place every single evening for the last 700 years. Ever since the 18thcentury, it takes place at exactly the same time without fail (even during the World Wars the ceremony was never cancelled. It was only delayed once in WWII when a bomb hit the Tower just as the Ceremony of the Keys was taking place, resulting in a three-minute delay of the ceremony).
How do I get tickets for the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London?
And how much do tickets for the Ceremony of the Keys cost?
Unlike a visit to the Tower of London, which will cost you quite a chunk of money, tickets for the Ceremony of the Keys are free (well, you will be charged 1GBP administration fee per booking, but the tickets themselves are free).
Every evening around 50 people are able to experience the Ceremony of the Keysand tickets are released six to twelve months in advance on the Historic Royal Palaces website. Tickets for the Ceremony of the Keys sell out fast, so it is worth checking early if you want to experience the Ceremony.
The Ceremony takes place every single evening and visitors are invited to experience the Ceremony of the Keyson all days but Christmas Day.
Is there a dress code for the Ceremony of the Keys?
If you are one of the Yeoman Warders or Guards participating in the ceremony, then the answer is yes. If you are merely a spectator, here toexperience the Ceremony of the Keys, the answer is no. You can wear whatever you want. My advice would be to go for something comfy and suitable for the weather (after all, the ceremony takes place late in the evening, outside and beside the Thames, so be prepared for cold, wet and windy). I would recommend comfy and low-heeled shoes. The streets in and around the Tower of London are mostly cobbled stone, making it a little awkward to walk on high-heels. But that being said, you don’t have to walk huge distances before and during the Ceremony of the Keys, so you should be fine.
Also, if you have limited mobility, you can still experience the Ceremony of the Keys. We had one lady in a wheelchair in our group yesterday and it was not a problem getting her to the viewing spot and out again.
How long does the Ceremony of the Keys take?
The Ceremony of the Keys might be the oldest Military Ceremony in the world, but it sure must be one of the shortest as well. As from start to finish it only lasts seven minutes. It starts at 21.53 and finishes at 22.00.
Although the Ceremony only lasts seven minutes, your experience of the Ceremony of the Keyswill last a little longer, as the Yeoman Warder will explain to you beforehand what you are about to witness and will answer any questions after. Meaning you will have around 45 minutes from start to finish.
Would I recommend you go and experience the Ceremony of the Keys?
Yes, absolutely. Although rather brief, it was really good fun to experience the Ceremony of the Keys. The Yeoman Warders have a very entertaining way of telling you all about the history of the Tower of London. Something you can also experience when you go and visit the Tower throughout the day (despite the hefty price tag, if you haven’t been to the Tower of London, I would urge you to do that at least once in your lifetime).
