Royal Guard Parade in Stockholm (1)

About the sound

This is the guard parade that goes from central Stockholm up to the Stockholm (or Royal) Palace, ending with the changing of the Guards at the Palace. This particular sound comes from The Royal Guards of foot, but there is also a parade for the mounted Royal Guards. This parade and then the changing of the Guards is a popular tourist attraction that takes place all around the year, and is seen by approximately 800 000 thousand people. The Guards also serve as an emergency military force in Stockholm. However, at the time of this particular recording the Guards are dressed like proper, normal, soldiers. During some ceremonies and events they wear older, clear blue, uniforms with a dark blue coat accompanied with a late 19th century pickelhaube (the helmet with a spike on it) - and the mounted Guard always wear this uniform, except the pickelhaube. Sometimes they are also accompanied by a marching band, this time it is accompanied by the Royal Swedish Navy Band.

At the time of this recording I am standing alongside their route with the castle to my back, when the sound itself ends I move briskly up to the front of the Palace to catch them again, and then later the chaos when a multitude of tourists want to see the changing of the Guards.

Photo and recording by Erik Pålsson.