The United Kingdom is very large in tradition, and especially in any tradition that has to do with the monarch. The Keys Ceremony at the Tower of London, a medieval fortress built by William the Conqueror in 1066, is one of them, dating back centuries. Essentially, it is simply a matter of closing all the doors of the Tower of London, and visitors can escort the warden as long as they request it in advance.
But it’s a bit more complicated than just securing your front door at night. The Ceremony of the Keys involves the formal closing of the famous doors of the Tower of London. The Tower must be closed because it houses the Crown Jewels, and it has happened in exactly the same way every night for about seven centuries.
What happens
During the Ceremony of the Keys, Chief Guardian Yeoman is escorted around the Tower closing all doors until he is “challenged” by the sentry, to whom he must respond before completing the task. The same wording has been used every night for hundreds of years, except for the name of the reigning monarch.
Visitors are admitted to the Tower under escort at exactly 9:30 pm. Between 40 and 50 visitors are allowed to see the Ceremony of the Keys each night.
Every night at exactly 9:52 p.m. M., Warchief Yeoman of the Tower comes out of Byward Tower, dressed in red, with a candle lantern in one hand and the Queen’s Keys in the other.
He walks to the Traitor’s Gate to meet two and four members of the Service Regiment’s Foot Guards, who escort him throughout the ceremony. A soldier takes the flashlight and they walk step by step towards the outer door. All the guards and sentries on duty salute the Queen’s Keys as they pass.
The Guardian closes the outer door, and they walk back to close the oak doors of the Middle and Byward Towers.
The three then return to the Traitor’s Gate, where a sentry awaits them. Then this dialogue begins:
Sentinel: “Stop, who’s coming there?”
Guard Chief Yeoman: “The keys.”
Sentinel: “Whose keys are they?”
Guardian: “The keys of Queen Elizabeth.”
Sentinel: «Come in then; everything is fine”.
The four men walk towards the arch of Bloody Tower and climb towards the steps of the sidewalk, where the Main Guard stands. Warchief Yeoman and his escort stop at the foot of the steps, and the officer in charge gives the order to the Guard and escorts him to present the weapons.
Warchief Yeoman takes two steps forward, raises his Tudor hood in the air and calls out “God preserve Queen Elizabeth.” The guard responds “Amen” exactly as the clock rings at 10 pm and “The Duty Drummer” plays The Last Post on his bugle.
Warchief Yeoman brings the keys to the Queen’s House, and the Guard is dismissed.
Before and after the ceremony, a Warder Yeoman who acts as a guide provides further explanations about the Tower of London and its history. Visitors are escorted out at 10:05 pm
How to get tickets
Tickets are free, but you must reserve online in advance. You should book these tickets as soon as you decide to go as they are booked months in advance and often up to a year in advance, and there is no waiting list. To apply, you must include all the names in your group. You can book up to six in a group between April 1 and October 31 and up to 15 in a group between November 1 and March 31.
Important notes
When you go to the Ceremony of the Keys, take your original ticket issued by the Tower of London. Newcomers will not be admitted, so it is imperative that you arrive at this event on time. There are no restrooms or refreshment facilities available, and you can’t take photos of any part of the ceremony.
