One of King Charles' guards is causing a serious stir on TikTok in light of His Majesty's coronation which occurred on Saturday 6 May at Westminster Abbey.
Royal fan videos of an officer from the 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment taking part in a Changing the Guard ceremony outside Buckingham Palace have accumulated more than 18 million views on the social media platform - but not for the reason you might expect.
In clips shared by royal watchers, the guard approaches the gates of King Charles' official royal residence, before greeting fans with a curt (but rather charming) "good morning".
Naturally, the TikTok community has done what it does best and developed a collective nickname for the unknown guard. Introducing the "Prince Charming" of the King's Guards…
In one video which has harboured nearly 2 million likes since King Charles' coronation, fans have been quick to declare their love for the unexpected heartthrob.
"The collective swoon after 'good morning' always gets me," commented one viewer, as another penned: "His little smile as he gets closer - I'm in love!"
"Does he know how famous he's become?" asked another viewer, while a fourth added: "I'm falling hard for the royal guard…"
Other playful clips show the guard marching in time to 'Stayin' Alive' by the BeeGees.
"That's not just the King's guard… it's HIM," commented a fan followed by a heart-eye emoji. "I'm just waiting for him to start a TikTok account," they added.
The officer isn't the only member of King Charles' security that has caused a stir amongst royal fans, either. Major Jonathan Thompson – known as 'Johnny' by his friends – currently serves with the 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland, and he's been working with the Royal Family for years.
What is the Changing the Guard?
The Changing the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace follows a traditional format that is the basis for guard-changing ceremonies which take place at other Palaces and Royal Residences.
According to the Household Division (the seven British Army regiments serving His Majesty, the order of the daily ceremony is as follows:
"The Old Guard (the soldiers currently on duty) form up in front of the palace and are relieved by the New Guard which arrives from Wellington Barracks. The New Guard is accompanied by a Band. The ceremony represents a formal handover of responsibilities.
"The Guard at Buckingham Palace is typically provided by one of the five Foot Guards Regiments of the Household Division, identified by the number of buttons on their distinctive tunics and the plume in their bearskin caps."
