they are the ceremonial guards of the Tower of London. Their official title is ‘The Yeomen Warders of His Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign’s Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary’. Quite a mouthful, isn’t it? And quite possibly why they are affectionately called ‘Beefeaters’. It’s a lot easier to say and as a result of their memorable name they have become almost as popular as the Tower itself.

The role of the Beefeaters is to guard any prisoners in the Tower of London, and to protect the most valuable items in the Tower – the Crown Jewels. This job has diminished over time though, as the Tower no longer holds prisoners and the security systems surrounding the Crown Jewels have become somewhat more sophisticated. The change in the Beefeaters’ job started when the Royal Family moved out of the Tower of London during the reign of the Tudors. Nowadays, the Beefeaters are used as tour guides and have proved to be an attraction in their own right.