Her Majesty the Queen's royal residences have been particularly quiet following the pandemic, but for the first time in over a year, the Changing of the Guard ceremony has resumed at Windsor Castle.
SEE: The Queen's adorable new addition to her Sandringham home
On Thursday 22 July, the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards performed the special ceremony, which was even more poignant this time due to the lack of ceremonies over the last year and a half.
WATCH: The Queen shows off the grand interiors at Windsor Castle during special visit
Photographs were captured showing the magical moments where the guards paraded in their finery of tunics and bearskins. In the background, crowds of hundreds of people could be seen gathering to watch the performance, keen to observe the ceremony as well as capture it on their own phones.
The crowds were out in force to see the ceremony
This practice was put on hold in March 2020 in order to avoid members of the public gathering, but now with England's restrictions easing, we are glad to see it back.
READ: Why the Queen only owns two of her homes
MORE: The Queen's great-great-grandmother's seaside mansion was locked up for 50 years – inside
Guardsmen have been guarding kings and queens in the UK since 1660 and so it is a welcomed tradition to have been restored.
This is the first time the Changing of the Guard has taken place since March 2020
Reports suggest that the Changing of the Guard could resume at the Queen's London home of Buckingham Palace soon, too, so watch this space!
The monarch's annual birthday celebrations, Trooping the Colour, have also been scaled back for two years in a row now but perhaps in 2022 we can look forward to the full performance with other members of the royal family present.
Windsor Castle is the first royal residence to reinstate the tradition
Since the death of her beloved husband Prince Philip, the Queen has been mainly residing at Windsor Castle. This 900-year-old property is where her late husband spent his final days, and it is a spectacular home which holds lots of loving memories for the Queen. It was reported by The Daily Mail that the monarch plans to make this royal house her permanent residence, instead of Buckingham Palace.
Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity, royal and lifestyle news delivered directly to your inbox.