This post covers when you can expect the Ceremony of Keys to happen, where it takes place, and how to see it for yourself.
As a London tour guide, I get asked a lot about unique or interesting things to do, and I always recommend the Ceremony of the Keys.
It's such a fun historical tradition and I love the atmosphere of being at the Tower after dark.
This is a great - and inexpensive - way to spend an evening in the city.
I've done it quite a few times and you can read about my experience below.
- What is the Ceremony of the Keys
- How to Apply
- Who Are the Beefeaters?
- Other Ways to Visit the Tower of London
- Crown Jewels
- Things to Do at Night in London
WHAT IS THE CEREMONY OF THE KEYS?
The Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London is a gate-closing ritual that has taken place every night, without fail, for the past 700 years.
If you're wondering what time the ceremony begins, this time-honored tradition has taken place every night at 21:53 (9:53 pm) in the Tower of London since the 14th century.
In other words, if you're planning to visit the Tower of London either in the morning or the afternoon, you'll be there at the wrong time for this particular event.
The only exception occurred one evening during WWII when the city was bombed and the Warders were knocked off their feet.
And though they carried out the ceremony, they wrote an apology to the King for being slightly late!
Each night, after kicking out the tourists and saying goodnight to the families residing within the Tower's walls, the Chief Yeoman Warder of the Tower invites ticketed guests to come back inside to witness the "Ceremony of the Keys"- the ceremonial locking up of the Tower Of London, and I've been lucky enough to be one!
I always feel like a VIP when they call my name and open the gates.
Once inside, we don't get a chance to see the Crown Jewels or the centuries-old graffiti carved in the prison cells.
That strictly comes with booking an entry ticket during the day which I always recommend as there is SO MUCH to see - it's my favourite 'attraction' in town., but I can now tell people that I locked in the Tower of London!
The ceremony itself is fairly simple and short:
The Chief Yeoman Warder walks out of Byward Tower to Traitor's Gate holding a lantern and the King's Keys, where he is met by King's Guard soldiers, members of the duty regiment Foot Guards, who will escort him during the ceremony.
He then locks the outer gate followed by the oak gates between the Middle Tower and Byward Tower before walking down Water Lane, past the Wakefield Tower to the archway of the Bloody Tower.
There, an exchange takes place between a sentry waiting in the archway and the Chief Warder.
The sentry yells out, 'Halt, who comes there?', to which the Yeoman Warder replies, 'The keys.'
The sentry then asks 'Whose keys?',
The Yeoman Warder answers 'King Charles's keys', and the sentry concludes 'Pass then, all's well.'
And just like that, I am locked inside the Tower of London! (But don't worry, they did eventually let me out through a small, not-so-secret exit.)
Then, the soldiers and the Chief Warder walk up towards the Broadwalk steps, where the guards are inspected at the foot of the steps.
At 22:00 exactly, the Chief Warder takes off his hat and cries out, "God save King Charles!" and the guards answer "Amen."
Then a bugle plays Last Post at the end of the ceremony.
After that, the guards are dismissed and the Chief Yeoman Warder takes the keys back to the King's House.
The ceremony concludes at precisely 22:05 (10.05 pm) when I, and the other guests lucky enough to get tickets, are escorted from the building.
Take note that we weren't allowed to use the loo and there were no refreshment stalls/restaurants open during the ceremony - as is standard.
Note that in keeping with historical tradition, the Beefeaters carry candle lanterns rather than torches!
However, they do wear the modern version of their uniform and not the Tudor bonnet that is part of their older, state-dress uniform.
You can see the version they do wear above - and there are capes for colder weather!
Reviews of the Ceremony of the Keys
When looking at comments about the Ceremony on our Facebook group, members report that though brief, the Ceremony of the Keys is an unforgettable experience for those lucky enough to participate (read the reviews).
One that I've enjoyed enough to do multiple times!
Nearly everyone who has participated in the tradition writes in their reviews that it was a highlight of their time in London.
Others comment that it is well worth the wait and a 'must-do'.
A very small number of people who wrote reviews seem disappointed in the experience, and in almost all of these cases, it happens that the visitor did not know anything about the tradition before attending.
In that case, I suggest you read up on the history of the Ceremony of the Keys to fully appreciate the experience!
I have also noticed that the number of guests being allowed in has slightly increased over time (last time I went there were around 40 guests) which takes away from the intimacy of the experience - but not enough to ruin it, in my opinion.
One of the times I've attended there was a large group of VIP's who were having a private tour and event in the Tower were brought over to watch the Ceremony and that increased our numbers quite a bit and made it hard for some people to see - but I believe this was just an unlucky fluke and there is no way to plan for it regardless!
Note that photography is NOT allowed at ANY point during the Ceremony of the Keys.
I have personally seen guests being immediately ejected from the building for attempting to take pictures! They take this very seriously.
Once the Ceremony is over, however, guests are allowed to take photos of the building.
And the last time I was there, it was the winter months so the White Tower was lit up beautifully for some very striking shots.
Tip: Full entry to the Tower of London is included for free with the London Pass.
For more ways to save, check out our London Night Tours, as well as our post on how to visit Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral for free.
WHEN ARE CEREMONY OF THE KEYS TICKETS RELEASED?
Tickets are required, they cost £5, and they book out fast!
I make sure to set my alarm when I want to try to nab a ticket - and even then I'm not always successful.
Tickets are released on a rolling monthly basis.
They are released at 16:00 on the first working day of the month, unless it is Friday, in which case the tickets will be released on the following Monday.
For example, when I wanted to book tickets for March, I bought them on the 1st of February.
If you don't have luck, though, keep trying. They do put cancelled tickets but onto the site and I know people who have managed to snag some that way, very unexpectedly!
Application details can be found on the Ceremony of the Keys website.
Tickets are non-transferable and changes are not allowed on the names on a booking under any circumstances.
Also, the person named on the ticket holder must be present or you won't be allowed in.
They do not accept bookings from groups, schools, or third parties. It's also illegal to resell tickets.
Between April 1 and October 31, there can be up to 6 in a group. From November 1 to March 31, groups can be as large as 15.
Latecomers are refused entrance, so be sure to get there early!
There are some lovely bars and pubs at nearby St. Katherine Docks so I like to go there for a drink first, then walk over to the entry point to make sure I don't encounter any travel delays close to entry time.
WHO ARE THE BEEFEATERS?
Officially known as Yeoman Warders of His Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, Members of the Sovereign’s Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary (but more commonly referred to as "Beefeaters"), are a group of ex-soldiers who both work and live at the Tower of London.
Their primary role is to protect the fortress of the Tower of London - and everything that is kept inside, such as the Crown Jewels!
Becoming a Yeoman Warder is not easy.
A candidate must have at least 22 years of service in the Armed Forces, be a former warrant officer or senior non-commissioned, and all Yeomen Warders must also have been awarded the ‘Long Service and Good Conduct’ medal during their time in the armed forces.
As for why they are called Beefeaters...well, there are two schools of thought.
The most popular speculation is that the term originated from the fact that the Yeomen of the Guard were allowed to eat as much leftover beef as they liked from the King’s table. Some historians argue.
However, that beef was given to them as part of their salary in the 15th century. Whatever the origin, the nickname has been in existence since the end of the 1400s!
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