The Foot Guards have a role as the primary garrison for the capital, for the military security of the Queen Sovereign, and for ceremonial duties in London, such as the historic changing of the guards and trooping of the colours. The Guards Battalion stationed at Windsor generally provides the Windsor Castle Guard.

How can you tell which regiment the different guards are from? …..

This can be done by observing the colour of the plume, and what side it is worn on the bearskin, button spacing, the collar badge and the shoulder badge. When all five regiments parade together, they are in the order Grenadier Guards on the right flank, then Scots Guards, Welsh Guards, Irish Guards and Coldstream Guards on the left flank.

Regiment	Plume	Plume colour	Button spacing	Collar badge	Shoulder badge
Grenadier Guards	Left	White	Singly	Grenade	Royal Cypher
Coldstream Guards	Right	Scarlet	Pairs	Garter Star	Rose
Scots Guards	None	N/A	Threes	Thistle	Thistle Star
Irish Guards	Right	Blue	Fours	Shamrock	St Patrick Star
Welsh Guards	Left	White-Green-White	Fives	Leek	Leek

Grenadier	Coldstream	Scots	Irish	Welsh