London:
Queen Elizabeth II has switched bearskin hats for turbans outside Buckingham Palace, where Sikh soldiers have begun guarding the monarch and her treasures.
Changing the Guard ceremony attracts thousands of tourists every day outside Buckingham palace. But onlookers have never seen this sight before as the guards who have the honour of guarding the Queen dressed in all their finery, one of them is a turbaned Sikh.
Twenty-six-year-old Signaler Simranjit Singh was the first one to join ceremonial public duties at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Palace and the Tower in May this year. Lance Corporal Sarvjit Singh, 28, joined him a month ago.
"Any Indians who see us are very proud of us. They cheer for us. It's pride for all Indians in this country," said Signaler Simranjit Singh, Member of British Army.
"Any Asian place we go to, they ask us if we are in the Indian army and we say no British army. They ask us how. I think we can take the Sikhs to the place they were at in the British army during the first and second world war," said Lance Corporal Sarvjit Singh.
Usually it is the Household Div that guards the Queen but when they are out on operational duties, other regiments step in. That is how Signaler Simranjit Singh of the Royal Signals regiment and Lance Corporal Sarvjit Singh of the Army Air Corp have become the first turbaned Sikh British soldiers to guard the Queen.
The two turbans amongst the many berets is also a result of the British army's active efforts to increase diversity.
Changing the Guard ceremony attracts thousands of tourists every day outside Buckingham palace. But onlookers have never seen this sight before as the guards who have the honour of guarding the Queen dressed in all their finery, one of them is a turbaned Sikh.
Twenty-six-year-old Signaler Simranjit Singh was the first one to join ceremonial public duties at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Palace and the Tower in May this year. Lance Corporal Sarvjit Singh, 28, joined him a month ago.
"Any Indians who see us are very proud of us. They cheer for us. It's pride for all Indians in this country," said Signaler Simranjit Singh, Member of British Army.
"Any Asian place we go to, they ask us if we are in the Indian army and we say no British army. They ask us how. I think we can take the Sikhs to the place they were at in the British army during the first and second world war," said Lance Corporal Sarvjit Singh.
Usually it is the Household Div that guards the Queen but when they are out on operational duties, other regiments step in. That is how Signaler Simranjit Singh of the Royal Signals regiment and Lance Corporal Sarvjit Singh of the Army Air Corp have become the first turbaned Sikh British soldiers to guard the Queen.
The two turbans amongst the many berets is also a result of the British army's active efforts to increase diversity.
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