What is the Importance of London's Changeing of the Guard?

Question

What is the Importance of London's Changeing of the Guard?

Answer 1

Changing of the Guard is the changing of the regiment taking on the Guard duty of the Palaces for the next 24 or 48 hours.  The two regiments (those coming off duty and those about to take over) meet on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace and Windsor and two senior officers confirm that everything is well and in order ie they make sure there has been no attacks on the Palace and that the Queen has been behaving herself (haha).  The responsibility is then handed over to the next regiment.  The ceremony does not take place in wet weather due to the effects of rain on the instruments and the Bearskin hats.

NB.  The individual guards in the regiment stand on duty fo between 1-2 hours depending on the weather, before beng replaced by other members of the regiment.  So they don't have to stand for 24 or 48 hours.

Answer 2

Tradition mostly.  I think it was all based off the theory that a awake guard would defend better.

Answer 3

It supports the photography industry.

Probably several thousand pictures are taken by visitors every time.