禁衛軍的歷史可追溯到1656年。當時英格蘭的查爾斯二世流放荷蘭，在那裏募編了壹小隊護衛，後並入1660年復辟後征集的禁衛團。1661年聖瓦倫丁節，奧利佛·克倫威爾於1650年成立的原護國公禁衛兵團在倫敦塔山被改編為君王的“非常禁衛隊”。由於隊伍從特威德河畔貝裏克附近的冷溪開來，便得了冷溪禁衛隊的稱號。它的座右銘是“無與匹敵”，這足以表明它無視第壹禁衛團—擲彈兵禁衛團的優先地位。
第壹禁衛團建立過光輝的戰績，曾在滑鐵盧戰役中擊敗了拿破侖的擲彈禁衛軍，從此戴上了熊皮頭飾。不過後來整個禁衛旅全都戴上了熊皮頭飾。
意思大致是，保護宮廷內部的，禁止為外部使用的主要是護衛功能，而不是戰爭功能的優秀士兵的隊伍。
英國皇家衛隊，是英軍陸軍中的精銳部隊。通常只有皇家衛隊才能首先裝備最新的作戰裝備和武器，英軍最新武器會首先裝備皇家衛隊，然後才能輪到其他部隊。英國皇家衛隊的著裝永遠是那不變的猩紅色緊身短上衣，以及那頂高高的熊皮帽.
英國正規的皇家警衛部隊是在17世紀下半葉，也就是資產階級革命以後出現的。當時遷居國外的國王查理二世回國後組建了壹支精銳的步兵團和騎兵團，來做為自己的警衛部隊。從此以後，這些部隊就成為了皇家軍隊的核心。 1815年，英國皇家衛隊在滑鐵盧會戰中打敗了法國的老牌衛隊，並因此開始戴紀念戰爭勝利的熊皮帽，來彰顯自己的作戰能力比拿破侖軍隊強。英國皇家衛隊那身壹年四季不變的猩紅色緊身短上衣，以及那頂高高的熊皮帽子給許多人留下了深刻印象。 皇家衛隊屬英國陸軍系列，分為騎兵和步兵兩部分。騎兵約有1500人，***分3個團，分別是“國王禁衛團”、“國王藍色團”和王宮儀仗騎兵團；步兵約5000人，編為1個步兵師，下屬8個步兵營。除此之外，在皇家裝甲坦克部隊中有4個皇家衛隊團。
英國皇家衛隊的士兵從各地陸軍選拔出來，然後被安排到皇家儀仗隊位於白金漢宮附近的軍營中受訓。
這些新兵每天除了跑步、射擊訓練之外，還需要學會使用各種攻擊火炮，擅長騎術。身高體重要求“孿生兄弟”壹樣整齊劃壹，而且長相俊朗，聲音洪亮，充分體現英國的軍人風貌。 衛兵們還有厚重的軍裝鎧甲，以及長長的軍靴，僅僅是這套裝束就重得讓常人走不動路。所以說，想當好壹名皇家衛兵，能負重、耐高溫是必須具備的素質。
英國皇家衛隊的隊員頭戴熊皮帽子，身著紅色制服，宛如古代將官壹般雄健。皇家衛兵頭戴熊皮高帽有著約200年的歷史，這頂高帽象征的是英國強盛的軍力。 其實，最早戴這樣帽子的是法國士兵，法軍當時戴這種熊皮高帽是為了讓士兵的個頭顯得更高，看起來更具威懾力。但在滑鐵盧戰役擊敗拿破侖的軍隊後，英國士兵從1815年起，取而代之開始戴起了熊皮帽，來彰顯自己的作戰能力比拿破侖軍隊強。 英國國防部直到2010年，每年都購買大約50頂熊皮帽子。平均每年花費在帽子上的錢就有6萬英鎊，其中壹半的開銷是為了買新的，剩下的被用來翻新舊帽子。但由於動物保護組織的不斷抗議，英國決定從2011年開始，不再用野生黑熊皮帽子，而以人造皮草代替。
皇家衛隊與英國王室保持著特殊的關系。它被認為是英國王室的私人部隊，皇室的成員是皇家衛隊各團的團長和榮譽上校。英國女王和將繼承王位的查爾斯王子和王室的其他成員，經常定期探望衛隊各部隊，參加各團的典禮和紀念會，並像壹家人壹樣同這些軍人及其家屬相處。
The Queen's Guard and Queen's Life Guard are the names given to contingents of infantry and cavalry soldiers charged with guarding the official royal residences in London. The British Army has regiments of both Horse Guards and Foot Guards predating the English Restoration (1660), and since the reign of King Charles II these have been responsible for guarding the Sovereign's palaces. They are not purely ceremonial as some may believe, they are real soldiers serving in the army.
The Queen's Guard and Queen's Life Guard is mounted at the royal residences that come under the operating area of the British Army's London District, which is responsible for the administration of the Household Division. This covers Buckingham Palace, St James's Palace and the Tower of London, as well as Windsor Castle. The Queen's Guard is also mounted at the sovereign's other official residence, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, but not as regularly as in London. In Edinburgh, the guard is the responsibility of the resident infantry battalion at Redford Barracks. It is not mounted at the Queen's private residences at Sandringham or Balmoral.
The Queen's Guard is the name given to the contingent of infantry responsible for guarding Buckingham Palace and St. James's Palace (including Clarence House) in London. The guard is made up of a company of soldiers from a single regiment, which is split in two, providing a detachment for Buckingham Palace and a detachment for St James's Palace. Because the Sovereign's official residence is still St James's, the guard commander (called the 'Captain of the Guard') is based there, as are the regiment's colours. When the Sovereign is in residence, the Queen's Guard numbers three officers and 40 other ranks, with four sentries each posted at Buckingham Palace (on the forecourt) and St James's Palace (two at the main entrance in Pall Mall, two in Friary Court). This reduces to three officers and 31 ORs, with two sentries each when the Sovereign is not in residence.[1] The Queen's Guard is not purely ceremonial in nature. They provide sentries during the day and night, and during the latter hours they patrol the grounds of the Palace. Until 1959, the sentries at Buckingham Palace were stationed outside the fence. This stopped following an incident involving a female tourist and a Coldstream Guardsman — due to the continued pestering of tourists and sightseers, the guardsman kicked the tourist on the ankle as he marched. The tourist made a complaint to the police and, despite sympathy, the sentry was confined to barracks for ten days. Not long after, the sentries were moved inside the fence.