The Palace’s military band carried out a surprise performance of 1989 track Shake It Off ahead of the pop sensation’s Eras Tour kicking off in London today.
During the Changing of the Guard ceremony at the forecourt of the Palace, the band kicked off a special rendition of the hit single, aptly named ‘Changing of the Guard: Taylor’s Version’.
The recognisable and catchy tune was blasted out in the sunshine by a full brass band of trumpets, saxophones and other wind instruments to mark Taylor’s arrival in the capital.
The international superstar, 34, is bringing her Eras Tour, which has grossed over $1bn worldwide, to London from tonight. It’s thought that over 450,000 Swifties will attend the shows in June and August.
The Royal Family shared this special tribute to Taylor, posting a video of the band’s performance on X (formerly Twitter) alongside the caption: ‘Can’t stop, won’t stop groovin’ @BritishArmy @ArmyInLondon @CorpsArmyMusic.’
Royal fans and Swifties alike were delighted by the video, commenting in their droves about how much they enjoyed the military band’s rendition.
‘Your social media manager needs a raise or a knighthood,’ wrote one Swift fan. While another commented: ‘Always knew Princess Catherine and Prince William were swifties.’
And a third wrote: ‘I hope @taylorswift13 sees this….maybe pops in to do a singalong!’ Another fan of the Pennsylvania-born singer said: ‘This is iconic! Please do Love Story too!’
The social media post has already garnered over 300K views, 6K likes and 1.6K reposts.
Today marks the beginning of Taylor’s London run of her Eras Tour, playing Wembley Arena tonight, Saturday and Sunday night.
The Shake It Off singer will then return to London in August for her second Eras Tour stint, which will run for five days.
Taylor fever is at an all-time high, with several events celebrating her arrival in the city taking place over the weekend, from a Taylor Swift-themed brunch to friendship bracelet-making spots.
WHAT IS THE CHANGING OF THE GUARDS?
The Changing of the Guards is an official ceremony where the group of soldiers that are stationed outside Buckingham Palace to protect it are replaced by a new group of soldiers.
Having soldiers as London guards is a historical tradition, with he first Changing of the Guards ceremony taking place during the reign of King Henry VII.
The ceremony is symbolic, signifying the strong link between British monarchy and the Army, and the latter’s dedication to serving and protecting the Royal Family.
According to the summer schedule, the Changing of the Guard ceremony takes place every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
There’s also an (unofficial) Taylor Swift afterparty taking place at Club de Fromage at the O2 Academy Islington from 10.30 pm to 3.30 am on Saturday and Sunday, so Swifties can dance the night away to all the hits even if they didn’t get tickets to the tour.
And that’s not all – there’s even a special Taylor-inspired tube map and two new Swift-themed public artworks on display at Wembley Park, just to add to the furore around the pop star’s arrival.
Taylor’s no stranger to London,though she’s reportedly staying in the Cotswolds during the UK leg of her tour.
The singer has developed a series of favourite haunts across the city from antique shops on Portobello Road to walking in Hampstead Heath.
Taylor even has a favourite kebab shop, reportedly ordering £450 worth of food from Kentish Delight kebab joint in north London to enjoy with her entourage on Friday night.
And in terms of Taylor’s favourite area of London? The singer has previously name dropped Highgate as her top London borough.
In her 2019, the singer released the song ‘London Boy’, from the album Lover.
She sings: ‘Took me back to Highgate, met all of his best mates.
‘So I guess all the rumours are true, you know I love a London boy’.
The singer also appears to be a big fan of Hampstead, having raved previously about how beautiful it is to walk in Hampstead Heath.
Taylor and Joe made a rare public appearance in Feburary 2019 when they were pictured leaving The Spaniards Inn, a cosy and historic pub near the Heath in Hampstead.
Turns out Prince William and kids, George and Charlotte, are Swifties. Watch as our Prince dances to ‘Shake it off’ and poses for backstage selfies with pop star Taylor Swift
The Prince of Wales celebrated his birthday in style at the Taylor Swift concert in London, showing off some sweet dance moves to the tune of “Shake It Off.” Footage has
emerged online, seemingly capturing the future king taking the American singer’s advice to heart as he “shook it off” in the VIP box. Princess Charlotte can also be seen mimicking her dad right next to him, along with other children in attendance.
Taylor Swift then delighted fans on Instagram by sharing a photo of herself with NFL player Travis Kelce, Prince William, and his children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. The snapshot captured a moment backstage during Taylor’s Eras Tour stop in London.
In the same post, Prince William and Princess Kate expressed gratitude for the ‘great concert.’ Despite recent concerns about William’s health, Kate seemed to enjoy the occasion. Swift’s caption read, ‘Happy Bday M8! London shows are off to a splendid start.’
The singer’s gesture also brought joy to Kate, who is currently battling cancer. Notably, Prince William has previously performed alongside Taylor Swift at a charity event. Swift’s London concerts continue this weekend, with additional shows scheduled for August.
Zara and Mike Tindall were also present, along with Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce, socialite Cara Delevingne, actress Salma Hayek, and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. Sir Keir tweeted a picture with his wife Victoria, captioned: “Swift campaign pit stop”.
This isn’t the first time Prince William has seen Swift perform. Back in 2013, he joined her and Bon Jovi on stage at a Centrepoint fundraiser in London, where they performed “Livin’ on a Prayer” together. Swift will continue her Eras Tour with more shows at Wembley Stadium, thanking the crowd for their support and enthusiasm. She expressed her gratitude, saying, “Look what you’ve done for us London, thank you from the bottom of my heart” and reminiscing about her earlier gigs in the city.