For it wasn’t just the Horse Guards who were on parade – Great Britain’s female beach volleyball players were also trooping their colours, albeit in their bikinis.

But the sight of scantily-clad ladies on Horse Guards Parade, where the Queen’s birthday celebration takes place, is set to become a fixture by 2012 because the Olympic beach volleyball events will be held there.

So, as the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment went about their traditional duty of changing the guard, the new guard of girls drew more than their share of admiring looks. 

Some things never change, though. The cry of “look at those bearskins” could still clearly be heard round the historic setting.