Every night for around 700 years, as darkness falls over London, a lone figure in a Tudor bonnet and a long red coat walks out of the Byward Tower carrying a lantern and a set of keys. The Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London is the oldest military ritual in the world, and it is one of the most mysterious, atmospheric and utterly Londony things you can do in the city. Better still, you can see it yourself. Here is how to get Ceremony of the Keys tickets, what time to arrive, what to expect on the night and what the secret pub next door has to do with it all.
What is the Ceremony of the Keys?
The Ceremony of the Keys is the nightly locking of the Tower of London. The tradition is said to go back to the fourteenth century, when Edward III ordered the castle gates to be locked at sunset and unlocked at sunrise. Mary I later set down a formal procedure, and in the nineteenth century the Duke of Wellington fixed the time at 10pm so that his soldiers were safely inside the walls. Little has changed since.
Each evening the Chief Yeoman Warder (the Beefeater in charge) locks the gates, is challenged by a sentry in the dark, and delivers the keys to the King’s House for the night. The whole thing takes only a few minutes, but in the floodlit gloom of the Tower, it feels like stepping into another century.
Ceremony of the Keys tickets: how to book
You cannot just turn up, because Ceremony of the Keys tickets must be booked in advance. The ritual is hugely popular and the numbers are strictly limited, so you need to book through Historic Royal Palaces, the charity that runs the Tower. These are the main things to know:
Tickets are cheap but must be booked online only. There is a small charge per ticket, and you can book up to six at a time.
The named ticket holder must come. Group, school and tour operator bookings are not allowed, there is no waiting list, and tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded.
Only book through the official page. Tour operators and resellers cannot sell valid tickets, so do not pay anyone else for Ceremony of the Keys tickets. Prices and booking rules can change, so check the Historic Royal Palaces page.
When are Ceremony of the Keys tickets released?
Ceremony of the Keys tickets are released monthly. New dates normally go on sale on the first working day of each month at 1pm UK time, covering the following month, and they disappear fast. Set a reminder, log in a few minutes early and have your party’s details ready before you click. If you miss out, keep checking, as cancelled tickets go back on sale.
Ceremony of the Keys time: when to arrive and what to expect
The Ceremony of the Keys time that matters is 9.30pm, when you are let in, and the visit lasts about 35 minutes. You meet at the main entrance of the Tower of London (the West Gate) and must arrive by 9.25pm. You are escorted in at 9.30pm exactly, and late arrivals are not admitted, so do not cut it fine.
A Yeoman Warder then takes you through the empty, lamp-lit Tower to the spot where the ceremony takes place. Without the daytime crowds, the ancient stone, cobbles and long shadows are wonderfully eerie, and you may well have the Tower almost to yourselves. The ceremony itself starts at about 9.53pm and ends on the stroke of ten.
The Ceremony of the Keys step by step
This is the ritual as it is traditionally performed. Try not to give away the surprise to anyone who has not seen it yet!
The Chief Yeoman Warder leaves the Byward Tower in his red Watch Coat and Tudor bonnet, carrying a candle lantern and the King’s keys. He is met by an escort of soldiers, who march with him to the outer gate. Together they lock each of the great gates in turn, the heavy clang echoing around the walls.
Then, at the Bloody Tower archway, a sentry steps out of the dark and challenges the party: “Halt! Who comes there?” The Chief Warder answers “The keys.” “Whose keys?” “The King’s keys.” “Pass the King’s keys. All’s well.”
At the foot of the steps the main Tower Guard presents arms. The Chief Warder raises his bonnet and calls out “God preserve the King”, the guard answers “Amen” and the Last Post sounds as the clock strikes ten. The keys are then taken to the King’s House, and the Tower is safe until morning. The wording changes with the monarch, but the ritual does not.
Has the Ceremony of the Keys ever been missed?
The Ceremony of the Keys is famously never cancelled. The one moment it came close was during the Second World War, when a German bomb fell close by during the ceremony and blew the guard off their feet. They picked themselves up, completed the ceremony a few minutes late and wrote to the King to apologise for the delay. He replied that he quite understood.
The Keys: the Tower of London’s secret pub
The Tower is not just a monument, it is also a village. Around thirty Yeoman Warders (the Beefeaters) and their families live inside the walls, and they have their very own pub, hidden away in the shadows near the Ceremony of the Keys. It is called The Keys, and it is the Yeoman Warders’ private club.
The Keys is by invitation only, so you cannot just wander in for a pint. You can, however, peek through the window and glimpse a very Tudor interior of memorabilia and pictures. For a proper look inside, the Tower now offers a Keys Club experience, a short talk led by a Yeoman Warder, but it runs only on certain days and you need to book, so check the website. You need to buy a general admission ticket to the Tower of London in order to use this bolt-on.
Tips for getting Ceremony of the Keys tickets and enjoying the night
Book as soon as tickets are released. Ceremony of the Keys tickets sell out quickly, so set a reminder for the first working day of the month.
Arrive early. The gates open at 9.30pm sharp, and late arrivals are turned away. Aim to be at the West Gate by 9.15pm to be safe.
Leave your camera in your bag. Photography is not allowed at any point during the ceremony, and that includes filming, so you will not find a video of the Ceremony of the Keys taken by a visitor. That is also why the photos in this post show the Tower before and around it. Just enjoy it.
Wrap up warm. It is cold and breezy by the Thames after dark, and there are no toilets or refreshments inside, so plan ahead.
Is it worth it? In my view, absolutely. The Tower is wonderful in the dark, and the Ceremony of the Keys tickets cost far less than almost anything else with this much atmosphere.
For more hidden gems and spooky corners, explore my Secret London posts. And whether you come for the history or the mystery, the Ceremony of the Keys is one of the most magical things to see in London, so get your Ceremony of the Keys tickets now.