Ceremony of the Keys (London) through the Bloody Tower archway. The Chief Warder and the escort were blown off their feet, but they recovered and carried on. The Tower holds a letter from the Officer of the Guard apologising to King George VI that the ceremony was late, along with a reply from the King which says that the officer is not to be punished as the delay was due to enemy action. Between 40 and 50 visitors are allowed access to the ceremony each night, under escort. Tickets are free but must be obtained in advance from Historic Royal Palaces, the organisation that looks
Ceremony of the Keys (Gibraltar) (Gate) Sergeant each evening at sunset, so that the four land entrances could be locked shut. The Gate Sergeant with an escort consisting of several armed soldiers, fife and drums would then march to each of the four gates in turn. He would be challenged by the sentry at the gate with the same words as used in London. Once all the gates were locked, the keys would be returned to the Governor at The Convent. In the morning, the Port Sergeant would once again collect the keys to open the town. During the Great Siege, the Governor, General Sir