Soldier scales Admiralty House to play guitar for Princess Anne during military parade

It was a fitting end to a military musical spectacular that brought down the curtain on the King’s Coronation celebrations.

A soldier took to the roof of Admiralty House during the annual Beating Retreat pageant on Thursday evening to play the electric guitar, much to the delight of the 4,000-strong crowd lining Horse Guards Parade.

The Guardsman, flanked by pyrotechnics, joined in with a rendition of Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now as the sun set over central London.

Spectators were treated to a showcase of military music, precision drills, fireworks and horsemanship by the Household Division as the Princess Royal took the salute in her capacity as Colonel of the Blues and Royals.

This year’s show was designed to celebrate the Coronation and to commemorate the music of Sir William Walton.

It also recognised the military’s commitment to the health and wellbeing of soldiers - from the work of Florence Nightingale through to the present day.

The ceremony has its origins in the early days of organised warfare, when beating or sounding a retreat called a halt to days of fighting, a return to camp and the mounting of a guard for the night.

In its current form, it has taken place annually since 1966 and raises money for Armed Forces charities.

It has evolved into a pageant of military music and drills, and is performed over three days in July.

The Duchess of Edinburgh took the salute at the event on Wednesday.

The pageant was performed by 350 musicians from the Massed Bands of the Household Division, Massed Pipes and Drums, alongside the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery unit.

Participants are drawn from the bands of the two Household Cavalry Regiments and the five Foot Guards Regiments which make up the Household Division.