Yeomen of the Guard

views updated May 18 2018

Yeomen of the Guard are a royal bodyguard founded in 1485 for the coronation of Henry VII. They have retained their Tudor uniforms and their duties include searching the cellars of Parliament before a state opening. The Yeomen Warders of the Tower, or Beefeaters, established in Edward VI's reign, have a similar uniform.

J. A. Cannon

beefeater

views updated Jun 11 2018

beefeater a Yeoman Warder or Yeoman of the Guard in the Tower of London. The word is recorded from the early 17th century, originally as a derogatory term for a well-fed servant: the current sense dates from the late 17th century.