London is calling, and we’re answering. England has many iconic sights and symbols. From impressive bridges to double-decker buses to Big Ben, many things come to mind when we think of the U.K. But nothing says “Blighty” quite like a Beefeater, so we put them on this month’s socks.
This year, Say it with a Sock is taking you on a trip around the world with socks. Every month, we’ll be sending our men’s sock of the month club and women’s sock of the month club subscribers a brand-new pair inspired by some of our favorite countries around the world. Last month, we traveled to the Outback, a.k.a. the land down undah, a.k.a. Australia, with some prize-winning boxing kangaroo socks. This month, we’re hopping across the pond to England with some royally cool Beefeater socks.
What is a Beefeater? A Beefeater is a ceremonial guard of the Tower of London. Their official title is “Yeomen Warders of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign's Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary.” But that’s a serious mouthful (and it doesn’t fit on a sock), so most people commonly refer to them as Beefeaters or Yeomen Warders. Henry VII founded the Yeomen Warders in 1485. Today, her majesty Queen Elizabeth II currently employs 37 Beefeaters.
Historically, Beefeater duties include guarding the British crown jewels, looking after prisoners in the Tower of London, and conducting tours. Every night at precisely 9:53 pm, they perform the Ceremony of the Keys where they safely put away the Queen’s keys. Not anybody can be a Yeomen Warder; the position is highly exclusive with strict requirements. Every warder is retired from the Armed Forces of Commonwealth, is a former warrant officer with a minimum of 22 years of service, and holds the Long Service and Good Conduct medal. And you thought your resume was impressive!
Yeoman Warders are different than Grenadier Guards. Grenadier Guards are the footguards—who are real soldiers in the British Army—on duty outside of Buckingham Palace. They’re known for their tall, furry black bearskin hats and stoic, expressionless faces. If you’ve ever visited the palace, you’ve probably posed for a picture next to one and may have even tried to make them crack a smile.
Keep calm, put on a pot of tea, and prepare to get royally cozy in our Beefeater socks. The red outfit and black hat are not included, unfortunately, but wearing these will help you capture the spirit of the Yeomen Warders. Don’t forget to share the love and invite a friend to join the Say it with a Sock sock of the month club so you can take this sock journey around the world with a friend. See you next month for our next trip!