Heading to the Tower of London and wondering if meeting a Beefeater is worth it? The short answer is yes. These Yeoman Warders are military veterans who live inside the fortress walls, and nobody tells the Tower’s stories better. I love how funny they are, and hearing what everyday life is like behind those walls is what turns the Tower from old stone into somewhere real. Here’s who the Beefeaters are, how they earn the uniform, and when a tour to meet one is worth booking.
Pro Tip: Planning your Tower of London visit? Bookmark this post so you can find it when you’re in the city. See our complete guide to the Tower of London for planning resources and our guide on how to meet a Beefeater for tour times and tickets.
Who Are the Beefeaters?
The Beefeaters, officially the Yeoman Warders, have guarded the Tower of London since Tudor times. Today they serve as both its ceremonial guardians and its tour guides. They also lock its gates every night in the Ceremony of the Keys, a ritual that has run for over 700 years.
The nickname: The most popular story credits the generous beef rations they once received. The warders themselves prefer Yeoman Warder.
How Do You Become a Beefeater?
You can’t just walk in and apply off the street – every recruit needs:
- At least 22 years of military service
- A certain rank within their service
- The long service and good conduct medal
New warders swear an oath said to date back to 1337. Then they drink a toast of port to the words “may you never die a Yeoman Warder,” a dark joke from the days when the post was sold for 250 guineas. Before leading a single tour, each one memorizes “the Story,” an 8,000-word script, word for word.
Life Inside the Walls
Many of these men and women live inside the fortress with their families, so your guide’s commute is a walk across the cobbles. The perks include a bottle of Beefeater Gin every birthday. Dig into more of their history on the official Historic Royal Palaces website.
Not ready to book a tour? Discover our list of the best tours to meet a Beefeater in London.
Is Meeting a Beefeater Worth It? Tickets vs. Tours
Short answer: Yes. Your £38 Tower ticket includes a Yeoman Warder tour, but only when one is available. A tour guarantees your moment, whether that’s 15 minutes outside the King’s House or a ceremony most visitors never see.
Let’s be honest: we’re a tour company, so of course we lean toward tours. Going solo can still get you a Beefeater, though.
What a standard ticket gets you:
- A Yeoman Warder tour every 45 minutes, with the last one starting mid-afternoon
- Entry to the Crown Jewels, the White Tower, and the Bloody Tower
- A spot in whatever crowd turns up
If you’re on a budget and arrive early, the included tour is a great start. Here’s what booking a tour adds.
Real Face Time With a Yeoman Warder
On a public tour, you’re one face in a big crowd. Our Meet & Greet gives your group 15 minutes with a Yeoman Warder outside the King’s House, an area closed to regular visitors. That leaves time for royal gossip, your questions, and a photo.
The Tower Before It Opens
Every morning, the Yeoman Warders march out in full uniform and unlock the gates, a ritual over 500 years old. Our Pre-Opening tour puts you inside for it, and afterward you’re steps from the Jewel House as it opens.
Entry, Handled
Pre-reserved Tower access comes with every tour, so you skip the ticket lines. You’ll still pass a quick security check. Morning tours also beat the afternoon crowds.
Is the Ceremony of the Keys Worth Staying Up For?
Short answer: Absolutely, if you can get in, because public tickets sell out within minutes. On our After Hours tour, a resident Beefeater walks you around the lantern-lit grounds. Then you stand steps from the Chief Yeoman Warder as the gates are locked at 9:30 pm. It runs outdoors, rain or shine, and photos aren’t allowed, so it suits older kids best.
Not ready to book a tour? Read up on how to visit the Tower of London.
Most Popular Beefeater Tours
The right pick depends on your budget, your schedule, and how you want to meet the Yeoman Warders: over a face-to-face chat, at the morning unlocking, or behind locked gates after dark.
Not ready to book a tour? Find out if visiting the Tower of London is worth it.
Beefeater Tour FAQs
Yes. Every Tower ticket includes a Yeoman Warder tour, subject to availability, and warders on duty around the grounds are happy to answer a question. You just won’t get guaranteed time with one.
Expect to pay from around $105 to $185 per person, with the After Hours tour at the top end. Each tour includes your Tower access.
Between 1 and 2 hours. The Pre-Opening tour runs 1 hour, the After Hours tour 1 hour 45 minutes, and the Meet & Greet 2 hours. Both daytime tours include an all-day Tower ticket.
Often, especially in summer, when Tower tickets can sell out by the morning. Book at least a week ahead, and earlier in July and August. Lock in the pre-opening and after-hours tours first, since their spots are the most limited.
Morning is your best bet. Yeoman Warder tours start at 10:00 am Tuesday to Saturday and 10:45 am on Sunday and Monday, and crowds build in the afternoon. Night owls can catch the 9:30 pm Ceremony of the Keys instead.
There are. The Yeoman Warders are drawn from men and women who served in the armed forces, and every one meets the same service requirements.
Final Verdict
Meeting a Beefeater is worth it for nearly every Tower visitor. These veterans spent decades earning the uniform, they live where they work, and their stories are what make the Tower feel lived in. A tour turns hoping for that time into a guarantee.
Budget travelers who arrive early can happily skip the tour, since the included Yeoman Warder tour still delivers plenty of stories.
However you plan it, make time for a Beefeater in London. Compare our Tower of London tours and book your spot early.
Not ready to book a tour? Learn how to visit the Crown Jewels.
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With a city as magnificent as London, it can be hard to find the perfect hotel at the perfect price. Explore the best hotels and places to stay in these incredible neighborhoods in London.
