Four-year-olds have a lot of favorites: superheroes, cartoon characters, musicians. When they develop an interest in one particular thing, be it someone from their favorite television program or an occupation that they aspire to have someday, they’re really invested. You can see it in the way their eyes light up when they tell you all about it, or how they insistently ask for it to be incorporated into their birthday cakes, bedroom decoration, name it.
Well, this particular little boy had quite a curiosity for the Queen’s Guard.
British mom Imogen Scott wanted her son Marshall to have an unforgettable fourth birthday.
And since Marshall liked the Queen’s Guard so much, Scott decided a trip to Windsor Castle would make for a perfect birthday treat.
Much to the delight of the other tourists, the little boy showed up sporting his very own Coldstream Guard uniform. Some were so charmed by the sight of the little boy in his complete costume that they couldn’t resist having their photos taken with him.
Scott thought it would be more than enough for Marshall to see the royal guardsmen up close, and she was right.
But something unexpected added to Marshall’s birthday surprise.
It all happened during the Changing of the Guard, a ceremony where The Queen’s Guard hands over responsibility for protecting Buckingham Palace and St. James’s Palace to the New Guard. (Source: Changing-Guard)
Marshall watched eagerly as the line of guardsmen began to march towards their Guard Room.
Looking every bit a guard himself, the little boy saluted the guards as they passed by.
The birthday celebrant was already happy to witness everything up close, but one guardsman had something incredible in mind for the youngster.
He turned around, marched back out of the doorway, and headed towards Marshall. He then signaled Marshall over with his finger so they could have their photo taken together.
The heartwarming moment melted hearts all over.
And what a picture it was! The little boy was standing tall next to his idol, giving a proper salute. Joanna Feng was able to capture it all on film, and it immediately went viral after a guard reshared it online.
Lance Corporal Edden was the thoughtful Royal Guardsman who made the little boy’s birthday a memorable one. In an interview with the Evening Standard, he offered more detail on the scenario that left tourists and online users gushing.
“Usually I would just take the guardsmen in the guardroom as normal – but my wife and I are expecting a baby boy, and I remembered standing at Edinburgh Castle when I was younger hoping to get a picture with a soldier. I noticed Marshall in a Coldstream guards uniform, and seeing him coming out made me proud of what I do.”
After the video went viral, the Coldstream Guards even posted a social media message for Marshall:
“We have a spot reserved for him at the Army Foundation College Harrogate for the March 2029 intake.”
In a Facebook post, Imogen Scott shares:
“Can’t believe how good Marshall’s birthday has been. Want to say thank you to all the people that stopped to have photos with him & wished him a happy birthday, to the family that bought him a soldier teddy ,to the group of girls that got everyone to sing happy birthday to him & to the soldier who, after his march, stopped all the other soldiers to come back to Marshall to have photos with him (didn’t get a picture as my phone reset it self😩) Apparently it has been ‘THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER'”
It really doesn’t take much to make children happy.
That’s why it’s so refreshing and heartwarming to see kind people like the guardsman going out of their way just to help make someone’s day a little more special than it already is.
What their heartwarming interaction below.
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