The Changing of the Guard, a long-standing tradition at Buckingham Palace, featured an unexpected musical selection this week. The military band, which typically plays traditional marches, performed Dolly Parton’s 1980 country hit '9 to 5.' The performance occurred while the soldiers were carrying out their routine duties in the presence of the royal residence.

While the Changing of the Guard is a highly choreographed and formal military event, bands occasionally incorporate popular music to engage the public and tourists gathered outside the palace gates. The inclusion of the song, which serves as an anthem for working-class office culture, marked a departure from the standard repertoire of classical and patriotic compositions usually associated with the British Royal Guard. There has been no official statement from Buckingham Palace regarding the specific motivation behind the song choice, though such performances are generally at the discretion of the band's musical director.