Moment King's Guard horse bites and shakes tourist's coat after she got too close

Feisty King's Life Guard horse tugs at tourist's jacket and refuses to let go READ MORE: Moment King's Guard bellows at tourist who gets a little too close to his horse 

The King’s Life Guard, the mounted guard stationed outside the main entrance to Buckingham Palace, has long attracted the attention of tourists fascinated by the British royal family and its long-standing traditions, in particular the Changing of the Guard.

But, a female tourist who went in search of a photo with one of the famed Guard got a lot more than she bargained for, while the horse in question left no one in any doubt that it was up to the task of protecting the monarch.

In a video clip , the young woman is seen positioned in line with the horse’s head, ready for her photo opportunity.

While a sign next to the guard warns onlookers that horses may kick or bite, the woman can’t resist raising her hand in an attempt to stroke the animal when it tilts its head to nuzzle her.

Yet as she does so, the horse bites down on the arm of her black puffer jacket and is soon tugging at it in an increasingly aggressive manner.

When the woman made to stroke the horse’s face, it bit down on the arm of her jacket. Refusing to let go, it tugged on the jacket and pulled her back and forth and up and down before finally releasing it

Even as the woman tries to move away from the horse, it remains attached to her jacket and, moving its head from side to side and up and down, pulls her this way and that with vigour.

While the woman showed signs of fright on her face, she appeared more shocked and bemused by the experience than she was shaken.

When the horse releases her jacket after about five seconds of tugging, she looks noticeably relieved before starting to giggle.

What seems to shock her the most, though, is the hole in her jacket where the horse bit down to reveal the stuffing.

A passerby asks: ‘Is your coat all torn apart now?’ to which she replies with a sheepish ‘Yes’.

The King’s Guards are posted for public duties outside Buckingham and St James’s Palaces, and at Horse Guards on Whitehall.

Although their role is mostly ceremonial, they are part of the British Army’s Household Division and patrol the palaces, guarding the sovereign at night.

Back in September 2023, another tourist got a little too close to a King’s Guards horse and was blasted by the soldier.

In the video, a throng of tourists can be seen clamoring around a mounted guard on Horse Guard’s parade, Westminster.

The tourist is seen trying to get away from the horse after it has clamped down on her jacket – but to no avail

The woman is pictured standing next to the King’s Life Guard just before she reaches out to stroke the horse when she gets much more than she bargained for

Multiple nervous tourists are seen approaching the mounted pair, respecting their distance and posing for smiling photographs.

Some brave souls are seen laying tentative hands on the enormous horse’s flanks which the mounted guard graciously allows.

However, one tourist overstepped the limit, and in the process of trying to touch the horse tampered with the reins causing the King’s Guard to bellow: ‘Do not touch the reins!’

Clearly in a state of shock, the tourist backs away from the horse raising a hand in apology as he does so while the crowd chatter nervously.