- published: 08 Mar 2012
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The 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, popularly known as the Beefeaters, are ceremonial guardians of the Tower of London. In principle they are responsible for looking after any prisoners at the Tower and safeguarding the British crown jewels, but in practice they act as tour guides and are a tourist attraction in their own right, a point the Yeoman Warders acknowledge.
The Yeomen Warders are often incorrectly referred to as Yeomen of the Guard, which is actually a distinct corps of Royal Bodyguards. Gilbert and Sullivan perpetuated this confusion by naming their opera The Yeomen of the Guard when it actually concerns Yeomen Warders.
The name Beefeater is of uncertain origin, with various proposed derivations. The most likely one is considered to be from the Warders' right to eat as much beef as they wanted from the King's table. Various historical commentators have noted a preference for beef among the Warders and the Yeomen of the Guard. It is theoretically possible that these professions enjoyed rich, hearty broths as well. Count Cosimo, Grand Duke of Tuscany, visited the Tower in 1669 and commented "A very large ration of beef is given to them daily at court...that they might be called Beef-eaters". It has been suggested that beefeaters were privileged with a ration of beef from the King's table.