It was a perfect 17th Century procession - just with a few more cameras and a bit less blood. This troupe of Civil War re-enactors turned heads outside Buckingham Palace today  in honour of Charles I, who had his cut off 366 years ago. His execution, seven years into a war between royalists and parliamentarians who claimed Charles had committed 'wicked' abuses of power, crushed the idea of an all-powerful king - though the monarchy was restored just 11 years. Riding horses and wearing armour and uniforms typical of the time, the Society of King Charles the Martyr played the part of the royalist King's Army in a ceremony which has been carried out annually since 1951. They retraced the king's short final journey from St James' Palace in central London to the Banqueting House in Whitehall, where crowds groaned with discomfort as his head was chopped off in one clean stroke on a raised scaffold. Thankfully for the witnesses today, there was no beheading. Instead the volunteers laid a simple wreath at the spot where the king was 'martyred' more than three centuries ago. History: Tourists and Londoners at Buckingham Palace did a double-take today as Civil War re-enactors marched on horseback in The Mall. The ceremony was to retrace the final journey of Charles I on January 30 1649, the day he was executed after a bitter and bloody civil war . Passionate: The ceremony was carried out by the Society of King Charles the Martyr, which believes the king was dealt a great injustice . Uniforms: The Civil War enthusiasts have been commemorating Charles' journey to the scaffold at London's banqueting house for 64 years . Calm: Thankfully for the onlookers, there was a lot less blood than 366 years ago, when Charles' head was chopped off on a public block . Proud history: The group is part of the English Civil War Society, which claims to be one of the oldest re-enactment groups in the world . Remembrance: The volunteers laid a simple wreath at the spot where the king was killed, and will hold another ceremony on January 30 . Procession: Holding antique muskets, the volunteers filed out onto Horse Guards Parade next to St James' Palace in central London . Horseback: The riders bore standards wore thick leather uniforms - handy for guarding themselves against the grim January weather .
King executed in London's Whitehall on January 30 1649 after bloody war between royalists and parliamentarians .
Re-enactors believe he was martyred, and every year they retrace his final journey from St James' Palace .
Riding horses and wearing 17th Century helmets and hats, they turned heads among tourists and Londoners .
It was a perfect 17th Century procession - just with a few more cameras and a bit less blood. This troupe of Civil War re-enactors turned heads outside Buckingham Palace today  in honour of Charles I, who had his cut off 366 years ago. His execution, seven years into a war between royalists and parliamentarians who claimed Charles had committed 'wicked' abuses of power, crushed the idea of an all-powerful king - though the monarchy was restored just 11 years. Riding horses and wearing armour and uniforms typical of the time, the Society of King Charles the Martyr played the part of the royalist King's Army in a ceremony which has been carried out annually since 1951. They retraced the king's short final journey from St James' Palace in central London to the Banqueting House in Whitehall, where crowds groaned with discomfort as his head was chopped off in one clean stroke on a raised scaffold. Thankfully for the witnesses today, there was no beheading. Instead the volunteers laid a simple wreath at the spot where the king was 'martyred' more than three centuries ago. History: Tourists and Londoners at Buckingham Palace did a double-take today as Civil War re-enactors marched on horseback in The Mall. The ceremony was to retrace the final journey of Charles I on January 30 1649, the day he was executed after a bitter and bloody civil war . Passionate: The ceremony was carried out by the Society of King Charles the Martyr, which believes the king was dealt a great injustice . Uniforms: The Civil War enthusiasts have been commemorating Charles' journey to the scaffold at London's banqueting house for 64 years . Calm: Thankfully for the onlookers, there was a lot less blood than 366 years ago, when Charles' head was chopped off on a public block . Proud history: The group is part of the English Civil War Society, which claims to be one of the oldest re-enactment groups in the world . Remembrance: The volunteers laid a simple wreath at the spot where the king was killed, and will hold another ceremony on January 30 . Procession: Holding antique muskets, the volunteers filed out onto Horse Guards Parade next to St James' Palace in central London . Horseback: The riders bore standards wore thick leather uniforms - handy for guarding themselves against the grim January weather .
It was a perfect 17th Century procession - just This troupe of Civil War re-enactors turned heads royalists and parliamentarians who claimed horses and wearing armour and uniforms typical of journey from St James' Palace in central London ceremony was to retrace the final journey of Charles I on January 30 1649, the day he was executed after a bitter and bloody civil war .