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Buckingham Palace's dancing guardsman has been named

The guardsman whose "silly walks" dance became an internet sensation has finally been named

Kiran Moodley
Monday 22 September 2014 15:29 BST
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For one guardsman, the monotony of walking back and forth outside the Queen's London residence got just too much.
For one guardsman, the monotony of walking back and forth outside the Queen's London residence got just too much. (Andy Richards)

The Grenadier guard who rebelled against the monotony of walking back and forth outside Buckingham Palace has finally been revealed.

The Evening Standard reported that the dancing guard's name is 20-year-old Samuel Jones and that friends describe him as a "joker" who likes "larking about".

Earlier this month, Jones became an internet hit after a video uploaded on YouTube showed him in his Grenadier guard outfit spinning around and dancing as he walked outside Buckingham Palace.

Jones even mixed up his actual walk, at times marching in slow motion and even with a slight jig. At one point he bent down to pick something up off the ground.

Jones' strut caused much mirth yet it also incurred the wrath of the Ministry of Defence who began to investigate the matter.

Explaining Jones' motive, a friend told The Evening Standard : “The strict routines of army life can get a bit heavy sometimes and Sam really enjoys cheering people up.

“He has no idea how seriously his latest stunt would be taken - and it has worried his family.

“It was just a prank and everyone is hoping his bosses don’t make too much of an example out of him.”

While the stunt was enjoyed by onlookers at the time and earned Jones many an internet fan, he could still face a £1,000 fine and even a three-week prison sentence.

However, a Ministry of Defence spokesperson told The Evening Standard last week it was unlikely that Jones would be jailed over his stunt, stating, "He will face some sort of action but it is more likely to be a fine. No decision has been made."

The video of Jones has now been viewed over 2.2 million times on YouTube.

While many commentators on the video thought Jones' dancing injected a bit of life into a dull job, others felt he undermined his role and brought shame on his regiment.

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