Soldiers at Horse Guards Parade may be the fierce face of royal protection – but their sweet bond with an young boy suffering from a rare neurological disease has melted the nation’s hearts.
Videos on social media show little Amin repeatedly delighted as he visits the stern troopers – wandering up to them and standing to attention.
The eight-year-old – who is frequently himself dressed in a little soldier uniform – is blind and has from a condition called mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS).
And the sweet series of clips show the soldiers repeatedly breaking protocol to return his little gesture.
In one, the King’s guard then stamps his foot in a little salute while the boy stands in front of him.
In another heartwarming moment, where he is in a wheelchair, his father attempts to turn the eight-year-old around to face the guard.
As he does that, the guard from the Horse Guards Parade, in a break of protocol, is seen smiling as the boy looks at him.
Guards perform their ceremonial duties outside royal palaces are famously not allowed to react to disturbances or interact with the public – with their exception being seen as all-the-more special for this reason.
In one sweet video Amin is thrilled as he walks away from the King’s Guard with a huge smile on his face
There are several videos of Amin, who is a patient at Great Ormond Street Hospital, on his TikTok page which has gathered over 3,000 followers as well as 69,000 likes
The little boy, called Amin, is seen walking towards the guard and is visibly excited while his father films the moment
He is seen posing with the guard when the guard then stamps his foot while the boy stands in front of him
They have become known in recent years for their furious commands for tourists to get out of the way and for issuing stern rebukes to frustrations from influencers trying to get a viral moment.
Despite many considering them tourist attractions, the King’s Guard consist of elite serving soldiers who are tasked with protecting the monarch’s life and properties.
Another clip shows Amin looking visibly excited, his father places him next to a horse with a guard and the eight year old is seen visibly excited.
The video, posted on December 12, then shows him in the wheelchair surrounded by tinsel and birthday balloons.
His dad is seen whispering to him and then Amin is heard telling the horse: ‘Mr Horse, today is my special day and my birthday.
‘That is why I came to meet you, because I love you. I love you so much, Mr Horse.
‘I will be coming back in the next two weeks to meet you again because I love you.’
In another heartwarming video, where he is in a wheelchair, his father attempts to turn the eight-year-old around to face the guard. As he does that, the guard from the Horse Guards Parade, in a break of protocol, is seen smiling as the boy looks at him
Further videos show Amin repeatedly visiting Horse Guards Parade in the centre of London
He can be seen with a huge beaming smile as his dad helps him to and from the popular tourist attraction
He then tells the guard, ‘Mr horse, I have to go now. I have my birthday party at home with my family, I love you, bye bye now.’
There are several videos of Amin, who is a patient at Great Ormond Street Hospital, on his TikTok page which has gathered over 3,000 followers as well as 69,000 likes.
The eight-year-old suffers from a rare condition called mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS).
This is a group of rare, inherited metabolic disorders caused by the body’s inability to break down certain complex carbohydrates.
These disorders result from deficiencies in specific enzymes needed to degrade these carbohydrates, leading to their accumulation in cells, tissues, and organs.
This buildup causes progressive damage, leading to a range of symptoms such as developmental delays, skeletal abnormalities, organ enlargement, vision and hearing loss, and sometimes neurological decline.
These conditions are usually diagnosed in childhood and vary in severity. Some treatments, such as enzyme replacement therapy or bone marrow transplantation, can help manage symptoms, but there is no definitive cure.
The King’s Guard is the name given to the group of soldiers responsible for guarding Buckingham Palace and St James’s Palace.
A King’s Guard broke protocol to make a heart-warming gesture to an eight-year-old blind boy by stamping his foot in salute
In the video the boy walks over to the guard while guided by a voice off camera and stamps his foot to salute the guard
Traditionally, guards stand still while on sentry duty, which lasts for two hours, before they then have a four-hour break.
Every 10 minutes, they come to attention, slope their arms and do a march of 15 paces across the area of the post.
They must work regardless of the weather and must follow strict rules, such as not grinning or laughing, which can result in a £200 fine.
Guards are not generally allowed to talk to the general public, but in certain circumstances, such as when people obstruct them, they can shout a warning to get them to move.
