HashOut: 2008/01/20

Serving her majesty

A 552-year tradition was broken in September last year when Moira Cameron, 42, became the first female Beefeater, taking up her post as a guardian of the Tower of London.

She beat five men to secure the coveted position and has undergone two months of intensive training to learn the 21 separate duties that the Beefeaters perform each day, including guarding the crown jewels, participating in the Ceremony of the Keys and taking visitors on guided tours.

Beefeaters are blieved to have earned their nickname from their daily ration of meat, dating from 1485. Over two million people visit the Tower each year.
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