There is a group of people who dress up
in costume every day: the Yeomen Warders
at the Tower of London. Though they are
theatrical, and chosen on ability to act
in front of tourist crowds, they also must
have served a minimum of twenty two
years in Her Majesty's armed forces and
achieved a rank of warrant officer.
Either men or women may apply.
They have two costumes as you see.
The big red E stands for Elizabeth,
the R Regina, Latin for the Queen.
The red and gold includes a ruff which dates
them to the Tudor time when Henery
the Seventh was the king. He dined on meat
and shared it with his Yeomen bodyguard
and hence their other name, the Beefeaters.
That is one reason why, or so it's said...
and that's my letter. Next week Zee or Zed.