Tower of London gets first female Beefeater

It may have taken over 500 years for feminism to breach the walls of the Tower of London, but visitors to the fortress are being greeted by the first female Beefeater since the guards were established.

Moira Cameron, a 38-year-old from Argyll, Scotland, will serve as one of the Yeoman Warders, the body that protects the crown jewels. She will don the traditional blue-and-scarlet livery for her duties, which begin with opening the Beauchamp Tower and the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula.

She has spent the past two months training intensively to learn the 21 separate duties the Beefeaters perform each day, and the ceremony of the keys. She was also required to become well versed in the history of the tower so that she can lead guided tours.

Ms Cameron is a warrant officer class two who joined the army at age 16. She was selected over five men who also applied for the vacancy.