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.
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.’
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.’
@amin48595 Amin enjoy today#r##r#rarediseaser#rarediseaseaware nessmp#mpsm#mpsvim#mpssocietyg#gosh 9#greomondstreethospitalh#ho#homecareG #GreatmondStv#vp#vpshuntC#Childrensho spitals#sntn#ne#neurob#olindnessc#childbl indnessblindnessawareness#rn#rnibb#britis holindsporch#chequanxiaoqiao#louis_eringt on _###xiaomeishuoche#louis_errington#c hequxiaoqiao#mo#moder3am#Guardasaalez a#ra#rarediseaseawareness#bookingcom#t onggeshuoche#anth of bffff moments #tw#twinmomw#twinboyso#momoftwinsw# twinlifew#twinsoftiktokm#5monthsoldu#cut ebabieso#momof4kids ♬ original sound – Amin
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.