King Charles makes rare change at Buckingham Palace due to heatwave as Met Office issues rare red warning

King Charles has made a rare change at Buckingham Palace as the UK continues to battle soaring temperatures.

The traditional Changing of the Guard ceremonies, which usually take place daily outside the royal family's London residences, have been cancelled for the rest of the week due to the scorching temperatures sweeping across the country at the moment.

The popular ceremony sees soldiers swap duties at Buckingham Palace, Wellington Barracks, St James's Palace and Windsor Castle.

Dressed in their iconic red tunics and heavy bearskin hats, the guards are a major tourist attraction, but the extreme temperatures have made carrying out the event more challenging.

Because of this, ceremonies scheduled for Tuesday (23 June), Wednesday (24 June) and Thursday (25 June) have been called off.

King Charles has made a rare change at Buckingham Palace due to the scorching heatwave (Pool / Pool / Getty Images)

In a statement, the Household Division said: "Due to forecasted excessive temperatures this week, including a red heat alert mid-week, there will be some important changes to Ceremonial Operations across London and Windsor.

"The well-being of our soldiers, military working horses, and the public who gather in large numbers to watch these events is always our priority.

"In line with advice from the Met Office and other Government agencies, who are recommending a reduction in travel and outdoor activities, the following changes are in place this week: There will be no ceremonial Guard Changes in Windsor or London on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday."

The traditional Changing of the Guard ceremonies have been cancelled for the rest of the week due to the heatwave (Pool / Pool / Getty Images)

There have also been some adjustments for the King's Life Guard at Horse Guards, with the changeover taking place without ceremony at 8 am to help prevent heat stress in the horses.

Elsewhere, soldiers have been moved into shaded positions and will rotate more frequently than usual to cope with the high temperatures.

The changes come as parts of England and Wales face extreme heat, with temperatures forecast to climb close to a staggering 40°C.

A rare red warning for extreme heat has now been extended into Friday (26 June).

Temperatures could exceed 36°C in these areas, perhaps rising to 38°C in some places, the Met Office said.

It is being driven by a 'heat-dome' settling over western Europe that has brought extreme conditions across the continent, with human-driven climate change, mostly caused by burning fossil fuels, making heatwaves more frequent and intense.

The Met Office said it is possible the June record could be beaten again.

If temperatures reach 39°C, that would make it the second-hottest day in the UK on record.