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Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace staff - including Beefeaters - are on strike over pensions.

But how do you get a job as a yeoman warder, and what it is like to work as one? Former Beefeater Alan Kingshott, tells his story...

I remember the day I got the job as a yeoman warder well - it was January 1998 and there had been 27 interviewees for three positions.

By this point, I had left school at 15 with no qualifications, done 25 years in the army, where I specialised in gunner (a skill that was to serve me well at the Tower!), and five years in retail. So I was itching for a career change.

Two days later after the interview, I was told I'd got the job.

I started work at the Tower of London in March 1998.

I was so keen to start work and will always remember my first days and months learning the history of the Tower and daily routines.

It was quite difficult at first, because our routines and duties were so different each day - some days you would start work at 6am, others at 3pm. But mostly, you start at 8.30am and get the buildings open ready for visitors.

The Tower would open its doors at 9am and our day started. We would give tours, guard certain parts of the Tower - mainly protecting the residential areas - and, of course, pose for endless photographs.

I loved the interaction with our visitors. Most of the time it was fun to work there but sometimes, during really cold, damp weather, it was not so enjoyable.

Some older yeoman warders were very set in their ways. I suppose, old fashioned. Many considered the role as a 'Gentlemen's retirement'.

When yeoman warders are recruited it is part of their qualification to have served 22 years in the military, which will make most applicants around 40. Although, at that time you were able to apply up to the age of 55.

Coming from a retail background I was very keen to support HRP with their business plans, to help increase visitor numbers - not all yeoman warders were keen. Suspicious of change.

I was constantly being told off for walking too fast! There were many things to get wrong in particular around giving breaks (I often went to the wrong place or sent the wrong person for their break!).

It took me six months to qualify, passing a history test allowing me to give guided tours to our visitors. Bearing in mind my initial thoughts about history I grew to enjoy learning as many facts as possible.

Often you would see yeoman warders together chatting, as I did, but you tend to learn a lot more information from the more experienced recruits.

The most interesting for me was learning about the Tudors - something I must have missed in school!

One of the greatest pleasures was sharing my knowledge with our visitors. Many were more interested in the less pleasant events and wanted to be directed straight to the torture chamber.

Learning all there is to know about the Tower was fascinating and I am still learning now.

Interestingly, I never considered myself to be a historian.. more of a story teller. Among my other duties were security, ceremonies and endless photographs.

It was the ceremonies I most enjoyed. It enabled me to meet so many lovely people: VIPs, and certainly royalty.

Of all of the ceremonies that I was involved with, the one I enjoyed most was my last one which was the installation of the new constable.

It is a ceremony that happens every five years with a very big parade. As the chief yeoman warder I got to parade the keys around the arena.

These are the gold keys which are presented to HM the Queen when she visits the Tower. A very proud moment for me.

I do remember that as I passed in front of family who were sitting in the stand, I slowed down my walk and so slightly tilted the cushion so they got a good look!

The hardest thing about ceremonies is remembering all the details and protocol, which as chief I had to get right. But as we did them many times in my career it was fairly easy. On state church parades, we did three a year. The padre would always check with me, 'is it the axe first or the mace?'

I was promoted to chief yeoman warder in 2012 - a position that brought me closer to a more prominent ceremonial role.

Many people will remember the wonderful 2014 display of the poppies. Many members of the Royal family visited the Tower and I was privileged to have met them, particularly Prince William, Prince Harry and Catherine. They had come to plant a poppy each and meeting them was a great honour.

I am the proud owner of a photograph of me and Catherine - one of the nicest people I have met. She asked me about some people who were sitting in one of the Towers. When I explained that was where I lived and they were my grandchildren with my wife, she, Prince William and Harry all turned and waved.

Later in August, I met HM Queen Elizabeth. On this occasion one of my granddaughters, Ashlynne, handed a posy of flowers to HM the Queen, getting her and another of my granddaughters, Leah, to learn how to curtsy proved a small challenge as they both wanted to grab their skirts like in the films.

In my 19 years living and working at the Tower for HRP, I have had the most fun ever. I never imagined that I would be travelling in a coach with the other yeoman warders through London with a police escort and heading for Buckingham Palace for a parade within the grounds.

If you ever want to go down a one-way street the wrong way. that's how to do it!

The opportunities to meet amazing people, and go to places others can only dream of.

Some of the best places I have been are, of course, Buckingham Palace for a garden party and again to receive my award of the MVO, (Member of the Royal Victorian Order).

I have been to 10 Downing Street and also to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.

Working with the other yeoman warders has been a great experience, albeit with some ups and downs that will inevitably cause friction at times.

Mostly, my experience with yeoman warders was generally good - but as the man in charge, changes sometimes needed to be made.

As I mentioned earlier, not all were keen on these changes. Indeed, as all yeoman warders were of a similar rank in the military, most thought they could do a better job than me, and some probably could... but I was the chief!

It is funny to think of yeoman warders going on strike. I personally never thought that would ever happen.

I understand their frustration where their pensions are concerned, only now in retirement I realise the impact of a final salary scheme.

I can also understand HRPs concern. They need to balance finances for all the palaces' future security. It is just a shame staff have to strike to resolve it.