Buckingham Palace plays R.E.S.P.E.C.T. to honor Aretha Franklin

On the same day that the Queen of Soul is being laid to rest in Detroit, the men who guard the Queen of London played their own tribute to Aretha Franklin.

Crowds who attended the changing of the guards ceremony Friday morning in London were met with a special treat following the typical respect from troops. 

The Band of the Welsh Guards paid tribute to Aretha with her iconic song R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Aretha Franklin is being remembered in Detroit during her funeral at Greater Grace Temple.

The unit posted the video on Facebook. Watch it in the embed below or by clicking here. Here's what they wrote:

THE BAND OF THE WELSH GUARDS PERFORM R E S P E C T IN TRIBUTE TO ARETHA FRANKLIN

Crowds attending the Changing of the Guards Ceremony at Buckingham Palace this morning were treated to more than the usual respect by the troops from the British Army’s Household Division.

The Band of the Welsh Guards are world famous for their musical versatility and professional performance and this morning paid tribute to another musical icon and one that has been of huge influence and inspiration to our musicians – Aretha Franklin, whose funeral was being held in Detroit 3,748 miles away, at the same time of the Queen’s Guard Change.

In the Army Respect for others underpins all that we do, so there was only one tune that would do for today’s ceremony: the 1967 Aretha Franklin hit “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.” a declaration from a strong confident woman who knows that she has everything.

The soul music may have startled tourists expecting British pomp and ceremony Friday from the Welsh Guards, who were wearing traditional red military jackets topped by high bearskin hats.

The Army tweeted that it wanted to pay tribute to a "musical icon and inspiration."

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.