In an unprecedented breach of royal protocol, a stoic Queen's Guard was spotted breaking character to lavish an unsuspecting puppy with belly rubs outside Buckingham Palace yesterday.

Eyewitnesses report that the guard, known only as "Sergeant Stiffupperlip," who is famed for never cracking a smile or moving a muscle, suddenly melted into a puddle of adoration when a scruffy terrier named Lord Wigglebottom approached the gates. "I thought I was seeing things," said onlooker Mrs. Petunia Featherbottom. "One moment he was as still as a statue, and the next, he's down on one knee, tickling that dog like it owed him a cuppa and a biscuit!"

A spokesperson for the Royal Household declined to comment officially but muttered something about "top-level canine distractions" and "urgent review of guard training manuals." Meanwhile, Lord Wigglebottom was last seen trotting away with an extra biscuit, presumably earned for services to national morale.

When asked about the incident, Sergeant Stiffupperlip offered a rare statement: "Duty comes first, but so does puppy love. I swear on the Crown, the Queen herself gave me a wink and a nod—either that or it was the corgi. Either way, I'm just here to serve and snuggle."

The nation remains divided on the issue, with some calling for a new "Puppy Protocol" and others demanding the guard be knighted for boosting public spirits. One thing’s for sure: Buckingham Palace may never be the same, and neither will the puppies.