Tributes to the late Sir Patrick Stewart quickly poured in after his death was announced Thursday, with his colleagues from the Star Trek and Marvel franchises sharing their condolences and memories of the actor who played Professor Charles Xavier and Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
In a move worthy of the famous meme of Captain Picard holding his brow, Buckingham Palace in London paid a moving tribute to Stewart on Friday, but in an unintentionally mistaken way.
The Band of the Grenadier Guards performed a medley of Star Trek themes in honor of the actor – none of which were the theme music of the show he starred in.
Buckingham Palace Honours Sir Patrick Stewart (1940–2026) with Star Trek Theme Tune 🕊️
The Band of the Grenadier Guards performs the iconic Star Trek theme at Buckingham Palace in honour of Sir Patrick Stewart, following the sad news of his passing.
Queen Elizabeth II knighted Sir Patrick Stewart in 2010, recognising his outstanding contribution to drama and the arts 🇬🇧
🎥 @KingsGuardTours
📆 30 October 2026
📍 Buckingham Palace#SirPatrickStewart #StarTrek #GrenadierGuards #BuckinghamPalace #BritishArmyMusic
— Kings Guard Tours (@KingsGuardTours) October 30, 2026
Instead of playing the theme music of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the guards instead played the theme music from the William Shatner-led original Star Trek series before segueing to the theme from the J.J. Abrams-produced movie reboot trilogy.
Well, it’s the thought that counts. As Captain Picard would say, “We’re only mortal.”
While Star Trek and X-Men may have made him a household name, please read why Patrick Stewart’s best roles in film and television went beyond outer space and mutants.
Stewart also left his mark on video games. Bethesda and Oblivion fans also paid tribute to Stewart in the wake of his death, while Star Trek Online players honored the Picard star in-game.
Jim Vejvoda (he/him) is IGN’s Assoc. Director of Entertainment Content.
