Photo:Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty
Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty
King Charles rode in the parade through London on a horse called Noble, sporting the traditional bearskin cap and the tunic of the Guard of Honour Order, the Welsh Guards. The sovereign wears the uniform of whichever Regiment’s Colour is being trooped (or presenting their flag) that year.
Charles' participation in the parade on horseback marked thefirst time since 1986that the British monarch rode in the procession. Queen Elizabeth last rode during Trooping the Colour 37 years ago before opting to take part in the pageantry in a carriage in the years that followed.
ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty
Prince William took over the role of Colonel of the Welsh Guards from his father after King Charles became monarch. The position is a fit with William becoming the Prince of Wales, the traditional title for the British heir to the throne.
Princess Anne is Colonel of the Blues and Royals, and shesupported her older brotheron Thursday at a Buckingham Palace event when the regiment was presented with the new Sovereign’s Standard.
HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty
While King Charles, Prince William and Princess Anne all participated in Trooping the Colour on horseback before, this yearmarked a first for Prince Edward. Thenewly minted Duke of Edinburghparticipate in the procession on horseback in his role as Colonel of the London Guards, the army reserve battalion of the Guards Division. The new battalion was formed as a product of the military reforms in May 2022.
Last year, Prince Edward rode in a coach with his wife Sophie (recently given the title of the Duchess of Edinburgh) and their two children, Lady Louise and James, Earl of Wessex. The foursome then joined Queen Elizabeth and other members of the royal family on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
Victoria Jones/PA Images via Getty
Other members of the royal family took part in the Trooping the Colour procession in horse-drawn carriages.
Prince George,Princess CharlotteandPrince Louisrode in a coach for the second time at the annual birthday parade. They shared the Ascot Landau withKate MiddletonandQueen Camilla.
When the procession reached Horse Guards' Parade, Queen Camilla and Princess Kate hopped out of the carriage and joined the other royal colonels as the Welsh Guards presented their flag, or “colour,” to the King. It marked a royal first for the royal women — in past years, both Camilla and Kate would watch the ceremony from a building overlooking the parade grounds with other royals.
Queen Camilla and Princess Kate.Neil Mockford/Getty
Neil Mockford/Getty
The first carriage of the procession carried Prince Edward’s wife Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh and Princess Anne’s husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.
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Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh and Sir Tim Laurence.HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty
While King Charles' actual birth date is November 14, he will also be fêted each year with public festivities of his birthday in June as British monarch.
According to theHousehold Division, the tradition of the British monarch having both an actual birthday and official birthday dates back to the reign of the current sovereign’s namesake predecessor, King Charles II, who ruled from 1660 to 1685. In 1748, it was decided that this parade would be used to mark the official birthday of the monarch, and Trooping the Colour became an annual event during the reign of King George III.
The reason for the official festivities taking place in June is also quite practical, as the weather in the U.K. is better!
source: people.com
