King and Queen cheered by crowds at Trooping the Colour

In central London, large crowds assembled to witness the Trooping the Colour ceremony, an annual event celebrating the King’s official birthday. The parade, renowned as one of the grandest royal and military displays of the year, culminated with a spectacular flypast by the Red Arrows, which the royal family observed from the Buckingham Palace balcony. Present alongside the King and Queen were the Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by their children. Although Prince Louis is often known for drawing attention, the eight-year-old was notably well-behaved during the event, engaging calmly with his parents as the aircraft passed overhead.

The iconic balcony gathering is a symbolic representation of royal heritage, with King Charles standing alongside future heirs, Prince William and Prince George. During the sunny procession, the King and Queen rode through the streets in an open-top carriage, passing thousands of spectators lining the route from Buckingham Palace down The Mall to Horse Guards Parade. The ceremony’s name, Trooping the Colour, derives from the tradition of ceremoniously parading the regimental flags—or “Colours”—of the British Army. This year’s focus was on the Grenadier Guards, whose colours were trooped in front of more than 1,400 military personnel, 200 horses, and 400 musicians participating in the event.

Other members of the royal family were also part of the procession. The Duchess of Edinburgh and Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence travelled in the first carriage, while the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were seated in the second. On horseback, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Duke of Edinburgh took part in the parade formation along with other royal colonels, whereas the Princess of Wales accompanied her children in a carriage. Both the King and Queen wore uniforms representing the Grenadier Guards, with the King’s attire including medals spanning from Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation Medal in 1953 up to the Platinum Jubilee Medal of 2022. Queen Camilla, who took on the role of Colonel of the Grenadier Guards in 2022, wore a striking red silk crepe dress designed by Fiona Clarke, paired with a black beret adorned with a white plume and the regiment’s badge.

The ceremonial proceedings continued after the parade with the King receiving a royal salute and a 41-gun salute from The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. He then inspected the troops, after which the Grenadier Guards’ colours were formally “trooped” through the ranks. The King subsequently led the guards back to Buckingham Palace for another salute. A somber note was struck during the event, as it acknowledged the recent passing of Lance Bombardier Ciara Sullivan, who had been expected to take part but died following a horse riding accident in May. The Red Arrows’ flypast marked a significant moment as well, since the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team had announced plans to reduce the number of aircraft in displays to preserve their aging fleet—yet maintained a full nine-ship formation for this ceremony and the upcoming US 250th anniversary celebrations

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