King Charles III goed on a new tradition as sovereign, leading the Trooping the Colour ceremony on Horse Guards Parade, surrounded by his family, including his wife Camilla, the Princess of Wales, and their children. The occasion marked the monarch’s official birthday and saw thousands of well-wishers gathered in The Mall to sing the national anthem and cheer for the royal family. The ceremony brought together the core working royal family, including the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and the Duke of Kent, as well as Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.
One of the highlights of the day was Prince Louis, Charles’ five-year-old grandson, who stole the show by enthusiastically saluting during the traditional Trooping flypast and pretending to ride a motorcycle or bike with his arms outstretched as planes flew overhead. The ceremony also saw several milestones, including King Charles becoming the first monarch in over 30 years to ride a horse throughout Trooping the Colour and the gathering of five of the UK’s most prestigious regiments.
Camilla and Kate, who were appointed royal colonels following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, were given prominent new roles during the ceremony, no longer just spectators. They rode in a carriage alongside the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, a symbolic representation of the royal family uniting to support the king. The royal women wore outfits that paid homage to their military associations, with Camilla’s red silk dress drawing inspiration from the scarlet tunics of the Grenadier Guards and Kate’s emerald green dress and matching hat honoring her Irish Guards.
King Charles (Via King Charles/Twitter)
The ceremony also featured a fly-past, extended due to the coronation aerial display being cut back in May due to bad weather. The highlight of the fly-past included 18 Typhoon fighter jets spelling out the King’s monagram “CR” for Charles Rex and famous planes associated with the Second World War. The finale was precision formation flying from the Red Arrows, who trailed red, white, and blue smoke over the capital.
Throughout the ceremony, Camilla and Kate took their seats on a dais with the Duke of Kent, Colonel of the Scots Guards, to watch the march past of the troops. The event culminated with the royal family appearing on the Buckingham Palace balcony, waving to the crowds and marking the end of the Queen’s official birthday celebrations. The ceremony was a heartwarming display of the royal family’s unity and celebration of the monarch’s official birthday.
