Trooping the Colour is an annual celebration that takes place on the second Saturday in June, in London. This year, it took place on Saturday 8th June. Over 1400 officers and men were on parade, together with two hundred horses. Over four hundred musicians from ten bands and corps of drums marched and played as one.
The various regiments take it in turns to troop their colour, and this year it was the turn of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. The 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards last trooped their colour 9 years ago. So for many taking part and friends and family watching, it was their first time. Their Colonel-in-Chief is Her Majesty the Queen, and the Duke of York is their Colonel. The position of Colonel was held by the Duke of Edinburgh, but last year he handed it over to his second son the Duke of York. Therefore, this was the Duke of York’s first time having his regiment troop their colour, although last year the Duke of York rode with the other royal colonel’s for the first time.
There are two full scale rehearsals for the parade; the Major General’s Review and the Colonel’s review. Since he is now Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, the Duke of York presided over the second rehearsal for the first time. Both rehearsals are open to the public, who can obtain tickets. Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, with Beatrice’s boyfriend Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Eugenie’s husband Jack Brooksbank, and their mother Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, accompanied the Duke of York at the Colonel’s Review. For the main event, ticket holders were seated or standing on Horse Guards Parade to watch the actual parade take place. They had to follow a strict dress code; morning dress, lounge dress, lounge suit or jacket and trousers for the men, and equivalent for the ladies. Tickets are obtained by a ballot for members of the public. Friends and family of those taking part can also obtain tickets.
Crowds of royal fans gathered along the Mall to watch those going to and from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade, where the event takes place every year. Some lucky
The parade is steeped in history. The Queen has only ever missed one Trooping the Colour during her reign, in 1955, due to a national rail strike, when it was cancelled. Originally in battle, the colour of a regiment was trooped along the ranks, so that the soldiers could see it. In 1748 it was decided that the trooping would also be used to mark the sovereign’s birthday. The Queen used to ride side-saddle, but started riding in a carriage in 1987.
The Queen’s actual birthday is the 21st of April, but Trooping the Colour always takes place in June, when it is hoped the British weather is better than it is in April! This year the Queen turned 93. Her actual birthday celebrations are private. The date of Trooping the Colour, or the Sovereign’s Birthday Parade, is known as the Queen’s Official Birthday.
The first royals left Buckingham Palace before the main event began. In cars, the extended royal family travelled down the Mall to Horse Guards Parade. A large coach also went by with more of the Gloucester and Kent families, and the Phillips’ and Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.
The massed bands made their way down the Mall, accompanied by the soldiers of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, who were the regiment to troop their colour (flag) this year. Traditionally, the colour would be paraded up and down during battle, so that the soldiers knew what was happening. The colour has the battle honours of the regiment on it. The massed bands is made up of 10 different bands and corps of drums. The massed bands and soldiers of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards came in several groups. Some foot guards were lining the mall, every 10 paces, throughout the whole event. These foot guards were from the Welsh Guards and this time last year they were serving in Afghanistan. They face in towards the Mall, so they could keep an eye on the royals to protect them, where as the Police faced outwards towards the public, to keep an eye on them!
Then came the first group of royal carriages, 3 open-top carriages made their way from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade, as the national anthem played. The royal family members respectfully bowed their heads, or saluted if they were in uniform, as the anthem played. The first carriage transported the Duchess of Cornwall in mint green with a white hat, the Duchess of Cambridge in yellow with a yellow/cream hat that is one of her favourite’s and we have seen before! The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also travelled with them; the Duchess of Sussex wore a navy blue dress and small navy blue hat. The Duke wore his ceremonial uniform. This is the first appearance in public of the Duchess of Sussex since the photocall after the birth of her new son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, as she has been on maternity leave. However, like the Duchess of Cambridge who attended Trooping the colour whilst on maternity leave, Meghan decided to attend what is, after all, a family occasion celebrating the Queen’s birthday, as well as an important national military parade. I think Meghan cleverly chose a loose fitting dress to avoid gossip as to how quick she has lost or kept her baby weight; this way she did not steal attention from the main event, or put herself into a position to be commended by some, and criticized by others. I say, well done! All three Duchess’ looked regal, professional and smart, and wore appropriate outfits for the occasion. But they also were individual, and different from each other.
The second carriage conveyed the Duke of Kent to the parade, first cousin of the Queen. He travels in a carriage with the more immediate family of the royals, instead of travelling with the extended family in the cars and coaches, because he is Colonel of the Scots Guards. He travelled with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and for the first time, Jack Brooksbank, the husband of Eugenie. Beatrice wore a pink dress with black detailing, and a small black and white headband hat, and Eugenie wore a white and blue floral dress with a black and white hat. Behind them in the third carriage came the Earl and Countess of Wessex with their children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn. The Countess wore bright green with a black hat. All of these royal women also looked very well dressed in my opinion. The Countess is always elegant.
Led by the Brigade Major, Lieutenant Colonel Guy Stone, who was in charge of the whole parade and its timings, came the procession escorting the Queen, accompanied by a Sovereign's escort from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, at approximately 10.45am. The Brigade Major gets a stream of information as he rides down the Mall to make sure the Queen’s carriage rolls onto Horse Guards Parade at exactly 11 am. A royal salute played on the trumpet in respect for the Queen as she passed out of the gates of the Palace and onto the Mall. The Queen was in the Scottish State Coach, an enclosed coach with a glass roof and large windows so she can still be seen. I assume this was incase it rained! The Queen has attended more Trooping the Colour parades than any other British monarch, with this year being her 67th as sovereign. The mounted band came, both riding their horses and playing their instruments. They are so talented. Next came the mounted soldiers of the Household Cavalry, who escorted Her Majesty the Queen. The Queen wore a matching hat and coat in shades of pale pink, mint yellow and gold, by her dresser Angela Kelly. Behind her rode the Royal Colonel’s. Princess Anne, Colonel of the Blues and Royals, Prince Andrew, the Colonel of the Grenadier Guards. Prince William rode, as Colonel of the Irish Guards, and Prince Charles, as Colonel of the Welsh Guards. Other Colonel’s, Field Marshal The Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank, Colonel of The Lifeguard’s, and Lt General Sir James Bucknall, Colonel of the Coldstream Guards, followed. They all travelled up the Mall accompanied by huge cheers from the crowd, and some vigorous flag waving! The Queen provides a figurehead for the nation, and I think that the Queen’s Birthday Parade is a way for the Armed Forces, and the public, to celebrate her, and to thank her for being the Head of the Armed Forces, and that figurehead.
The royal family watched from the Major General’s office, giving them an excellent view of the military precision that paraded around the Colour (the flag). As the Queen arrived at Horse Guards Parade, the national anthem played. As the Colour arrived, it was saluted, and those on horseback use their whip to salute. The Queen is saluted whilst the national anthem plays, by the foot soldiers waiting at Horse Guards to take part in the ceremony. Their salute involves them presenting their arms. The Royal Chelsea Pensioners were present to watch the parade.
The Queen inspected the troops as her carriage rolled around Horse Guards Parade. The Queen then watches from a covered platform, accompanied by the Duke of Kent, in his role of a Royal Colonel. The other royal colonel’s watch from horseback, by the Queen. The Queen had a seat provided, but remained standing, a sign that she wants to show respect to the soldiers parading before her. The Queen watches with an eagle eye, knowing the parade inside and out; she has been known to contact the Brigade Major and send words of congratulations on a parade well done, or even explain any deficiencies she spotted. The other Royal Colonel’s remained on their horses and watched from either side of the platform. Then the parade began, including the formation and movement called, “the spinwheel,” which involves the massed bands pivoting. The Officer in Command shouts out over 100 instructions throughout the parade. After the massed bands have performed a musical 'troop', the escorted Regimental Colour is carried down the ranks.
The parade ended with each regiment (Foot Guards and mounted Household Cavalry) marching passed the Queen in salute. The mounted band has two shire horses that carry the big drums, and the riders crossed their drumsticks as they rode passed the Queen, as their unique salute. The National Anthem played, and the Colour was lowered in respect.
They royals then regrouped to begin the journey back down the Mall. The Field Officer asked the Queen’s permission for the guards to leave, which she gave. The whole inspection, military troop, taking the Colour down the ranks, and march pass lasts about an hour.
The parade down the mall begins with the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, who pull several big cannons, and wear distinctive uniforms; a jangle sound is made as they ride! They were named by King George VI, the Queen’s father, and kept the name of, “The King’s,” in tribute to him. Over 50% of the KTRHA are females. They fired ceremonial cannons in nearby Green Park.
The royals in their carriages went by, and made their way onto the balcony when they returned, joined by the extended royal family who had travelled by car and coach, to watch the Queen and Royal Colonel’s as they returned. The Colour was paraded down the Mall on horseback. The mounted band, followed by the Household Cavalry, both the Lifeguard’s and the Blues and Royals, came next.The massed bands came in one group as opposed to the several groups that they paraded to Horse Guards Parade in, followed by the Queen and Royal Colonels, and other Colonels. The tradition of the monarch leading the soldiers back was started in 1914 by the Queen’s grandfather, King George V.
The young Prince’s George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte, were seen at the window of Buckingham Palace with their nanny.
Some of the soldiers then took up position in their sentry boxes outside the palace. The Grenadier Guards who were on parade took over from the Queen’s Colour Squadron of the RAF. The mounted police, and foot police, led members of the Brownies, Cadets, and Scouts, and those who had watched the parade at Horse Guards, in their formal outfits to fulfil the dress code, towards the palace. The general public then followed. The royal family had gone inside when the Queen arrived, and enjoyed a short celebration with significant personnel who helped lead the parade. The Queen then led the royal family out again.
We had the extended family on the balcony. The extended Kent and Gloucester families of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, Princess Alexandra, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. The York’s and Wessex’s joined the Princess Royal’s family, including Savannah and Isla Phillips with their parents, and Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence. The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and the Cambridge’s were also on the balcony. Prince Louis joined his family on the balcony for the first time. He seemed to have got hold of the royal wave, and to enjoy the flypast! I think it is lovely that we get to see the whole family together on these occasions.
The RAF flypast then completed the day. A group of over 20 aircraft, both modern and historic planes and helicopters, took part in the flypast, with the famous Red Arrows traditionally concluding the event with their finale of red, white, and blue streaming out behind them and over the Palace as the royals and public looked on. The National Anthem played, and the crowds sang along. Prince Louis joined in the round of applause of the crowd, clapping his hands. Then the royals went back inside the Palace, with the Queen pausing to acknowledge the cheers of, “hooray,” from the crowd, with her signature royal wave.
Another successful Trooping the Colour. I think it was an excellent day. I enjoy how the family come together to celebrate both the Queen, and the armed forces, and all that is best about Britain. Tradition can be a good thing, to keep us grounded and remembering the past and looking to the future. Tradition provides stability. Trooping the Colour does that, and the Queen has done an excellent job at being a figurehead for this nation. As the royal family come together as different generations, I am reminded that we are a nation of different generations. We are a nation that unites to celebrate and thank our monarchy and armed forces. This is an opportunity to forget doom and gloom, to raise spirits, to celebrate. Personally, I thoroughly enjoy seeing the extended royal family, and not just the main, senior, working royals. Long may these occasions continue!