Trooping the colour

The annual pageantry and splendour of the Monarch’s Official Birthday Parade or Trooping The Colour takes place Saturday 17 June 2023. Trooping the Colour Marks the The monarch’s official birthday and has been celebrated in the United Kingdom since 1748, during the reign of King George II and has been an annual event since 1760. Originally Queen Elizabeth II’s Official Birthday was celebrated on the second Thursday of June, the same day that her father, King George VI, celebrated his Official Birthday during his reign. However, this was changed in 1959, seven years after she became Queen, and her Official Birthday has since then been celebrated on the second Saturday of June. Most Commonwealth realms also release a Birthday Honours list to coincide with the event

The event is attended by King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla, along with Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, with her children Louis, George and Charlotte. His Majesty King Charles III will hold the appointment of Colonel-in-Chief of the Regiments of Household Division. Each Regiment has a Colonel who is normally either a member of the Royal Family or a senior officer. Charles is Colonel of the Welsh Guards and Colonel in Chief to many other Regiments. Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, is Colonel of the Blues and Royals. There are three newly appointed Colonels within the Foot Guards, The Queen Consort has been appointed Colonel, in the Grenadier Guards, Prince Willian, The Prince of Wales has been appointed Colonel, in the Welsh Guards and The Princess of Wales has been appointed Colonel of the, Irish Guards.. The Duke of Kent is Colonel, of the Scots Guards. Lieutenant General Sir Ed Smyth-Osbourne is Colonel of the, Life Guards  and Lieutenant General Sir James Bucknall is Colonel, of the Coldstream Guards. Other dignitaries attending the event include Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Prince Edward and Sophie Countess of Wessex. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and leader of the opposition Kier Starmer.

Before the event The King and Queen Consort journey from Buckingham Palace down the Mall through Admiralty Arch and onto Horseguards Parade. The Sovereign’s Escort, consists of troops of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and the Mounted Bands, The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals, accompanied by the Massed Bands of the Household Cavalry.

Taking part were the Royal Household Cavalry, Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards, Grenadier Guards, Irish Guards, Royal Life Guards, Blues and Royals, Welsh guards, The mounted Kings Troop, the Royal Horse Artillery the Foot Guards and The Mounted band. The Household Cavalry, Royal Horse Artillery, and Foot Guards are among the oldest regiments in the British Army and have served as the personal bodyguards of the sovereign since the monarchy was restored in 1660. During the event The Massed bands play many tunes including The National Anthem, The Welshman, Les Hugenots”, which has been played since 1871, the Quick march “Canatex”, March of the British Grenadiers, Escort to the Colour, Grenadier Slow March, Welsh Guards Slow March Coldstream Guards slow March, Lord Wellington’s March, Toc-H by Joseph Mansfeild, Grenadier guards Quick march, Scots Guards Quick March, Coldstream Guard quick march, Precious Glory by Gottfried Piefke, Men of Wales by Archie Ellis and Men of Harlech

After the event the royal party make their way back from horseguards parade through Admiralty Arch, up The Mall and back to Buckingham Palace. On returning to Buckingham Palace The King took the salute as the Guards Divisions marched past. The Changing of the Guard ceremony then took place with the new guard being formed by the men of the Escort to the Colour. This was followed shortly afterwards by four generations of the Royal Family appearing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to witness the flypast which normally includes The Spitfire, Hurricane, Douglas Dakota, Avro Lancaster of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and The Red Arrows. The Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery also fire a 41-gun salute in Green Park. (21 gun salute to mark the Queen’s official birthday and another 20 gun salute because it takes place in a Royal park.)