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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Jennifer Newton & Chiara Fiorillo & Tony Jones

King Charles rides on horseback as he leads first Trooping the Colour as monarch

King Charles has joined his first-ever birthday parade as monarch by leading the procession on horseback.

Pomp and pageantry were on display during the military spectacle where the most prestigious regiments in the British Army honoured their Colonel in Chief by parading to mark his anniversary.

It marks the first time in more than 30 years that a monarch has ridden at Trooping the Colour.

The King braved the sweltering temperatures as he wore full military uniform while riding his steed alongside son Prince William, sister Princess Anne and brother Prince Edward - who is riding in the parade for the first time today.

Other members of the Royal Family followed behind in carriages, including Queen Camilla and the Princess of Wales as well as Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

The King's horse was seen acting "lively" and "excited" as he rode it down the Mall, the BBC's Huw Edwards remarked.

During the ceremony, Charles took the salute as Colonel in Chief of the seven regiments of the Household Division when the procession reached Horse Guards Parade.

The King waves from the car as he arrives at Buckingham Palace (AFP via Getty Images)

It is the turn of the Welsh Guards to troop their colour during the ceremony this year.

It is the first time the reigning monarch has ridden at Trooping the Colour since 1986 when Queen Elizabeth II last rode.

Burmese was the Queen’s favourite steed for Trooping and ceremonial occasions.

The Queen and Princess of Wales followed in a carriage (©Karwai Tang)

The horse was a gift from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and was used for 18 years from 1969 to 1986 until the animal was moved to Windsor for retirement.

The Queen then decided that, rather than train another charger for the ceremony, she would in future be driven in a carriage.

For the first time since 1989, all five regiments of Foot Guards - the Welsh, Scots, Irish, Coldstream and Grenadier - were on parade together for Trooping.

Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis also joined the procession (James Whatling)

Charles had deputised for Queen Elizabeth II at last year's event, also known as the Birthday Parade, but now rode onto Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall as the nation's head of state.

After the parade, the King, accompanied by Camilla and other family members, will return to Buckingham Palace for RAF the fly-past, which will conclude the day’s celebrations.

An extended military flypast will take place after the display on Coronation day last month had to be scaled down due to bad weather.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the aircraft will take off from 15 locations up and down the UK before meeting in the southeast of England and flying across London.

The event will feature a mix of aircraft, ranging from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight dating back to the 1940s and the C-130 Hercules on its final ceremonial flight to multiple Typhoon fighter jets and the Envoy IV CC1, which is making its flypast debut.

At the front of the flypast will be a Juno HT1 piloted by Flight Lieutenant Tom Knapp from 60 Squadron, No 1 Flying Training School based at RAF Shawbury.

The event will end in a show of red, white and blue from the pilots of the Red Arrows.

Among the guests was Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the Duchess of Edinburgh, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and senior military figures.

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