King Charles III has received the official birthday wishes of the United Kingdom, during his first-ever Trooping the Colour ceremony as monarch. Both pomp and pageantry were on display during today's military service - in which, the most prestigious regiments of the British Army honoured their Colonel in Chief by parading to mark his anniversary.
While Charles deputised for the late Queen Elizabeth II at last year's event, also dubbed the Birthday Parade, he rode onto Horse Guards Parade as the nation's head of state for the first time today. He was accompanied on horseback by the royal colonels - the Prince of Wales, Colonel, Welsh Guards; the Princess Royal, Gold Stick in Waiting and Colonel of The Blues and Royals; and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Travelling via carriage were the Queen, who is the Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, and the Princess of Wales as Colonel of the Irish Guards - alongside Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five.
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The PA News Agency reports that the royal party were in the midst of a sovereign’s mounted escort, formed by troops from the Household Cavalry’s Life Guards and Blues and Royals, in their shining breastplates and plumed helmets, and a ripple of cheers followed them when they travelled along The Mall.
Soon after the King arrived on the parade ground the national anthem was played as a mark of respect and Charles had to steady his horse but it would not settle and a groom stepped forward to help. The King began the ceremony by inspecting the lines of guardsmen on the parade ground, casting a critical eye over the soldiers, formed in two lines, as he rode past.
William, Anne, and Edward rode behind Charles while Camilla and Kate were in a carriage – a symbolic image of the royal family supporting their King as another milestone was reached. The Queen and the princess wore contrasting outfits, with Camilla in a red silk dress that took inspiration from her regiment, the Grenadier Guards, while Kate was in a striking green dress by Andrew Gn and matching hat by Philip Treacy in honour of her Irish Guards.
The pair later took their seats on a dais with the Duke of Kent, Colonel, Scots Guards, to watch the march past of the troops – a first for the royal women – while the King and the other royal colonels remained on horseback alongside. The sight of a monarch riding throughout Trooping the Colour had not happened since 1986 when the Queen rode her charger Burmese for the final time.
It was a gift from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Charles’ horse Noble was also from the Commonwealth country’s famous Mounties. Trooping the Colour is a social as well as a ceremonial occasion and in the stands overlooking the parade ground were around 8,000 wives, girlfriends and parents of the guardsmen and officers on parade.
The event featured around 1,500 soldiers in total and hundreds of Guardsmen were lined up on the parade ground waiting to be inspected by King, who will be joined by the mounted royal Colonels, including the Queen and Kate 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.
The colour, or regimental flag, that will be trooped in front of hundreds of Guardsmen and officers will be the King’s Colour of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards. Among the guests was Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the Duchess of Edinburgh, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and senior military figures.
The colour was first trooped through the ranks of soldiers before the guardsmen marched past the King, first in slow then in quick time, with the King acknowledging the command of “eyes right” with a salute. The massed bands of the Household Division and the Mounted Band of the Household Calvary provided the musical backing for the ceremony.
Also taking part was the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, who will fire a 41-gun salute in Green Park to mark the King’s official birthday, while a further 62 volleys will be fired from the Tower of London by the Honourable Artillery Company.
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