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Daily Record
Daily Record
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Aurora Bosotti & Nicola Croal

Prince William to get rid of one huge royal tradition that dates back centuries

Prince William is already planning to put some major changes into play when he takes the throne one day, which will include the future King putting an end to an annual royal tradition that the Royal Family has been following for years.

It is believed that the Prince of Wales will be the first monarch in over 260 years to not celebrate two birthdays a year for the Trooping of the Colour parade, the Express reports.

The annual Trooping the Colour ceremony has been performed by military regiments since the 17th Century and from 1748 it has also marked the official birthday of the British Sovereign.

This tradition came about after King George III decided he wanted to celebrate his birthday each year in better weather, having been born in November, and instead announced he would have two birthdays every year, one in June and one on his real birth date to make this possible.

Prince William might get rid of one huge royal tradition that King Charles has decided to continue with (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Trooping the Colour has been held on a Saturday in June every year since regardless of whenever the monarch's real birthday is with King Charles III being born in November and the late Queen's birthday being in April.

However, William was actually conveniently born on June 21 and could opt to hold just one big celebration to mark the special event.

Despite the potential changes to Trooping the Colour, King Charles III will be celebrating his official birthday as planned this year on June 17 for the first time since he became the British monarch.

This Saturday he will receive the Royal salute from members of the Welsh Guards, which military insiders have dubbed as "serendipitous" considering that His Majesty was the Colonel of Welsh Guards for almost 50 years before the role was passed on to Prince William last year.

Prince William took on the role of Colonel of the Welsh Guards last December (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

The Prince of Wales will join his father in the procession and recently oversaw a rehearsal of the ceremony over the weekend.

The smooth running of the proceedings was shaken up by the scorching temperatures in London, with several soldiers taking part collapsing in the hot weather.

Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, will also make his debut on horseback alongside his eldest brother and sister Princess Anne, the Colonel of the Blues and Royals since 1998.

The Trooping the Colour parade dates all the way back to the Seventeenth century (PA Wire)

Charles will also continue with the tradition of taking the salute from the Household Guards in person which the late Queen Elizabeth II previously decided to put an end to in 1986.

In a statement issued on Monday, Buckingham Palace said: "His Majesty The King will take the Salute as Colonel in Chief of the seven regiments of the Household Division, at the Birthday Parade on Horse Guards Parade, on Saturday 17th June 2023

"Marking the first time that the reigning Monarch has ridden at Trooping the Colour since 1986, when Queen Elizabeth II last rode, The King will join His Majesty’s Birthday Parade on horseback."

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