Trooping the Colour 2023.Photo:Chris Jackson/Getty
Chris Jackson/Getty
The firstTrooping the ColourofKing Charles' reign was a royal family affair!
Royals gathered on Saturday for an official birthday parade and celebration in London for King Charles. Although Trooping the Colour is held annually, this marks the first time the event is honoring the new King following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, in September.
After members of the royal family rode on horseback or in horse-drawn carriages down the Mall alongside more than 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians in a spectacular parade. King Charles, 74, took the royal salute and inspected the troops at Horse Guard’s Parade before returning to Buckingham Palace to watch a flypast.
Trooping the Colour 2023.BBC LIVE
BBC LIVE
Other royals on the balcony includedPrincess Anne, her husbandVice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence,Prince EdwardandSophie, Duchess of Edinburghwhile the Duke of Kent and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester stood off to the side — making one of the smallest groupings in recent royal history.
The only one of King Charles' siblings who did not appear was Prince Andrew. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s third child announced he would “step back from public duties” in 2019 following hisbombshell interview with the BBCabout his ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. In January 2022, the day after a judge in the U.S. rejected Prince Andrew’s attempt to have Epstein tracking victimVirginia Giuffre’ssexual assault lawsuit against the royal dismissed, Buckingham Palace announced that Queen Elizabeth hadstripped her sonof his military titles and patronages. Prince Andrew has denied any wrongdoing.
Trooping the Colour 2023.ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP
ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP
Last year, Prince Edward and Sophie’s teenage children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex, also stepped out on the terrace although they did not join the group this year.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said, “After careful consideration, the Queen has decided that this year’s traditional Trooping the Colour balcony appearance on Thursday 2nd of June will be limited to Her Majesty and those members of the Royal Family who are currently undertaking official public duties on behalf of the Queen.”
Trooping the Colour 2022.Chris Jackson/Getty
That meant thatPrince Harry,Meghan Markle,Prince Andrewand other non-working members of the royal family did not join Queen Elizabeth for theappearance. Instead, theywatched last year’s festivitiesfrom Major General’s Office, which overlooks the parade grounds.
Princess Eugeniesharedphotosfrom the big day in 2022, which kicked off Queen Elizabeth’s four-day Platinum Jubilee celebrations, on her Instagram page, showing that they still got to see the flypast from a different view.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla.Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
The coronation flypast was scaled down due to poor weather, but the royals — including Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — excited watched as military planes passed overhead. Despite the gloomy weather, thousands gathered along the procession route and stood outside Buckingham Palace to celebrate the new King.
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King Charles.Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty
Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty
On Monday, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charleswould ride on horsebackin hisbirthday parade, marking the first time the British monarch saddled up for Trooping the Colour since 1986 whenQueen Elizabethlast rode in the procession on her horse Burmese. In the following years, the Queen opted to take a carriage ride instead during her public birthday celebrations — and in 2003, her husband,Prince Philip, hung up his stirrups and joined her.
In addition to King Charles, three other royalstook part in the procession on horseback: Prince William, Princess Anne and Prince Edward (for his first time).
There were three additional horse-drawn carriages and one car. Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis rode in the Ascot Landau with Princess Kate and Queen Camilla.
source: people.com
