An early birthday celebration! King Charles III‘s first Trooping the Colour is set to take place five months before his 75th birthday.
The former Prince of Wales unveiled initial plans for his first Trooping the Colour as monarch in December 2022, revealing that the celebration will take place on June 17, 2023. The parade traditionally marks the U.K. sovereign’s official birthday, but in the case of Charles, the day falls months away from the real date, which is November 14.
His late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, also held her respective parade on a different date other than her actual birthday. The late monarch’s birthday was in April, however, her Trooping the Colour was
The parade’s origins date back to the 17th century, while the tradition of marking the sovereign’s birthday with the parade began in 1748 during the reign of King George II. During Elizabeth’s reign, more than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians participated in the event, which followed a route from Buckingham Palace along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade and back again. At the end of the parade, the royal family gathers on the balcony of the palace to watch a fly-past of the Royal Air Force.
The queen’s final Trooping the Colour took place during her Platinum Jubilee, which commemorated her 70 years on the throne. Several members of the royal family joined her on the balcony to watch the fly-past, including Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate. The queen’s great-grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were also in attendance.
For Charles’ upcoming parade, there will be 500 soldiers, 300 horses and 400 musicians participating in the historic celebration. The king’s first Trooping the Colour comes six weeks after his historic coronation. While Charles was crowned the new monarch immediately after the death of his mother in September 2022, his official coronation was held on May 6.
Less than a week before Trooping the Colour’s scheduled date, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles will ride on horseback in his upcoming birthday parade — a tradition that has not been done in the past three decades. Queen Elizabeth last rode in the procession in 1986 and opted to ride in a carriage in the years since.
During a rehearsal for the parade, the Prince of Wales was spotted on horseback as he conducted the formal review of the Welsh Guards for the first time as he serves as Colonel of the Regiment.
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