The nation will come together this Saturday, June 14, to celebrate King Charles’s official birthday in London. Trooping the Colour is held annually as an official birthday event for the monarch, even though Charles’s actual birthday is on November 14. It dates back centuries and became an annual event in 1760.
It is one of the biggest military ceremonies of the calendar and this year it will feature more than 1,400 parading soldiers, 300 musicians and over 200 horses. The spectacle will wrap up with an RAF flypast over Buckingham Palace, which the Royal Family, including the Prince and Princess of Wales as well as their children, will watch from the Palace balcony.
Here, the Express takes a look at all the timing, routes as well as the best spots to watch the King’s official birthday celebrations this coming Saturday.
This year’s ceremony will begin at 10.30am and conclude at 12.25pm, with the flypast taking place at around 1pm. A map is still not yet available for this year’s flyover.
Each year a different regimental colour (flag) is trooped and members of the five Foot Guards regiments take turns with it to lead the parade.
This year, the Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards have been chosen to troop their colour amid their 375th anniversary, which means the regiment will march its ceremonial flag through the ranks at the King’s official birthday event.
- At the start of the ceremony, the King, along with the royal party, will travel down the Mall to Horse Guards Parade in a procession.
- Charles will be greeted by a royal salute on Horse Guards Parade and a 41-gun salute fired by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery from the Green Park.
- His Majesty will then inspect his troops before the Massed Bands of the Foot Guards perform a musical “troop” and the trooped flag is carried through the ranks of the Foot Guards.
- The regiment will then march past Charles before the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and the Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry ride past.
- The King will then return to Buckingham Palace, where he will join other members of the Royal Family on the balcony to watch a Royal Air Force fly-past.
Tickets have already sold out for Saturday’s spectacular event to celebrate the monarch’s birthday.
For those with tickets, the best view of the event will be from the stands on Horse Guards Parade.
Members of the public without tickets are advised to stand on The Mall or on the edge of St James’s Park overlooking Horse Guards Parade from 9.00am.
The nearest tube and train stations are: Charing Cross – About 6-minute walk. Bakerloo, & Northern line. Mainline train links. Embankment – 10 minutes walk Bakerloo, Northern, District & Circle line
The Ministry of Defence have made a map with the best spots dotted along the Mall and St James’s Park for anyone looking to catch a glimpse of the parade.
It is noted that the view from these positions may be obscured by troops on parade.
The flypast can be watched from The Mall.
For those wanting to stay at home and avoid the crowds, Trooping the Colour will be broadcast live on the BBC in the UK.
