Trooping the Colour looks very different this year.
King Charles III and his daughter-in-law, Princess of Wales Kate Middleton, made grand appearances at public events despite their health troubles.
Saturday’s festivities mark Kate’s first public appearance since announcing her cancer diagnosis in March. It is also the 42-year-old’s first official appearance since Christmas.
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Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales, (right) with Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales, (left) and Britain’s Prince George of Wales (center) arrives at Buckingham Palace ahead of the King’s Birthday Parade “Trooping the Colour” in London on June 15, 2024. Catherine, Princess of Wales, returning to public life for the first time since being diagnosed with cancer, will attend the Trooping the Colour military parade in central London. (Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images)
This year also marks the King’s second Trooping the Colour as monarch, following his death. His mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Charles, 75, is being treated for an unknown type of cancer.
Trooping the Colour is held every year in June to celebrate the monarch’s birthday, regardless of when their actual birthday occurs. The annual event is highlighted by the ceremonial presentation of the military’s flags or “colours.”
“Ironically, the very first Trooping the Colour movement was started by King Charles II in the 1600s,” says Christopher Anderson, author “King,” told Fox News Digital.
Royal portrait of Charles II (1630-1685), King of England and Scotland from 1660-85. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
“But they didn’t change the date until Edward VII took the throne from his mother, Queen Victoria, in 1901,” Anderson said. “King Charles III’s birthday is in November … Well, King Edward’s birthday was in November, too, and he didn’t like the weather then. So he said, ‘It would be better to have the parade in June.’ And so, they changed the day to the first week of June, the first Saturday or the second Saturday of June. And it’s been that way ever since.”
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Edward VII (centre) and his son the Duke of York returning from Trooping the Colour in London. (London Stereoscopic Company/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
“The Queen used the day to connect with her people,” Anderson added. “… She never missed an event. In her entire 70-year reign, she only missed Trooping the Colour once. And that was in 1955 because it was cancelled. The whole event was cancelled because of a railway strike… She attended every chance she could.”
According to Royal Family websiteOver 14,000 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians come together to celebrate the monarch’s birthday. The parade features the royal family on horse and carriages.
The palace has already confirmed that Charles will ride in a horse-drawn carriage alongside Queen Camilla.
Charles rode on horseback with Prince William and Prince Edward during Trooping the Colour last year.
King Charles III (center), wearing his Welsh Guards uniform, Prince William, Prince of Wales (Colonel of the Welsh Guards) (left) and Princess Anne, Princess Royal (Colonel of the Blues and Royals) (right) depart Buckingham Palace on horseback to attend Trooping the Colour on June 17, 2023 in London, England. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
“People will remember that in 1981 when (the queen) was riding on her horse and in her uniform, a man who was a bit deranged at the time fired blank shots near the horse,” Anderson said. “The horse ran off in front of everybody in the middle of the parade. She managed to regain control of the horse. It was a wonderful moment for the monarchy because it showed that she was still in total control.”
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As Queen Elizabeth II was passing through the Mall, policemen sprang into action and calmed their horses after hearing gunfire. (PA Images via Getty Images)
“I remember attending his Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977,” Anderson said. “It was his 25th anniversary on the throne. He was constantly photographed on horseback.”
The king, as well as his heir and Princess Anne, will likely display their military uniforms. But the royal women, including Queen Camilla, Princess of Wales, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will show off their royal fashion with stylish, eye-catching hats.
The Prince and The three children of the Princess of Wales Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis have all made their mark with adorable moments on the palace balcony in past years. Other royals to have appeared on the palace balcony include Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, as well as the Duke of Kent and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not be attending Trooping the Colour this year. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were not invited to Trooping the Colour for the second year in a row. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex In 2020, she stepped down as a senior royal and moved to California.
It is unclear whether Prince Andrew will appear at Trooping the Colour. The Duke of York announced he was stepping down from senior royal roles in 2019 following his ties to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Former Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (left) Queen Elizabeth II (center) and Prince Andrew, Duke of York (right) watch the flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour on June 8, 2019 in London, England. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
According to the palace, the King will arrive at Horse Guards Parade at the White House. He will be given a royal salute before inspecting the troops. After a performance by the military band, the escorted regimental colour or flag is carried down the rows of soldiers. More than 100 words are used by the commanding officer of the parade to give instructions to hundreds of soldiers.
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Trooping the Colour is a traditional parade held on the occasion of the official birthday of the British monarch. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
The palace noted that once the foot guards Marching onwards to sovereigntyThey return with the troops to Buckingham Palace and take the salute again. The King then watches a fly-past by the Royal Air Force from the balcony of Buckingham Palace with other members of the royal family. The ceremony concludes with a 41-gun salute in Green Park.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
