Trooping the Colour 2024: All You Need To Know About the Event That Marks the Official Birthday of the Monarch

Trooping the Colour is a public celebration held in the month of June to mark the official birthday of the reigning monarch. Trooping the Colour 2024 will take place on Saturday, June 15, 2024. Trooping the Colour has been the official celebration of the British monarch’s birthday for over 260 years, even though the actual birthday falls in a different month and on a different date. For instance, King Charles III's actual birthday is on November 14. Every year on a Saturday in June, songs and a ceremony are performed to mark the reigning monarch’s birthday, irrespective of the exact day of birth. This annual event, which features a procession, royal guests, a flypast, and the famous balcony gathering at Buckingham Palace, normally draws hundreds of attendees in person, with many catching the event live on television. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Snubbed by King Charles, Not Invited to Trooping the Colour for Second Year in a Row.

What is Trooping the Colour?

Trooping the Colour is an event held in June every year to mark the official birthday of the reigning monarch. Every June, more than 1400 parading soldiers, 400 musicians, and 200 horses participate in one of the most prestigious military shows on the planet. The Household Division, one of the British Army's oldest units, is represented by the guards participating in the parade. They have been a part of the monarchy since the English Civil War ended in 1660, and they function similarly to the King's personal troops or bodyguards. When the monarch is a woman, Trooping the Colour is sometimes referred to as the Queen's Birthday Parade or the King's Birthday Parade in the United Kingdom.

What Happens During Trooping the Colour?

When the King arrives at Horse Guard's Parade in Whitehall for Trooping the Colour, he is met with a royal salute and given the opportunity to inspect the guards, who are fully qualified and operational soldiers donning the ceremonial attire of red tunics and bearskin hats. The escorted Regimental Colour, or flag, is carried along the ranks of troops following the military bands' performance. Following their march past the King, the Foot Guards ride back to Buckingham Palace at the head of the troops and again salute from a dais inside the palace. The King is then joined by the rest of the members of the Royal Family to watch a flypast by the Royal Air Force from the balcony in Buckingham Palace. To mark the event, a 41-gun salute is also fired at Green Park. This year, though, it is important to note that there will be some major adjustments, like King Charles seeing the event from a carriage as he recovers from cancer and Kate Middleton most likely remaining at home to continue recovering from her cancer diagnosis.

What Does Colour Represent?

The British Army's many regiments were represented with flags known as ‘Colours.’ Depending on the colours and emblems associated with each regiment, the flags all had distinct designs. It was easy to get lost during combat or a battle. Hence, the army used these flags to help soldiers identify their unit when they were on the front lines. An easy approach to keeping everyone together was to keep an eye out for their own regiment's 'colours'.

When is Trooping the Colour 2024?

Trooping the Colour 2024 will take place on Saturday, June 15, 2024. The service will start at 10 am and the fly-past is set to take place at around 1 pm.

For How Long Will the Trooping the Colour Last?

Trooping the Colour 2024 should last for about three hours and twenty minutes. Princess of Wales to Miss Major Military Display Amid Cancer Treatment.

Watching Trooping the Colour is a grand and splendid experience, whether you watch it in person or from the confines of your home. It is a must-watch event. For those heading to London to catch the event in person, it is advised to travel early to the Mall or the edges of St. James’ Park. If you are watching it from home, you can catch the live streaming on BBC or YouTube.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 08, 2024 07:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).