EVERY YEAR SINCE 1748, THE TROOPING OF THE COLOUR HAS MARKED THE OFFICIAL BIRTHDAY OF THE BRITISH MONARCH.
HOWEVER, SINCE THE 17TH CENTURY (ALTHOUGH THE ROOTS GO BACK MUCH FURTHER), ON BATTLEFIELDS, A REGIMENT’S COLOURS WERE USED AS RALLYING POINTS, ABOVE THE SMOKE, SO THAT SOLDIERS COULD RECOGNISE THEIR REGIMENTS COLOURS.
THE TROOPING OF THE COLOUR (ALSO KNOWN AS THE QUEEN’S OFFICIAL BIRTHDAY) IS ALWAYS HELD IN LONDON ON A SATURDAY IN JUNE ON HORSE GUARDS PARADE BY ST JAMES’S PARK. IT COINCIDES WITH THE PUBLICATION OF THE BIRTHDAY HONOURS LIST. (ALTHOUGH THE QUEEN’S ACTUAL BIRTHDAY IS APRIL 21ST, THIS IS A TRADITION WHICH GOES BACK 250 YEARS, TO TRY TO ENSURE BETTER WEATHER FOR THE MONARCH’S OFFICIAL CELEBRATIONS.)
TODAY, THE QUEEN LOOKED STUNNING IN A VIBRANT GREEN COAT & DRESS BY STEWART PARVIN. SHE TRAVELLED DOWN THE MALL FROM BUCKINGHAM PALACE IN A VINTAGE CARRIAGE, WITH THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH BY HER SIDE. THE DUKE WAS WEARING HIS BEARSKIN CAP AND UNIFORM OF THE COLONEL GRENADIER GUARDS. (THE QUEEN USED TO ATTEND ON HORSEBACK HERSELF, BUT HAS TRAVELLED BY CARRIAGE IN RECENT YEARS.)
CARRIAGES ALSO CARRIED OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY WHO WERE ATTENDING THE EVENT, INCLUDING THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE, THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL, PRINCE HARRY, THE DUKE OF YORK, AND PRINCESSES BEATRICE AND EUGENIE.
THE PRINCE OF WALES, (COLONEL OF THE WELSH GUARDS) PRINCESS ROYAL, (COLONEL OF THE BLUES AND ROYALS), & THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE (COLONEL OF THE IRISH GUARDS), ALL TRAVELLED ON HORSEBACK.
ONCE THE QUEEN ARRIVED AT HORSE GUARD’S PARADE, SHE WAS GREETED BY A ROYAL SALUTE AND CARRIED OUT AN INSPECTION OF THE TROOPS, (THE COLDSTREAM, GRENADIER AND SCOTS GUARDS) WHO ARE FULLY TRAINED AND OPERATIONAL SOLDIERS WEARING THE CEREMONIAL UNIFORM OF RED TUNICS AND BEARSKIN HATS. (THE IRISH GUARDS HAD LINED THE QUEEN’S PROCESSIONAL ROUTE FROM BUCKINGHAM PALACE.
OVER 1400 PARADING SOLDIERS IN TOTAL AND 300 HORSES WERE INVOLVED IN THE PARADE TODAY, AND THOUSANDS OF HAPPY PEOPLE LINED THE STREETS WAVING FLAGS.
THE COLOUR BEING PARADED THIS YEAR WAS THE FLAG OF NUMBER 7 COMPANY COLDSTREAM GUARDS, (WHO HAVE CONDUCTED ACTIVE SERVICE IN IRAN AND AFGHANISTAN).
ALL OF THE PARADES TODAY WERE SPECTACULAR AND PERFORMED WITH THE UTMOST PRECISION. (A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH WORKING TOGETHER, TEAMWORK AND COLLABORATION.)
THE MASSED BANDS OF THE HOUSEHOLD DIVISION AND THE MOUNTED BAND OF THE HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY ALSO TOOK PART, AS WELL AS THE KING’S TROOP ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY, WHO LATER FIRED A 41-GUN SALUTE IN GREEN PARK.
ONCE THE SOLDIERS MARCHED PAST THE QUEEN, SHE RODE BACK TO BUCKINGHAM PALACE AHEAD OF THEM, BEFORE TAKING THE SALUTE AGAIN AT THE PALACE FROM A DAIS.
THE QUEEN WAS THEN JOINED BY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, ON THE BALCONY OF BUCKINGHAM PALACE FOR A FLY-PAST BY THE ROYAL AIR FORCE, WHICH TODAY INCLUDED ROYAL BABIES PRINCESS CHARLOTTE AND PRINCE GEORGE…!
LATER IN THE AFTERNOON, THE ROYAL BARGE GLORIANA LED A FLOTILLA OF AROUND 50 BOATS IN A STUNNING PAGEANT DOWN THE RIVER THAMES.
YESTERDAY A NATIONAL SERVICE OF THANKSGIVING WAS HELD AT ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE QUEEN’S “DUTIFUL COMMITMENT, LOVING LEADERSHIP, GENTLE CONSTANCY, AND KINDLY HUMANITY” – STAY TUNED FOR MORE…!