Trooping the Colour was a magnificent royal spectacle.
On June 15th, the royal family convened in London to commemorate King Charles’ formal birthday celebration with a grand parade across the city. A multitude of soldiers, equines, and musicians executed a nationalistic exhibition of exactitude in tribute to the King, upholding a custom associated with the sovereign’s formal birthday since 1748.
Kate Middleton made her first public appearance in six months at the event, after her announcement of a cancer diagnosis in March.
The event was enhanced by a procession from Buckingham Palace down The Mall to Horse Guards’ Parade, where the Irish Guards would ceremoniously display their flag, often known as “trooping their colour.” Subsequently, the march returned to Buckingham Palace, where the royal family assembled on the renowned balcony of the royal home to see the flypast conducted by the Royal Air Force.
Below, you can find a comprehensive summary of Trooping the Colour 2024.
Following the conclusion of the Trooping the Colour event, Prince William and Princess Kate’s shared social media page posted many photographs from the occasion. Among them was a picture of Kate riding in the carriage with their children, while William was seen on horseback. Two further photographs showed a panoramic perspective of the military march in motion. The caption of the post said, “A highly significant day.”
Prince William and Princess Kate had a cheerful expression while standing with their children, including Prince Louis, during the royal family’s public appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. During a tender moment, the Princess of Wales gently stroked the back of Princess Charlotte’s hair.
The Trooping the Colour event signifies the first public appearance of the Prince and Princess of Wales with their children since Christmas Day at Sandringham.
At Buckingham Palace, the rain ceased and the sun emerged from behind the clouds just in time for the royals to make their customary balcony appearance during the Trooping the Colour event.
Princess Kate appeared in the company of King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince Edward, Lady Louise Windsor, Princess Anne, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester, and Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent.
The presence on the terrace of the royal home is one of the most emblematic aspects of the monarch’s birthday procession.
Surprisingly, the Princess of Wales shared a video of her journey to Trooping the Colour with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
The official Instagram account shared a captioned footage stating that Princess Kate and Prince William are fully prepared for The King’s Birthday Parade. In the little excerpt, Princess Kate affectionately caressed her daughter’s hair as she and her children patiently awaited their carriage. Prince Louis greeted the drivers with a wave, while Princess Charlotte smiled from her position inside the Glass Coach next to Prince George.
The horse-drawn carriage then proceeded to join the royal procession.
Notwithstanding the light rain, the procession continued as the soldiers and royal carriages made their way back to Buckingham Palace.
Today, the British Army reported that a total of 1,000 troops, 242 horses, 250 military musicians, and 40 pipes and drummers participated in the Trooping the Colour event.
At around 12 p.m. local time, a torrential downpour began, yet the celebrations persisted. On June 15, the Royal Air Force said that the customary flypast during the King’s birthday procession was dependent on the weather conditions.
The branch said on X that today at 1pm, provided that the weather is suitable and the aircraft are in good working condition, more than 30 aircraft would fly over London and Buckingham Palace to commemorate His Majesty The King’s Official Birthday after the King’s Birthday Parade (Trooping the Colour).
Princess Kate and Princess Charlotte were seen removing the moisture from their carriage glass in the midst of the circumstances. Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, and her daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, sought shelter in the exposed No.1 Barouche.
During the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla in May 2023, there was a small rain and the flypast had to be adjusted slightly because to the inclement weather.
Princess Kate, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis saw the Trooping the Colour event at Horse Guards Parade from a privileged location inside the Major General’s Office. Prince Louis was seen dancing and moving rhythmically to the music, as shown in a video that was published on social media. The actions of the individual seemed to elicit amusement from his mother, Princess Kate, while Princess Charlotte displayed a lack of enthusiasm. Prince Louis was seen engaging with a curtain rod and exhibiting signs of fatigue while on the balcony.
The youngest son of Prince William and Princess Kate is renowned for his lively demeanor and has captivated audiences with his responses during notable occasions, like Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee and King Charles’ momentous coronation, among others.
Prince William upheld the tradition and confidently appeared in the public eye for Trooping the Colour. He mounted a horse called Darby and positioned himself next to Prince Edward and Princess Anne. Prince William has the title of honorary Colonel of the Welsh Guards and was dressed in the regiment’s crimson uniform, which had a leek insignia on the collar. He also donned a traditional bearskin hat adorned with a white and green plume.
William, a polo player, is renowned for participating in the parades during Trooping the Colour, and he again did so last year.
They are departing! Kate Middleton accompanied her three children, Prince George (10), Princess Charlotte (9), and Prince Louis (6), in the Glass State Coach as they journeyed to Horse Guards Parade. Meanwhile, Prince William mounted a horse and participated in the procession as it made its way through London.
The Princess of Wales disclosed her intentions to participate in Trooping the day before. “I am eagerly anticipating attending the King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and also have the intention of participating in some public events during the summer. However, I am aware that my cancer treatment is not yet complete,” she said in a personal statement.
King Charles and Queen Camilla traveled in the Scottish State Coach while proceeding down The Mall towards Horse Guards Parade. It was already established that the King will travel in this manner for Trooping, while undergoing cancer treatment. Instead of using horses as he had done in previous years, including the first parade of his reign in June 2023, it was stated that he would opt for a carriage beside his wife to oversee the review.
In late April, the King returned to his public responsibilities after the palace’s announcement of his cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment, which started on February 5th. Subsequently, he humorously said that he is pleased to be “free from confinement,” in response to Queen Camilla’s statement that her spouse was “delighted” to be active once again.
The Princess of Wales was first seen during the morning of Trooping the Colour, when she arrived in a vehicle accompanied by her spouse, Prince William, and their three kids. The photograph revealed a glimpse of her attire selection for King Charles’ birthday procession and her first public appearance since Christmas: a white Jenny Packham gown adorned with a black bow accent around the neckline, complemented with a coordinating Philip Treacy cap atop an updo.
Kate is anticipated to travel in the Glass State Coach with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis during the parade throughout the streets of London. Afterwards, she will join the royal family on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the latter part of the festivities.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will not participate in Trooping the Colour with other members of the royal family. PEOPLE previously verified that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were excluded from the British military’s celebrations for King Charles’ birthday on June 15 for the consecutive second year.
Prince Harry, aged 39, and Meghan, aged 42, moved to the United States after resigning as active participants of the royal family in 2020. They established their residence in California, the home state of the mother, together with their son, Prince Archie, who is 5 years old. Their daughter, Princess Lilibet, was born in the United States in 2021.
In June 2022, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, along by their two children, made a singular visit to the U.K. to participate in the festivities commemorating Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee. They participated in a unique Trooping the Colour event that coincided with the ceremonies honoring the Queen’s historic 70-year reign. However, they did not join the royal family on the Buckingham Palace balcony. Queen Elizabeth issued a proclamation stating that only active members of the royal family would participate in the balcony appearance. As a result, Harry and Meghan saw the procession from the Major General’s Office, which overlooks Horse Guards Parade.
In 2018, the pair had previously participated in Trooping the Colour following their royal wedding at Windsor Castle. In 2019, they attended the event shortly after the birth of their first child, Prince Archie.
The King expressed his satisfaction that his daughter-in-law, Princess Kate, intended to participate in Trooping the Colour while undergoing ongoing cancer treatment.
“The spokesperson of Buckingham Palace stated on June 14 that His Majesty is pleased that the princess will be able to participate in tomorrow’s events and is eagerly anticipating all aspects of the day.” The Princess of Wales discussed her presence at the ceremonial occasion commemorating her father-in-law’s formal birthday with him.
On June 14, Princess Kate disclosed her intention to attend the sovereign’s birthday procession via a personal correspondence. At the beginning of the week, King Charles bestowed the Irish Guards with their new flag, often referred to as “colours,” before to the regiment’s prominent participation in the Trooping the Colour event. Every year, the five regiments of the Foot Guards take turns presenting flags during the occasion. This year, it is the Irish Guards’ responsibility to lead the charge through the streets of London.
Princess Kate, who holds the honorary position of Colonel of the Irish Guard, did not participate in the Colonel’s Review rehearsal on June 8 because to her ongoing cancer treatment. Nevertheless, “Colonel Catherine” conveyed her regrets in a letter and sent her well wishes to the unit.
On June 14th, it was revealed that Kate Middleton, despite undergoing cancer treatment, will be present during Trooping the Colour the next day.
The 42-year-old Princess of Wales acknowledged her presence in a personal communication on her well-being. Princess Kate, who disclosed in March that she was receiving chemotherapy treatment, was last saw on a royal excursion on Christmas Day.
“I am experiencing positive advancements, however, as anyone undergoing chemotherapy is aware, there are days of improvement and days of difficulty.” During periods of adversity, one has a sense of physical debilitation, fatigue, and the need to succumb to the need for rest. “However, during the days when you experience better physical strength, you have a desire to fully utilize and maximize your state of wellness,” she conveyed in the letter.
“The duration of my treatment is still in progress and is expected to continue for a few additional months.” When I am feeling sufficiently well, it brings me great pleasure to participate in school activities, dedicate personal time to activities that invigorate and uplift me, and even begin to work remotely,” the monarch said.
“I am eager to attend the King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and also plan to participate in some public events during the summer. However, I am aware that the situation is still uncertain,” Kate said.
The update included a fresh shot of the royal, captured by Matt Porteous, a photographer previously chosen by Princess Kate and Prince William for their family photographs over the years. The photograph, which offered the world their first view of the princess after her announcement of her cancer diagnosis, depicted the Princess of Wales at Windsor. She was shown standing under a tree, with her arms folded and knees crossed, while looking upwards.
