Exclusive: Inside King Charles III’s Spectacular 1st Trooping the Colour Celebration – Unforgettable Photos!

The royal family made a stylish appearance at the inaugural Trooping the Colour ceremony in honor of King Charles III. His Majesty, aged 74, arrived at Buckingham Palace on horseback, accompanied by his eldest son Prince William and his sister Princess Anne. Following their official inspection of the British military, they joined the rest of the family on the balcony to witness the military flypast. Charles appeared delighted as he stood beside his wife, Queen Camilla, while the 40-year-old Prince of Wales had his entire family by his side, including his wife Princess Kate and their three children: Prince George, aged 9, Princess Charlotte, aged 8, and Prince Louis, aged 5.

The Princess of Wales, aged 41, looked stunning in a vibrant green dress and a coordinating fascinator as she arrived at the event in a carriage accompanied by Camilla, aged 75, along with their children, George, Charlotte, and Louis.

Trooping the Colour is a yearly celebration held to commemorate the birthday of the current reigning monarch. This year's festivities mark the first celebration of Charles as the monarch. Following the passing of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September 2022, Charles ascended the British throne. His official coronation took place last month.

"This version of the parade is quite impressive," said royal expert Gareth Russell in an exclusive interview with We on Tuesday, June 13. He highlighted that Prince Charles' parade will differ from how it was conducted in honor of the late queen. "The first parade of a new reign is more impactful and has a higher production quality. We can expect all seven regiments to be present, which is more than what we usually see."

Russell further explained, "Although this event is significant regardless of its scale, we are witnessing more soldiers participating because it is the first Trooping of the Colour for Charles III's reign. He specifically wanted to take the salute from horseback, which aligns with the overall tone of the inaugural event."

During Trooping the Colour, the royals made their first appearance on the palace balcony since the coronation. Charles, along with Camilla, William, the Princess of Wales, and their three eldest grandchildren, joined in the celebration. Anne, Edward, and his wife Sophie were also part of the group. However, Prince Harry was noticeably missing from the outing.

Russell previously expressed his opinion that the Sussexes did not need to be invited to the event, not intending it as an insult towards them. He believed that it would be a long trip for them to make from California just for Trooping the Colour. He also stated that he never expected the Sussexes to be invited to this particular event. The Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle had stepped down from their roles as senior working royals in 2020 and relocated to Montecito, California, causing tension with Charles and William over issues of security and privacy. The author of "Spare" even attended the coronation alone, leaving immediately after the service and before the balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace.

Scroll below to see photos from Trooping the Colour:

Credit: James Veysey/Shutterstock

The Royal Family Celebrates King Charles III's 1st Trooping the Colour: See Photos

The royal family made a grand appearance at the inaugural Trooping the Colour ceremony held in honor of King Charles III. His Majesty, who is 74 years old, arrived at Buckingham Palace on horseback, accompanied by his eldest son, Prince William, and his sister, Princess Anne. Following their official inspection of the British military, they joined the rest of the family on the balcony to witness the military flypast. Charles looked delighted as he stood alongside his wife, Queen Camilla, while the 40-year-old Prince of Wales had his entire family by his side. This included his wife, Princess Kate, and their three children: Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.

The Princess of Wales, 41, looked stunning in a vibrant green dress and a coordinating fascinator as she arrived at the event with Camilla, 75, George, Charlotte, and Louis. Trooping the Colour is a yearly commemoration of the current monarch's birthday, and this year's festivities mark the first celebration in honor of Charles. Following the passing of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Charles assumed the British throne in September 2022. His official coronation took place last month.

“This version is quite spectacular,” said royal expert Gareth Russell exclusively to We on Tuesday, June 13. He noted that Charles' parade will be different from how it was held for the late queen. "The first parade of a new reign is more impactful and has a higher production value. We know that all seven regiments will be present, which is more than what we usually see."

Russell also mentioned, "Regardless of its scale, this is a significant event. Because it is the first parade of Charles III's reign, we are witnessing the participation of more soldiers. [Charles] specifically wanted to salute from horseback. It aligns with the tone of the inaugural Trooping of the Colour for his reign."

During the Trooping the Colour event, the royal family made their first appearance on the palace balcony since the coronation. Alongside Charles, Camilla, William, the Princess of Wales, and their three oldest grandchildren were present. Anne, Edward, and his wife Sophie, also joined the group. Interestingly, the Princess Royal and the Duke of Edinburgh rejoined the group on the balcony on Saturday. Notably, Prince Harry was absent during the public outing, while Charles was surrounded by his loved ones.

Russell previously stated to Us on Tuesday that he believes there is no need to invite the Sussexes to the event. He clarified that it is not meant as an insult towards them, but rather acknowledges the long journey they would have to make from California just for Trooping the Colour. It was always unlikely that the Sussexes would be invited to this particular event. The Duke of Sussex, 38, and his wife Meghan Markle, who have two children together, Prince Archie (4) and Princess Lilibet (2), stepped down from their roles as senior working royals in early 2020 and relocated to Montecito, California. Since then, they have had ongoing disputes with Charles and William regarding security and privacy. Russell attended the coronation alone and left promptly after the service, before the appearance on the balcony at Buckingham Palace.

Scroll below to see photos from Trooping the Colour:

Credit: James Veysey/Shutterstock

Royal Salute

Charles accepted the salute for the first time since becoming England's monarch.

Credit: James Veysey/Shutterstock

A Family Ride

The king was flanked by William and Anne on horseback during the Saturday parade.

Credit: James Veysey/Shutterstock

Looking Regal

Kate and Camilla beamed from their carriage, waving to waiting attendees.

Credit: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock

Glowing in Green

The Duchess of Cornwall stunned in an emerald-colored dress.

Credit: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock

Two of a Kind

George and Louis sported matching navy blazers and red ties.

Credit: James Veysey/Shutterstock

Happy Birthday, Charles!

Charles and Camilla waved to the public from the Buckingham Palace balcony during the annual celebration of his birthday.

Credit: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock

Check It Out

George adorably pointed out a military plane to his younger brother during the event.