The Ultimate Guide to King Charles III's Historic 2023 Birthday Parade
Get ready for the much-awaited King Charles III's Trooping the Colour! This grand celebration, also known as the King's Birthday Parade, will be held on June 17, 2023 With an impressive lineup of participants and attendees, this year's parade promises to be an event to remember Don't miss out on this historic occasion!
King Charles III will celebrate an early Trooping the Colour five months before his 75th birthday. The plans for his first Trooping the Colour as monarch were unveiled in December 2022, with the celebration scheduled for June 17, 2023. This parade is traditionally held to mark the U.K. sovereign's official birthday, but in Charles' case, the date falls months away from his actual birthday, which is on November 14.
Queen Elizabeth II's Trooping the Colour parade, which marks the sovereign's birthday, has traditionally been held on a different date than her actual birthday. Despite the late monarch's birthday falling in April, the parade has been held on a separate date since its origins in the 17th century, with the tradition of marking the monarch's birthday with the parade beginning in 1748 during the reign of King George II. The event boasts a remarkable turnout of more than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses, and 400 musicians who follow a route from Buckingham Palace along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade and back again. The grand finale sees the royal family gathering on the palace balcony for a fly-past of the Royal Air Force.
During her Platinum Jubilee, which celebrated her 70 years on the throne, the queen's final Trooping the Colour saw members of the royal family gathered on the balcony to witness the fly-past. Among them were Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Princess Kate, as well as the queen's great-grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
Charles' upcoming parade promises to be a historic celebration, with 500 soldiers, 300 horses, and 400 musicians participating. This event comes six weeks after his official coronation, which took place on May 6, following his mother's death in September 2022.
Buckingham Palace made a surprise announcement less than a week before Trooping the Colour that Prince Charles will ride on horseback in his birthday parade. This tradition has not been observed in the past thirty years and marks a significant departure from the norm. Queen Elizabeth last rode in the procession in 1986 and has since opted to ride in a carriage. During a rehearsal for the parade, Prince Charles was seen on horseback as he conducted the formal review of the Welsh Guards, marking his first time serving as Colonel of the Regiment.
Keep scrolling for everything to know about Charles’ first Trooping the Colour:
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King Charles III's 1st Trooping the Colour: Everything to Know About the Monarch’s 2023 Birthday Parade
King Charles III is all set to celebrate his first Trooping the Colour as monarch, five months prior to his 75th birthday. In December 2022, the former Prince of Wales disclosed the initial plans for the celebration, which is scheduled to be held on June 17, 2023. While the parade usually commemorates the U.K. sovereign's official birthday, in Charles' case, the day falls much earlier than his actual birth date, which is November 14.
Queen Elizabeth II, like her son, celebrated her Trooping the Colour on a date separate from her actual birthday despite her birthday falling in April. The parade has its roots in the 17th century and became a tradition for marking the sovereign's birthday during King George II's reign in 1748. During Queen Elizabeth's reign, the parade boasted more than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses, and 400 musicians, following a route from Buckingham Palace along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade and back. The parade culminates with a fly-past of the Royal Air Force, and the royal family gathers on the palace balcony to watch.
During her Platinum Jubilee, which marked her 70th year on the throne, the Queen's final Trooping the Colour was a grand affair with several members of the royal family in attendance. Along with Prince Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Princess Kate, the Queen's great-grandchildren, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, were also present to watch the fly-past from the balcony. Looking ahead to Charles' upcoming parade, it is set to be a historic celebration with 500 soldiers, 300 horses, and 400 musicians taking part, marking his first Trooping the Colour six weeks after his coronation. Although Charles was crowned as the new monarch immediately after his mother's passing in September 2022, his official coronation was held on May 6.
Charles will be making a special appearance on horseback during his upcoming birthday parade, marking the first time in 30 years that a member of the royal family has ridden in the procession. The Queen herself last rode in the parade back in 1986, and has since opted to travel by carriage. Recently, the Prince of Wales was seen on horseback during a parade rehearsal, where he also conducted a formal review of the Welsh Guards in his capacity as Colonel of the Regiment.
Keep scrolling for everything to know about Charles' first Trooping the Colour:
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When Is Trooping the Colour?
The King's birthday parade will take place on June 17, 2023.
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What Is Trooping the Colour?
The Trooping the Colour parade is a significant military event that marks the official birthday of the U.K. monarch while also honoring the country's armed forces. Despite being referred to as a birthday parade, historically, it has not coincided with the monarch's actual date of birth. In military terms, "colours" refers to the regimental flags of the British Army.
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How Will Charles' Parade Be Different from Past Celebrations?
Charles will be joining the parade in London on horseback as announced by Buckingham Palace on June 12. This tradition was last observed in 1986 when Elizabeth rode in the procession. Since then, the late queen chose to travel in a royal carriage.
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Who Will Attend Trooping the Colour?
Most members of the royal family typically participate in the patriotic celebration to show their support. However, the attendance of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle remains uncertain for the event. While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were present for the queen's final Trooping the Colour in June 2022, they were not granted an invitation to stand on the balcony with her after the parade.
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Who Will Participate in Trooping the Colour?
Charles appointed several of his family members to ceremonial military roles ahead of the celebration. Kate is now the Colonel of the Irish Guards, a position formerly held by her husband, while William has taken over the role of Colonel of the Welsh Guards from his father. Camilla has been appointed as the Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, a title that was stripped from Prince Andrew by Elizabeth in January 2022. Princess Anne, on the other hand, retains her role as the Colonel of the Blues and Royals Household Cavalry, which she had during her mother's reign.
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Have the Royals Been Rehearsing for Trooping the Colour?
During the rehearsal with the British troops, two guards collapsed, with one being taken away on a stretcher while the other managed to recover. Despite the challenging conditions, the soldiers who participated in the Colonel's Review that morning were praised by the royal, who expressed gratitude to them via Twitter for their exceptional performance.
