Royals
King Charles III Is Bringing Back A Major Trooping The Colour Tradition
It hasn’t been seen since 1986.
Following his historic coronation ceremony back in May, King Charles III is set to revive a major royal tradition that hasn’t been seen since the 1980s. On Saturday, June 17, the King will take part in the annual Trooping the Colour parade in London to mark his first birthday as the reigning British monarch.
On Monday, June 12, Buckingham Palace announced that the King will ride horseback during the parade. This will mark the first time a British monarch has done so since 1986, when the late Queen Elizabeth II last rode her police service horse, named Burmese, during that year’s Trooping the Colour event. In the decades following, the Queen attended the annual parade in a royal carriage rather than on her beloved steed.
Although 1986 marked the final time the late monarch rode a horse during this particular royal ceremony, Queen Elizabeth’s love of horse riding continued throughout her 70-year reign. As PEOPLE notes, the Queen was reportedly still riding her ponies as recently as last year, shortly before her death at the age of 96 in September 2022. The Queen’s love of horses was also reflected in her state funeral service, during which the late monarch’s beloved black fell pony, known as Carltonlima Emma, was included in the royal coffin procession through Windsor Castle.
As mentioned, Trooping the Colour is held each year in June to mark the official birthday of the British Sovereign. According to the official Royal Family website, the parade will see “1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses, and 400 musicians” walk the streets of London in a “great display of military precision, horsemanship, and fanfare to mark the Sovereign’s official birthday.”
“The streets are lined with crowds waving flags as the parade moves from Buckingham Palace and down The Mall to Horse Guard’s Parade, alongside Members of the Royal Family on horseback and in carriages,” an official synopsis of the traditional event reads. Meanwhile, royal spectators can also expect to enjoy an RAF fly-past, which will be watched by senior members of the royal family from the Buckingham Palace balcony.
