Trooping The Colour 2023: Date, History, Facts about Trooping The Colour

Join us in commemorating the official birthday of the British monarch, which has been celebrated for over 260 years on the second Saturday of June with the Trooping the Colour ceremony, which will take place on June 10 this year. This two-hundred-year-old impressive display of pageantry is a stately parade with the Queen’s troops, The Household Division, on Horse Guards and Her Majesty the Queen herself present and saluting. More than 1400 officers and soldiers are on parade, along with 200 horses and more than 400 musicians performing in unison. The Queen travels from Buckingham Palace down The Mall in a regal procession escorted by the Household Cavalry. The parade is broadcast live on BBC and in the United Kingdom for those who desire to observe it.

The background of Trooping The Colour

The colours of a regiment represent its spirit, tremendous service to the country it represents, and fallen soldiers. On the battlefield, the colours or flags of a regiment served as rallying points. In order for soldiers to recognise their regiment’s colours, regiments would also have their ensigns gently march between the ranks with their regimental colours. On the battlefield, the loss of a colour and the seizure of an enemy colour were respectively considered the greatest disgrace and the greatest honour. Trooping the Colour is an ancient ceremony in which battalions would participate by their respective companies and each colour party would ‘troop’ or march their colours through the columns so that every soldier could observe their integrity. This was done prior to and following each battle. This ceremony has been preserved over time and is now primarily ceremonial.

Since 1748, Trooping the Colour has also been recognised as the official birthday celebration of the British monarch. This date also coincides with the “Government Gazette” publication of the “Birthday Honours” list, which commemorates the official birthday of the reigning British monarch by bestowing various individuals appointment into national or dynastic orders, as well as the awarding of decorations and medals. The New Year Honours and Birthday Honours are the two annual honours listings. Trooping the Colour enables the Household Division soldiers to pay a personal tribute to the monarch with great pomp and circumstance. The route and St. James’s Park are lined with spectators who listen to music performed by massed and mounted ensembles.

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5 FACTS REGARDING TROOPING THE COLOUR

The balcony is significant, and its attendees tend to fluctuate, but the monarch and his or her spouse, as well as the first- and second-in-line to the throne, along with their spouses, are always present.

The first monarch to use the balcony to embrace her subjects was Queen Victoria.

Princess Diana participated in her first Trooping the Colour, riding in a carriage with Prince Andrew while her future spouse, Prince Charles, rode on horseback.

On the same day Princess Diana first attended Trooping the Colour, 17-year-old Marcus Simon Sarjeant discharged blanks at 55-year-old Queen Elizabeth II, who was riding a horse on her way to the ceremony.

Only infantry battalions of line regiments bear colours. Rifle regiments never carried flags because they never formed a line. Their valour in battle is conveyed on their drums. The Honourable Artillery Company is the exception to this rule, as it has both a stand of colours and weapons.

TROOPING THE COLOUR DATES