Trooping the Color is the annual birthday celebration of the reigning monarch in Britain. Records show that the event has existed since the mid to late 1700s.
Queen Elizabeth Had Her First Official Birthday As Monarch In 1952
The event earned a permanent spot on the royal calendar after King George III took the throne in 1760. Trooping the Color always includes a patriotic royal salute, and the royal family observes from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
The Regimental flags of the British Army are said to be their colors, as the purpose of the colors was to help the soldiers see which men were in their troops on the battlefield.
This year, the Irish Guards displayed their flag, or “color.” Kate Middleton is Colonel in Chief of the Irish Guards. The royal family has made many memories at Trooping the Color over the years.
During the Trooping the Color in 1933, a young (then) Princess Elizabeth rode the procession in a carriage as she sat between her grandmother, Queen Mary, and Princess Mary, Elizabeth’s Aunt. Elizabeth’s mother was on the opposite side of the carriage.
In 1935, King Charles’s great-grandfather, George V, had his final Trooping the Color, as he passed on January 20th, 1936.
On June 5th, 1952, the year of her coronation, Queen Elizabeth II rode in the parade on horseback and celebrated her first birthday as monarch. It was evident that she loved to ride horses from her relaxed demeanor. Her father, King George VI, had died only a few months earlier on February 6th, 1952.
The royals wore dark colors at the event to show they were still mourning King George VI. Princess Elizabeth’s mother, The Queen Mother, and her sister, Princess Margaret, were pictured on the balcony in somber-looking outfits.
Queen Elizbeth Was Shot At During The Event In 1981
Trooping the Color in 1954, Queen Elizabeth, her little son (then) Prince Charles, Princess Anne, and Prince Philip brought youth and vitality into the monarchy’s future.
1964 saw the birth of Queen Elizabeth’s final child, Prince Edward. Elizabeth was pictured holding her baby, and his mother was proud and glowing.
The first color broadcast of Trooping the Color was in 1970. It was the second time that the Queen rode on her beloved horse, Burmese, during the procession. She rode horseback on Burmese from 1969 to 1986.
Lady Diana Spencer took part in her first Trooping the Color in 1981, even before she wedded Prince Charles. She rode in the carriage with Charles’s brother, Prince Andrew, as Charles rode on horseback with Queen Elizabeth.
Unfortunately, Queen Elizabeth was shot at during this event. It happened while she was making her way toward Buckingham Palace, as a crazed anti-monarchy motivated teenager, Marcus Sarjeant, shot at her. Neither the Queen nor her horse were injured, but it caused quite a scare. Fortunately, the gun used was an imitation revolver that fired only blanks. The teen spent three years in prison because of the incident.
A New And Exciting Generation Begins
During Trooping the Color 1984, Prince William made his balcony debut just before his second birthday. The crowd cheered as they looked at little William and saw the future. William rode in the parade for the first time in 1987.
Prince Harry joined his family on the balcony in 1985 at the tender age of nine months old. From an early age, he always acted out at significant events like this.
Two months after William and Kate Middleton were married in 2011, the couple first appeared together at Trooping the Color.
William and Kate’s child, Prince George, who would be King after William, made his debut wearing the same outfit William wore to his first Trooping the Colors.
In 2018, Meghan Markle showed up on the arm of Prince Harry. As the family appeared on the balcony together, the crowd was thrilled. The public’s jubilation wouldn’t last long.
2020 was the COVID pandemic, and a smaller ceremony took place for Queen Elizabeth. She was the only senior royal in attendance.
Sadly, the Queen’s final Trooping the Color was in 2022. That year, she marked her 70-year-long reign as monarch. She died later that year on September 8th.
2023 saw Charles take the throne and attend his very first trooping the Color as King. Throughout each generation, the family has not overlooked the importance of this royal tradition.
Trooping the Color has been a very prestigious and patriotic ceremonial event since it began and will be part of the royal calendar for generations to come.
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