Six weeks after the coronation of King Charles III. London experiences the next big military parade. Around 1,400 soldiers and 200 horses are marching in the “Trooping the Color” parade today. The show traditionally celebrates the British monarch’s official birthday. Charles accepts the levy of troops for the first time as king.
Last year, the parade kicked off the celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II’s 70th jubilee and therefore took place on a Thursday as an exception. At that time, Charles represented his ailing mother, who died on September 8, 2022, as heir to the throne.
A family affair
Charles will ride at the event himself. It is the first time since 1986 that a British head of state has been on a horse in “Trooping the Colour”. The king parades from Buckingham Palace along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade. Charles’ wife Queen Camilla and other members of the Royal Family also take part in the spectacle, which is broadcast live on television.
Charles actually celebrates his birthday in November, this year he turns 75. However, the official birthday of the British monarch is traditionally celebrated in June, also because the temperatures are usually milder then. This year, however, almost 30 degrees Celsius are expected. During rehearsals, several uniformed soldiers fainted. Images caused a stir that showed that the people next to them continued to play next to someone who had fallen, apparently unmoved.
Centuries of tradition
The military parade of members of the Household Division Guards Regiment on Horse Guards Parade in London is followed by a Royal Air Force air show. This maneuver was originally planned for Charles’ coronation on May 6, but had to be scaled back significantly due to bad weather. A 41-gun salute was also fired in central London’s Green Park.
The ceremony has been around for centuries. It was probably first held under King Charles I (1660-1685) and has been an annual official event in honor of the king’s official birthday since 1760. The name comes from the regimental flags called “Colours”. They were originally presented to soldiers for recognition on the battlefield, where they served as a rallying point.
Gynecologist is “Commander” of the knightly order
Traditionally, on the occasion of his official birthday, the king awarded honorary royal titles to numerous prominent and less well-known people who have rendered services to the general public and the state. Charles appointed gynecologist Alan Farthing, who had looked after Princess Kate when she gave birth to her children George, Charlotte and Louis, as “Commander” of the Royal Victorian Order. Farthing is considered an expert in gynecological cancer and also works at the private King Edward VII’s Hospital in London, which has cared for members of the Royal Family for decades.
The highest honors went to Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, Booker Prize winner McEwan (“Amsterdam”) and Oxford University medical professor John Bell, who were awarded the Companions of Honour. Founded in 1917, the order, which recognizes merits of national importance, has only a few dozen members. McEwan was surprised in an interview with the British news agency PA. “I think that equates to a really good review,” said the 75-year-old.
