When the sun is shining, King Charles can be celebrated for the first time with the traditional “Trooping the Color” birthday parade. Five-year-old Prince Louis lives up to his cheeky reputation.
Horses, soldiers, bearskin hats, marching music and a little prince joking around: British King Charles III. has been honored with the “Trooping the Color” birthday parade for the first time since his accession to the throne. The 74-year-old looked visibly moved on Saturday as he and other members of the royal family waved to the crowd from the balcony of Buckingham Palace at the conclusion. His five-year-old grandson Prince Louis attracted a lot of attention.
Prince Louis steals the show from his grandfather
The youngest son of the heir to the throne Prince William (40) and Princess Kate (41) once again attracted attention with his amusing behavior: first he held his nose while driving in the carriage – probably because of the horse manure. He later appeared to mimic a motorcyclist with his arms outstretched. And to the delight of Royal fans, he saluted the planes thundering over Buckingham Palace.
The British tabloid “Sunday Express” headlined: “Cheeky Louis delights fans at grandpa’s first Trooping the Colour”.
Regardless of the monarch’s actual birthday (Charles on November 14; Queen Elizabeth II once on April 21), “Trooping the Color” always takes place in June due to better weather. The tradition goes back to 1760.
Despite the clouds, it was dry in London on Saturday and not quite as hot as in the previous days. With sunshine and a light breeze, the procession made its way through central London with 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 members of military bands. Tens of thousands had gathered along the route to watch the spectacle and the royals.
Charles on horseback – Camilla in carriage
Charles rode in front of his son William, his sister Princess Anne (72) and his youngest brother Prince Edward (59) with a bearskin hat that fell low over his face. All four wore uniforms.
In a carriage followed 75-year-old Queen Camilla, Princess Kate and Kate and William’s three children: Prince George (9), Princess Charlotte (8) and Prince Louis (5). While the two boys wore dark jackets with a red tie, Charlotte wore a white dress.
The procession route led from Buckingham Palace along the straight boulevard “The Mall” and from there to the parade ground at Horse Guards Parade, where the king inspected his troops. He remained in the saddle throughout the ceremony. His mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September, was last exposed to this hardship in 1986 at the age of 60.
The name “Trooping the Color” refers to the presentation of the colors of the participating regiments, also known as “colour”.
Royal House website
The event is characterized by the foot soldiers of the Royal Life Guards (Household Division) with their red parade uniforms and bearskin hats. The conclusion and climax of “Trooping the Color” is always the overflight of military planes and helicopters from the Royal Air Force over Buckingham Palace, while the royal family is standing on the balcony. Finally, the Red Arrows aerobatic team colored the sky in the colors of the Union Jack: blue, red, white.
On Sunday, another royal photo dominated the front pages of British newspapers. You can see it: William with his children. The picture was released to coincide with Father’s Day, which is celebrated on the third Sunday of June in the UK and many other countries. Everyone grins – Prince Louis does it particularly wide and in the middle.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
