Trooping the Colour at Horse Guards, Westminster, London, June 2024

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Brief description

https://www.householddivision.org.uk/trooping-the-colour

"The Sovereign's official birthday is celebrated with the ceremony of the King's Birthday Parade, also known as Trooping the Colour. This impressive display of pageantry takes place on a Saturday in June, performed by His Majesty’s personal troops of the Household Division on Horse Guards Parade. Over 1,400 officers and soldiers form the parade, together with two hundred horses; over four hundred musicians from ten bands and Corps of Drums march and play in unison. Some 113 words of command are given by the Officer in Command of the Parade, known as the Field Officer in Brigade Waiting. The parade route extends from Buckingham Palace along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade and back again.


At the start of the ceremony, His Majesty The King is greeted by a Royal Salute on Horse Guards Parade and a 41 Gun Salute fired by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery from The Green Park. His Majesty The King then conducts an inspection of his troops with his expert eye. After the Massed Bands of the Foot Guards have performed a musical 'troop', the escorted Colour of the Regiment is carried (or ‘Trooped’) through the ranks of Foot Guards. The Foot Guards then march past His Majesty in slow and quick time before The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and the Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry ride past at the walk and the trot. The King rides back to Buckingham Palace at the head of his Guards, before taking a furthersalute at the Palace from Centre Gate and the troops return to barracks. Finally, His Majesty joins other Members of the Royal Family on Buckingham Palace balcony to watch a fly-past performed by the Royal Air Force.


Each year, the full parade is actually conducted three times on consecutive weekends. The first occasion, known as The Major General’s Review, usually takes place two weeks before the King's Birthday Parade; the second occasion, known as The Colonel’s Review, usually takes place a week before the King's Birthday Parade."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trooping_the_Colour

"Trooping the Colour is a ceremonial event performed every year on Horse Guards Parade in LondonUnited Kingdom, by regiments of Household Division, to celebrate the official birthday of the British sovereign.[1] It is also known as the Sovereign's Birthday Parade. Similar events are held in other countries of the Commonwealth. In the UK, it is, with the State Opening of Parliament, the biggest event of the ceremonial calendar, and watched by millions on TV and on the streets of London.

Historically, colours were once used on the battlefield as a rallying point. They display the battle honours of a regiment and are a focal point of Trooping the Colour. The ceremony has marked the sovereign's official birthday since 1748. Each year, one of the five Foot Guards regiments of the Household Division is selected to slowly troop (carry) its colour through the ranks of guards, who stand with arms presented. During the slow march-past, the colours are lowered before the monarch and during the quick march-past the colours fly. The monarch will salute the colours in return.

During the ceremony, the monarch processes down the Mall from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade in a royal procession with a Sovereign's Escort of Household Cavalry (mounted troops or horse guards). After receiving a royal salute, the monarch inspects his troops of the Household Division and the King's Troop. Music is provided by the massed bands of the Foot Guards and the mounted Band of the Household Cavalry, together with a Corps of Drums, and pipers, totalling approximately 400 musicians. Once obtained, the colour is displayed at the head of the march past the sovereign in slow and quick time, by the Foot Guards, the Household Cavalry, and the King's Troop. (The latter two elements, being mounted, conduct a walk-past and a trot-past.)

Returning to Buckingham Palace, the monarch surveys a further march-past from outside the gates. Following a 41-gun salute by the King's Troop in Green Park, the royal family make an appearance on the palace balcony for a Royal Air Force flypast.[note 1]"

Address

Horse Guards Parade, Westminster, London SW1

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Website

https://www.householddivision.org.uk/trooping-the-colour

https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/place/484414-horse-guards-parade

Directions

"How to watch:

Members of the public wishing to watch any of the parades are advised to stand on The Mall or on the edge of St James's Park overlooking Horse Guards Parade (the view may be partially obscured by troops from these positions) from 9.00am. The best public vantage points are indicated on the map with black dotted lines.

Events begin at approximately 10.20am for each parade, with the fly-past taking place at 1.00pm on the day of the King’s Birthday Parade only.

The King’s Birthday Parade is broadcast live on the BBC in the UK.

Tickets for seating in the grandstand surrounding Horse Guards Parade for the King’s Birthday Parade are allocated by ballot; up to a maximum of 4 tickets can be applied for.Tickets for the Colonel's Review and the Major General's Review are on sale now.

Ticket prices (each) are as follows: £30.00 for the King’s Birthday Parade; £15.00 for the Colonel’s Review and £10.00 for the Major General’s Review.

• Please go to www.kbp.army.mod.uk to purchase your tickets for the Major General's Review and the Colonel's Review or to enter the ballot for tickets to the King’s Birthday Parade.

 Arriving by car/taxi:

There are NO parking or dropping off facilities available in Whitehall or the surrounding areas of Horse Guards for any of the three events. Vehicles will not be allowed within these areas so spectators must be dropped off and make their way on foot to Horse Guards Parade."

Opening Times

Always check with the venue directly for up-to-date information including opening times and admission charges as they may be subject to change

Transport

Horse Guards Parade is located by St James’s Park near Whitehall. The closest Tube stations are Charing Cross and Westminster.

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