The Queen is celebrating her official birthday in London this morning with the annual Trooping the Colour march along Horse Guards Parade in London. The monarch, who turned 89 this year, was taken past cheering crowds in a horse-drawn carriage alongside husband Prince Philip, wearing full bearskin hat and accompanying red tunic which he is entitled to wear as he is Colonel of the Welsh Guards and Grenadier Guards. Price Harry, also dressed in full military regalia, was seen in another horse drawn carriage along with the Duchess of Cambridge, making her first appearance since giving birth to Princess Charlotte last month.
While the new princess is not expected to appear, it is expected that Prince George will make an appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony with his great-grandmother for the first time. George’s father, Prince William, and grandfather, Prince Charles, both of whom will be riding in the procession, attended their first Trooping at two. George will celebrate his second birthday in July.
The young prince was spotted earlier in the day smiling and laughing while looking out the window of Buckingham Palace close to the balcony, perhaps preparing for his big moment. Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, was riding in the open-topped Barouche along with Kate and Prince Harry, while Princess Eugenie and Beatrice occupied a third alongside their father Prince Andrew.
The only senior royals not present are the Earl and Countess of Wessex who will represent the monarch at a Swedish royal wedding. Prince Charles, who is Colonel of the Welsh Guards, the Princess Anne, Colonel of the Blues and Royals, and the Duke of Cambridge, Colonel of the Irish Guards, are all due to attend the parade but will arrive on horseback rather than by carriage.
The Queen, who does still ride in her spare time, used to attend the parade on horseback, but switched to a carriage in the late 1980s. Trooping The Colour is a military custom which dates back to the time of Charles II, when regiments would have their colours displayed daily to ensure their men could recognise them in battle. George III declared that it should take place to mark the king’s birthday, a tradition which continues today.
Colours, or flags, were trooped past ranks of soldiers so they could be seen and inspected prior to battle, and from the 18th century the tradition was taken up by the soldiers of the royal palaces. In 1748 it was decided that the occasion would also be used to mark the official birthday of the monarch. The Queen’s actual birthday was on April 21.