Full Recap of King Charles’ Birthday Parade
The Prince and Princess of Wales Call Trooping the Colour ‘Such a Special Day’
June 15, 2024 11:01 AM EDT
After Trooping the Colour wrapped, Prince William and Princess Kate’s joint social media page shared a few photos from the big day, including a snap of Kate riding in the carriage with their kids and William on horseback. Two other photos showed a general view of the military procession in action. The post was captioned, “Such a special day.”
Prince William and Kate Middleton Share a Sweet Moment with Their Kids
June 15, 2024 08:46 AM EDT
James Manning/PA Images via Getty
Prince William and Princess Kate shared a smile with Prince Louis as they stood with their kids during the royal family’s appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. In another loving moment, the Princess of Wales smoothed the back of Princess Charlotte’s hair.
Trooping the Colour marks the Prince and Princess of Wales’ first public appearance with their kids since Christmas Day at Sandringham.
Kate Middleton Joins Royal Appearance on the Balcony of Buckingham Palace
June 15, 2024 08:22 AM EDT
HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty
The rain stopped and the sun broke through the clouds at Buckingham Palace just in time for the royals to make their classic balcony appearance at Trooping the Colour.
Princess Kate stepped out alongside King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince Edward, Lady Louise Windsor, Princess Anne, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester and Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent.
The appearance on the terrace of the royal residence is one of the most iconic highlights of the monarch’s birthday parade.
Kate Middleton Shares Surprise Video of Her Arrival with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis
June 15, 2024 08:10 AM EDT
In an unexpected update, the Princess of Wales posted a video of her Trooping the Colour travel with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
“All set for The King’s Birthday Parade,” the clip was captioned on the official Instagram account Princess Kate and Prince William share. The short snippet showed Princess Kate lovingly touching her daughter’s hair as the princess and her kids waited for their carriage. Prince Louis gave a wave as the drivers arrived, and Princess Charlotte smiled from her spot inside the Glass Coach beside Prince George.
The horse-drawn transport then made its way to join the royal processional.
The Trooping the Colour Procession Forges Forward
June 15, 2024 07:59 AM EDT
Chris Jackson/Getty
Despite the drizzle, the parade continued in the rain as the troops and royal carriages traveled back to Buckingham Palace.
The British Army said that over a thousand soldiers and 242 horses, 250 military musicians and 40 pipes and drummers came together for Trooping the Colour today.
Wet Weather Threatens the Flypast
June 15, 2024 07:33 AM EDT
Chris Jackson/Getty
Heavy rain began to pour around 12 p.m. local time, though the festivities continued. Earlier in the day on June 15, the Royal Air Force said that its traditional flypast at the King’s birthday parade was subject to the weather.
“Today at 1pm, subject to weather, serviceability, & operational requirements, over 30 aircraft will take to the skies above London and over Buckingham Palace to celebrate His Majesty The King’s Official Birthday following the King’s Birthday Parade (Trooping the Colour),” the branch wrote on X.
Amid the conditions, Princess Kate and Princess Charlotte were spotted wiping the condensation away from their carriage window. Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, and her daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, huddled for cover in the open No.1 Barouche.
In May 2023, it similarly drizzled on King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation day, and the flypast was slightly modified due to the wet weather.
Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis Watch from the Window
June 15, 2024 07:19 AM EDT
Alamy
Princess Kate, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis caught the Trooping the Colour ceremony at Horse Guards Parade from a prime spot inside the Major General’s Office. As seen in video shared to social media, Prince Louis danced and grooved to the tune of the music! His moves seemed to make his mom Princess Kate laugh, though Princess Charlotte looked less than impressed. Prince Louis was also spotted playing with a curtain rod and yawning during their time on the balcony.
Prince William and Princess Kate’s youngest son is known for his playful personality and has charmed the crowds with his reactions at official events from Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee to King Charles’ historic coronation and more.
Prince William Saddles Up on Horseback at Trooping the Colour
June 15, 2024 06:41 AM EDT
Chris Jackson/Getty
Prince William continued tradition and trotted into the spotlight at Trooping the Colour. He rode a horse named Darby, and saddled up alongside Prince Edward and Princess Anne. Prince William is the honorary Colonel of the Welsh Guards, and wore the regiment’s red uniform with a leek symbol on neckline and a traditional bearskin cap with white and green plume.
Polo player William is known to ride in the parades at Trooping the Colour, and did the same last year.
Kate Middleton Rides with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in the Glass State Coach
June 15, 2024 06:32 AM EDT
Karwai Tang/WireImage
There they go! Kate Middleton traveled with her three kids, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, in the Glass State Coach as they made their way to Horse Guards Parade. Meanwhile, Prince William saddled up on horseback and rode in the parade through London.
The Princess of Wales revealed her plans to attend Trooping the day prior. “I’m looking forward to attending the King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to join a few public engagements over the summer, but equally knowing I am not out of the woods yet,” she said in a personal message, referring to her cancer treatment.
King Charles and Queen Camilla Travel by Carriage amid His Cancer Treatment
June 15, 2024 06:24 AM EDT
James Veysey/Shutterstock
King Charles and Queen Camilla rode in the Scottish State Coach as they moved along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade. It was previously confirmed that the King would travel this way at Trooping amid his cancer treatment. Instead of riding on horseback as he has in years past, including the first parade of his reign in June 2023, it was announced he would take a carriage with his wife and conduct the review from there.
The King resumed public-facing duties in late April after the palace announced that he was diagnosed with cancer and began treatment on Feb. 5. He has since quipped that he is glad to be “out of my cage,” after Queen Camilla, 76, said that her husband was “thrilled” to be out and about again.
Kate Middleton Arrives at Trooping the Colour with Family
June 15, 2024 05:28 AM EDT
HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty
The Princess of Wales was first spotted on the morning of Trooping the Colour arriving in a car with her husband, Prince William, and their three children. The snap showed a hint of her outfit choice for King Charles’ birthday parade and her first public appearance since Christmas: a white Jenny Packham dress with a black bow detail around the neckline with a matching Philip Treacy hat over an updo.
Kate is expected to ride in the Glass State Coach with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in the procession through the streets of London before joining the royal family on the Buckingham Palace balcony later in the event.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Don’t Attend Trooping the Colour
June 15, 2024 03:01 AM EDT
KOLA SULAIMON/AFP via Getty
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will not join members of the royal family at Trooping the Colour. PEOPLE previously confirmed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not invited to the British military’s festivities for King Charles’ birthday on June 15 for the second year in a row.
Prince Harry, 39, and Meghan, 42, relocated to the U.S. after stepping back as working members of the royal family in 2020. They settled in her home state of California with their son, Prince Archie, 5, and their daughter Princess Lilibet, 3, was born stateside in 2021.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made their first and only trip to the U.K. as a family of four in June 2022 to attend Queen Elizabeth‘s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. They attended a special Trooping the Colour coinciding with the celebrations commemorating the Queen’s record 70-year reign but did not step out on the Buckingham Palace balcony with the royal family. Queen Elizabeth decreed that only working members of the royal family would be included in the balcony appearance, so Harry and Meghan watched the procession from the Major General’s Office overlooking Horse Guards Parade.
The couple had previously attended Trooping the Colour together in 2018 (one month after their royal wedding at Windsor Castle) and in 2019 (only weeks after welcoming their first child, son Prince Archie).
King Charles Is “Delighted” That Kate Middleton Will Attend Trooping the Colour
June 15, 2024 03:01 AM EDT
Samir Hussein/WireImage; Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty
The King was “delighted” that his daughter-in-law Princess Kate planned to step out at Trooping the Colour as she continues to receive cancer treatment.
“His Majesty is delighted that the princess is able to attend tomorrow’s events and is much looking forward to all elements of the day,” a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said on June 14. The Princess of Wales spoke to her father-in-law about her attendance at the royal event celebrating his official birthday.
Princess Kate announced her plans to appear at the sovereign’s birthday parade in a personal letter on June 14. Earlier in the week, King Charles presented the Irish Guards with their new flag (known as “colours”) before the regiment stepped into the spotlight at Trooping the Colour. The five regiments of the Foot Guards rotate the presentation of flags at the event each year, and it is the Irish Guards’ turn to lead the charge through the streets of London.
Princess Kate is the honorary Colonel of the Irish Guard but didn’t attend the Colonel’s Review rehearsal on June 8 amid her cancer treatment. However, “Colonel Catherine” sent a letter expressing her “apologies” and sent the unit her best wishes.
Kate Middleton Will Attend Trooping the Colour amid Cancer Treatment
June 15, 2024 03:01 AM EDT
Matt Porteous
On June 14, it was announced that Kate Middleton would attend Trooping the Colour the following day amid her cancer treatment.
The Princess of Wales, 42, confirmed her attendance in a personal message about her health. Princess Kate, who announced in March that she was undergoing chemotherapy, was last seen on a royal outing on Christmas Day.
“I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days. On those bad days, you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well,” she said in the message.
“My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months. On the days I feel well enough, it is a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as starting to do a little work from home,” the royal continued.
“I’m looking forward to attending the King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to join a few public engagements over the summer, but equally knowing I am not out of the woods yet,” Kate added.
The update came with a new portrait of the royal by Matt Porteous, who Princess Kate and Prince William have previously tapped for family photos over the years. The snap, which provided the public’s first glimpse of the princess since she announced her cancer diagnosis, showed the Princess of Wales in Windsor, standing below a tree with her arms folded and legs crossed as she gazed up.
