For the first time as sovereign, King Charles will oversee the Trooping the Colour celebrations to commemorate the King’s Birthday holiday.
With the ceremony fast approaching, Woman’s Day has your guide for everything you need to know about the upcoming festivities.
Prince William (Centre) leading the rehearsals for the 2023 Trooping the Colour.
(Image: Getty)IS IT ACTUALLY KING CHARLES’ BIRTHDAY?
Despite the holiday’s name, it is not actually King Charles’ birthday. The monarch celebrates his birthday on November 14.
The mid-year date was first marked in 1748 to commemorate King George II birthday, with the monarch’s desire for outdoor celebration coinciding with summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
Since that time, the date of official birthday celebrations for the monarch have traditionally been held mid-year, with the specific date being determined by parliament.
The King’s Birthday is celebrated across many nations the Commonwealth, with each of the celebrations taking part from late May to early June and Western Australia celebrating in late September.
King Charles will take part in his first official birthday celebrations as King.
(Image: Getty)WHAT IS THE TROOPING THE COLOUR ABOUT?
Trooping the Colour is a military ceremony in which the various regiments of the British Army parade through the streets of London to mark the monarch’s official birthday.
The senior members of the royal family are appointed Colonel-in-Chief of one of the many regiments of the Household Division, with Princess Anne being Colonel of The Blues and Royals, Queen Camilla Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, Princess Catherine Colonel of the Irish Guards, and Prince William Colonel of the Welsh Guards.
The 2023 celebration marks the first time in over 30 years that each regiment of the Household Division will be participating in the parade.
As part of the parade, the royal family will ride either on horseback or in carriages through central London alongside members of the Household Division, giving royal watchers throughout London the opportunity to see the royal family and take part in official celebrations.
The Trooping the Colour concludes with the members of the royal family stepping out on the Buckingham Palace balcony, followed by a 41-gun salute at the nearby Green Park and a fly-past by the Royal Air Force.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip riding in the 1965 Trooping the Colour.
(Image: Getty)WHAT MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY WILL BE THERE?
It is expected that all senior working members of the royal family will be present at the parade.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Princess Catherine, are likely to be in attendance alongside their three children.
The 2022 celebrations marked the first time that Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis attended the ceremony together, with the three children riding in a carriage alongside Princess Catherine and Queen Camilla.
Is is also likely that a number of the senior royals may take place in the parade on horseback, with Prince William riding in last years proceedings and Princess Anne leading part of the King’s coronation parade.
King Charles may also follow in his mother’s footsteps and join the parade on horseback, with Queen Elizabeth II riding in the Trooping the Colour from 1969 to 1986.
Despite his recent appearance in London’s High Court, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are not expected to attend the celebrations as they are not working members of the royal family.
The Prince and Princess of Wales’ three children all took part in the parade last year.
(Image: Getty)WHERE CAN I WATCH THE CELEBRATIONS?
Trooping the Colour will begin on Saturday, June 17, at 7:00pm AEST.
There has yet to be a definitive announcement on official broadcast partners, however, based on previous years, royal fans should expect to be able to watch the proceedings on Seven and 7Plus, ABC, and SBS.
King Charles and Prince William riding in the 2022 celebrations.
(Image: Getty)
