What Is Trooping the Colour? King Charles III’s Birthday Parade Explained
usmagazine.comKing Charles III’s first-ever Trooping the Colour as monarch is rapidly approaching — but what exactly does the tradition commemorate?“[Trooping the Colour] is held to commemorate the Sovereign’s birthday,” royal expert Gareth Russell exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, June 13. “It is when a group of regiments called the household division — and they’re the seven regiments [of a] five-foot two cavalry — who [guard the] official royal residences.
The king and queen primarily have a parade from Buckingham Palace down the mall to Horse Guard Parade, where [the soldiers will] be inspected by the king.”The annual parade dates back to the reign of King Charles II, who ruled from 1660 to 1685.
However, it didn’t become a time-honored tradition until the reigns of George II and his grandson George III, who served as heads of the monarchy from 1727 to 1760 and 1760 to 1820, respectively.In order to view the video, please allow Manage CookiesThe phrase “trooping the colour” comes from how soldiers would rally while in battle while holding the specific flag — or “colour” — of their regiment.
During times of peace, officers would carry the flag so other military personnel could recognize the patriotic item.“It brings a large crowd to see it,” Russell said of the modern event. “It’s a chance for those seven regiments to sort of get together and also to be formally acknowledged by the monarchy for the role they play throughout the year in guarding them.”Charles’ Trooping the Colour takes place this year on Saturday, June 17.
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