Trooping the Colour Celebrated On A Sunny London Day

The official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II was celebrated on Saturday, and London kept up the glorious weather it has been having lately for the Trooping the Colour event.

Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh began the day with a minute’s silence in the courtyard of Buckingham Palace, in honour of the victims of this week’s Grenfell Tower fire tragedy. They were then joined by members of the Royal Family for the carriage procession to Horse Guards Parade for the official ceremony, where over 1,600 soldiers from the Household Division were on show. The 1st Battalion Irish Guards took centre stage as they Trooped their Colour in front of the monarch.

Following the procession back to the Palace down The Mall from Horse Guards Parade, the entire Royal Family appeared on the Palace balcony to watch the annual RAF fly-past. The youngest of the family – Prince George and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, and, for the first time, Savannah and Isla Phillips – were enraptured by the display as they watched from prime-position at the balcony railing.

Ahead of the event, the Queen issued a statement addressing the recent tragic events that have hit the United Kingdom, saying it was “difficult to escape a very’ sombre national mood” on what is “traditionally a day of celebration”.

“As a nation, we continue to reflect and pray for all those who have been directly affected by these events. During recent visits in Manchester and London, I have been profoundly struck by the immediate inclination of people throughout the country to offer comfort and support to those in desperate need.

Put to the test, the United Kingdom has been resolute in the face of adversity. United in our sadness, we are equally determined, without fear or favour, to support all those rebuilding lives so horribly affected by injury and loss,” the statement read referring to the terrorist attacks in Manchester and London, and the Grenfell Tower fire.

Filed under The United Kingdom
Tagged Birthday, Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Trooping the Colour.