Trooping the Colour 2: 2023 -

[Erin9]

Yes, it's relatively empty, but start of the new reign is the best time to "cut off" side branches.
Before Covid number of relatives on the balcony started to grow almost exponentially. It was over the top. They needed to do something.

Well- they succeeded.

It does seem a bit empty though to me. And I miss seeing at least some of the extended family.

 

[Erin9]

Everyone's talking about Louis, but George being able to identify the planes and getting congratulated by William was such a cute moment.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1670040509790797826

Also loved this moment, the CR in the sky was amazing and Duchess Sophie was rightfully excited about it.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1670042599543959552

Those are both nice moments.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

I totally agree! The balcony looked perfect to me and I don't want to see the extended family soaking up the limelight. It's a very important message to the British public that this is the core working family.

But how is there going to be focus on those distant relatives? How would they be soaking up the limelight? I think the public who get accurate news and are aware of who is who know the difference between the working royals and the extended family

 

[Erin9]

I found the balcony very dull this year, one of the charming things about Trooping the Colour is getting to see the wider members of the family up there together.

You could do without all the Kent and Gloucester children and grandchildren but just go with the Queen’s own descendants.

That would be a nice middle ground to take.

 

[sophie25]

Lady Gabriella looked lovely, as always, I'd loved to have seen some of the other ladies who were not on the main balcony.

 

[Alison H]

It was lovely to see the children there, but I also miss seeing the extended family.

 

[Spheno]

Just saw a picture on Twitter of Lady Gabriella, Earl of St. Andrews and other Kent family watching the flypast from the balcony in the forecourt. Nice to know that Charles is still having a big family day behind the scenes.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1670062540993208320

 

[tommy100]

Glad to see that. I did suggest they might use the "inner balcony" but others on here thought it wouldn't provide a good enough view. Seems the perfect solution to me - the "working royals" on the public balcony, wider RF on the inner balcony and all together for lunch after.

 

[sophie25]

Glad to see that. I did suggest they might use the "inner balcony" but others on here thought it wouldn't provide a good enough view. Seems the perfect solution to me - the "working royals" on the public balcony, wider RF on the inner balcony and all together for lunch after.

Yes it's a nice solution and good to know the King is still making trooping a big family occasion. I still think having the rest of the family view the flypast from the Palace windows would give a better vantage point though.

 

[Elly C]

This is the official birthday celebration for the King so why extended members of the family can’t be seen to celebrate the occasion by standing on the balcony is beyond me, it looks unnecessarily petty to me.. There are other ways to make clear who are working royals. I hope there is a rethink.

 

[sophie25]

This is the official birthday celebration for the King so why extended members of the family can’t be seen to celebrate the occasion by standing on the balcony is beyond me, it looks unnecessarily petty to me.. There are other ways to make clear who are working royals. I hope there is a rethink.

I tend to agree with you, I think the whole working royals thing has went too far. When royal watchers like myself are rapidly losing interest it's not a good day for the survival of the Monarchy.

 

[Tirilschatz]

I tend to agree with you, I think the whole working royals thing has went too far. When royal watchers like myself are rapidly losing interest it's not a good day for the survival of the Monarchy.

I could not agree more.

 

[Somebody]

I think a middle ground would be quite nice, they could easily do a "working royals and Wales family" first appearance on the balcony then invite the wider family for the fly past IMO.

That would indeed have been a great solution had Charles not had the problem of both a brother and a son who've made it very undesirable to allow them back as part of the public face of the monarchy. And it would create unnecessary tension if he would allow all the others but not them.

 

[sophie25]

That would indeed have been a great solution had Charles not had the problem of both a brother and a son who've made it very undesirable to allow them back as part of the public face of the monarchy. And it would create unnecessary tension if he would allow all the others but not them.

Yep, Harry and Andrew are at the crux of this, although bearing in mind that Andrew was hanging out with an abuser of young girls and Harry has left, I think their absence should be a given without other family members having to be penalised for it.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

So stunning to see the King on horseback!

In the 80's and part of the 90's it was very common to see HM on horseback, usually at polo however.

 

[leticia.h]

Yep, it's pretty dull now, I really don't think the future of the Monarchy will hinge on one big family day in June being cut. I've always believed that if you like watching it then your now left disappointed and if your a republican then you are anyway, so having it so scaled back doesn't achieve anything other than to cause disinterest among those who were originally interested in the first place.

Exactly. It's the only day we get to see the whole family together and the only opportunity we have to see some family members. I really hope this is not the new tradition

 

[camelot23ca]

I found the balcony very dull this year, one of the charming things about Trooping the Colour is getting to see the wider members of the family up there together.

You could do without all the Kent and Gloucester children and grandchildren but just go with the Queen’s own descendants.

Going with the Queen’s descendants may have been the plan before everything blew up with Harry and Andrew. To me, the strict working vs non-working royals policy probably began as a way to make their absence less glaring and especially to cut off any public whining from California about how hypocritical it is that so and so gets to do (insert event here) while poor, poor Harry and Meghan… blah blah blah I’m sure we could all recite their spiel verbatim by now.

I think the policy does add clarity of a sort, but I’m beginning to wonder if it’s necessary at this point. Everyone knows why the Sussexes and Andrew aren’t there. Andrew has retired completely from public life, while still appearing at private family events. Harry and Meghan have done a very good job over the past couple of years at showing why the BRF has to keep them at arms length.

The policy also has the effect of excluding members who are reasonably well known and potentially interesting to the average person. The late Queen’s grandchildren and their young children will attract more attention than her elderly cousins.

 

[Hallo girl]

Going with the Queen’s descendants may have been the plan before everything blew up with Harry and Andrew. To me, the strict working vs non-working royals policy probably began as a way to make their absence less glaring and especially to cut off any public whining from California about how hypocritical it is that so and so gets to do (insert event here) while poor, poor Harry and Meghan… blah blah blah I’m sure we could all recite their spiel verbatim by now.

I think the policy does add clarity of a sort, but I’m beginning to wonder if it’s necessary at this point. Everyone knows why the Sussexes and Andrew aren’t there. Andrew has retired completely from public life, while still appearing at private family events. Harry and Meghan have done a very good job over the past couple of years at showing why the BRF has to keep them at arms length.

The policy also has the effect of excluding members who are reasonably well known and potentially interesting to the average person. The late Queen’s grandchildren and their young children will attract more attention than her elderly cousins.

I would agree with this summary of the situation.
Let’s hope things change next year. The King is finding his feet, BP is under renovations, maybe having too many people going about especially younger children was not a sensible option, let’s hope for more next year.

 

[Lumutqueen]

I've just seen the pictures of the Kent family on a balcony at the back, this actually does make me think the reduced balcony has something to do with the renovations taking place which were mentioned on the broadcast as being extensive and still taking place.

 

[Sionevar]

Just watched some coverage on my local TV news channel. The correspondent described the event as Britain's 'national day', which took me by surprise. It's an extremely important event in the royal calendar, but I'm not sure that description really fits.

What do you all think? Is this Britain's 'national day'? Is it that important for the nation as a whole?

 

[Alison H]

Just watched some coverage on my local TV news channel. The correspondent described the event as Britain's 'national day', which took me by surprise. It's an extremely important event in the royal calendar, but I'm not sure that description really fits.

What do you all think? Is this Britain's 'national day'? Is it that important for the nation as a whole?

I've never heard it called that before! There isn't actually a British national day - St George's Day, St Andrew's Day, St David's Day and St Patrick's Day are sort of national days for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland respectively, but I don't think anyone would call Trooping The Colour/the King's Birthday a "national day". There are no events to mark it anywhere except where it actually takes place, and it's one of those things which you might watch on TV if you were in, but wouldn't particularly make plans for ... and, being on a Saturday morning, most people are busy doing other things.

It's lovely to see, but it's certainly not a "national day".

 

[Lilyflo]

What do you all think? Is this Britain's 'national day'? Is it that important for the nation as a whole?

No and no.

My experience of family, neighbours, friends and the number of people driving past our lane on the way to the local beach today, leads me to believe that most people carried on with their Saturday regardless of what was happening in central London. Some will watch the highlights later but most will see the main clips on the news, if at all. We like pageantry eg the jubilee, the coronation and senior royals' funerals but unless it's on their news programme, I suspect a significant number of Brits didn't even know Trooping the Colour was happening. My adult children are busy with their lives and children - none of them paid attention to what the King was doing today.

 

[sophie25]

I would agree with this summary of the situation.
Let’s hope things change next year. The King is finding his feet, BP is under renovations, maybe having too many people going about especially younger children was not a sensible option, let’s hope for more next year.

I would love this to be true but I think what we saw today will be it going forward unfortunately.

 

[Katymcwaity]

Just watched some coverage on my local TV news channel. The correspondent described the event as Britain's 'national day', which took me by surprise. It's an extremely important event in the royal calendar, but I'm not sure that description really fits.

What do you all think? Is this Britain's 'national day'? Is it that important for the nation as a whole?

Nope, i only watch if I am around and because it’s something my Dad would watch. Its nice to see photos etc but its just some event on tv. A bit like the Oxford Cambridge boat race, no one interested but yet its a big tv event ( especially as the unis aren’t the best rowing teams apparently) I am not sure if it’s because BBC is the state broadcaster and it’s written into their terms.

 

[HenRach Dominion]

As an American, I don't have a dog in the fight with regards to the number of BRF members on the main balcony at the Trooping the Colour. Given that it will be about 15+ years before a new family member joins the working royals, the main balcony will inevitably get smaller over the years. Will the Trooping be as exciting for British people if it's only, say, TM King William V and Queen Catherine, TRH The Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, and TRH The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh?

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Lovely to see The King riding his newest RCMP-horse ”Noble” today.

Followed by The Prince of Wales on ”Darby”, The Princess Royal on ”Sir John” and The Duke of Edinburgh on the King’s usual charger ”George”

I like the fact that Princess Anne's horse is named "Sir John".
The name John has not been used for a Prince in the Royal Family in decades.
At least a royal horse has the name.

 

[Prinsara]

I like the fact that Princess Anne's horse is named "Sir John".
The name John has not been used for a Prince in the Royal Family in decades.
At least a royal horse has the name.

There was a famous racehorse with the same name. The royal horse is more likely named for that than for a person.

People-wise the name has centuries of unfortunate history and the royals are superstitious.

I like that the King rode the latest of the RCMP presents, although I suppose the horse was gifted for that purpose.

And a question — I have learned that the bearskin strap is worn under the lip and not the chin for safety reasons, but I still wonder how you actually see while you're wearing one. It just looks so challenging.

 

[US Royal Watcher]

As an American, I don't have a dog in the fight with regards to the number of BRF members on the main balcony at the Trooping the Colour. Given that it will be about 15+ years before a new family member joins the working royals, the main balcony will inevitably get smaller over the years. Will the Trooping be as exciting for British people if it's only, say, TM King William V and Queen Catherine, TRH The Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, and TRH The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh?

I agree that royal watchers may be disappointed in the future, but regardless of the number of royals, there will be marching bands and the fly past. My grandchildren would love that.

 

[silmai]

I like the fact that Princess Anne's horse is named "Sir John".
The name John has not been used for a Prince in the Royal Family in decades.
At least a royal horse has the name.

The horse was named Sir John in honour of Canada's first Prime Minister, Sir John A. MacDonald.

 

[King of the Jungle]

It was a brilliant display and the balcony was almost as expected. I missed seeing some of the younger family members - not really for my sake but as companionship for the Wales three. One would not want them to grow up without cousins to share memories and perhaps feeling too special within the extended family. I missed seeing the young fashion of Louise, Beatrice and the glee from younsters etc. I like to see the celebration of a family birthday on the balcony.