Trooping the Colour 2: 2023 -


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Is this the first time that the Princess of Wales is seated next to the King and Queen? I am surprised she has been given such prominence.
 
Is this the first time that the Princess of Wales is seated next to the King and Queen? I am surprised she has been given such prominence.
She was seated with The Queen and The Duke of Kent 2 years ago when The King rode horseback.

Last year she followed her children indoors at the foreign office when she was undergoing cancer treatment and probably felt unwell.

This year was the first time The King and Queen and The Princess of Wales was seated together at the saluting dais, as the King is now also going in a carriage.
 
She was seated with The Queen and The Duke of Kent 2 years ago when The King rode horseback.

Last year she followed her children indoors at the foreign office when she was undergoing cancer treatment and probably felt unwell.

This year was the first time The King and Queen and The Princess of Wales was seated together at the saluting dais, as the King is now also going in a carriage.
I guess that is because of her role as Colonel of the Irish Guards
 
I guess that is because of her role as Colonel of the Irish Guards
Yes and The Duke of Kent has now stopped sitting there as he has handed over his role as Colonel Scots Guards to the Duke of Edinburgh
 
Yes and The Duke of Kent has now stopped sitting there as he has handed over his role as Colonel Scots Guards to the Duke of Edinburgh
Did he attend at all? Because he would probably have been in a carriage and also on the Balcony
 
Did he attend at all? Because he would probably have been in a carriage and also on the Balcony
He was on the balcony but not in a carriage. I don't think he rides in carriages any more; the last time he attended as colonel in 2023, he was in a car immediately behind the first two carriages.
 
Here are some more photos and videos of today:


** rex gallery ** ppe gallery **

** gettyimages gallery: GBR: Trooping The Colour 2025 **











 
Nice to see the US-built Lockheed Martin F-35B, now in service in the Royal Navy and jointly operated by the RAF.

But sad to see no Louise or James on the balcony. It looks like it will be working royals only from now on (plus the Wales children and Tim Laurence).

Isn't she the future queen of Great Britain ? And thus the 2nd woman after the Queen Consort ?
As explained by Stefan, that is probably because she is the Colonel of the Irish Guards, rather than due to her precedence in the Court.
 
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As explained by Stefan, that is probably because she is the Colonel of the Irish Guards, rather than due to her precedence in the Court.
If we go by precedence it should also have been the case for Camilla, during her mother-in-law reign.
 
Colonels of the Household Division on horseback or on the dais, other royals in the Major General’s office. As simple as that, and it has been so for ages (with the exception of last year because of Kate’s illness).
 
The men in uniform are wearing black armbands. Why?
 
If you could attend Trooping the Colour what would your favourite place be? Horse Guards parade, in front of Buckingham Palace or along the Mall? And why?
 
If you could attend Trooping the Colour what would your favourite place be? Horse Guards parade, in front of Buckingham Palace or along the Mall? And why?
In the room the family watch from.

Thank you. I thought because of the Israeli attack on Iran
IMO that would come under politics. A no no for the Royals.
 
Colonels of the Household Division on horseback or on the dais, other royals in the Major General’s office. As simple as that, and it has been so for ages (with the exception of last year because of Kate’s illness).
Wasn't the Queen Mother also a Colonel?
 
Members of the extended Royal Family continues to attend Trooping The Colour, they only don’t appear on the balcony anymore. They watch the Trooping part of the ceremony as always from the Major General’s Office alongside all the Royal Family and seniors officials. In the following pic you can see Lord Frederick Windsor alongside The Earl and Countess of St. Andrews:
And in this other pic you can see Freddie with his beautiful wife Sophie, the Lady Frederick Windsor:
 
A wonderful family portrait shared this evening:


 
A great picture of the family. George is getting tall and filling out more.
A shame there isn’t a wider family pic even if they can’t get to stand together on the balcony.
 
Out of interest, where you expect her to be seated?
I think tbf there hasn't been a "normal" trooping under Charles' reign yet, it has been his first as sovereign, then one after he has been diagnosed with cancer and was still undergoing treatment (as he is now tbf) and while Catherine was also on 'sick leave' and then this years.
In the previous reign only HM, Philip and I think Edward of Kent ever sat on the dais, the other royals always watched either from horseback on from the Major General's office so I don't think it is an odd question to ask about Catherine's seating arrangement. I guess they maybe feel the children don't need her sitting with them in the office now as she has done in the past, plus her role as Colonel of the Regiment. She did watch from the office last year and was Colonel of the Regiment then as well, so this year they have changed what they do. I think it is perfect she is watching from the dais - all the royal colonels of the Guards Division are on the parade square that way - but is also fair to ask about why it has changed.
 
I think tbf there hasn't been a "normal" trooping under Charles' reign yet, it has been his first as sovereign, then one after he has been diagnosed with cancer and was still undergoing treatment (as he is now tbf) and while Catherine was also on 'sick leave' and then this years.
In the previous reign only HM, Philip and I think Edward of Kent ever sat on the dais, the other royals always watched either from horseback on from the Major General's office so I don't think it is an odd question to ask about Catherine's seating arrangement. I guess they maybe feel the children don't need her sitting with them in the office now as she has done in the past, plus her role as Colonel of the Regiment. She did watch from the office last year and was Colonel of the Regiment then as well, so this year they have changed what they do. I think it is perfect she is watching from the dais - all the royal colonels of the Guards Division are on the parade square that way - but is also fair to ask about why it has changed.
Could it be related to the regiment whose colour was flagged? That differs each year.

A different regimental colour (flag) is trooped each year and members of the five Foot Guards regiments take it in turns to lead the parade.

In 2023 as part of the Army's modernisation programme, 'Future Soldier', the parade saw all five regiments of Foot Guards of the Household Division in attendance for the first time in more than 30 years.

The form of the ceremony remains the same, albeit with slightly different music depending on which regiment is leading the parade with their regimental Colour.

The exception to this tradition was during Covid when a reduced monarch's Birthday Parade was held at Windsor Castle for the Queen Elizabeth II.
Source

Edit: Her regiment's turn was last year but due to her health, Lieutenant General Sir James Bucknall stepped in for her for some of her duties.
 
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The royal colonels in the last reign was Queen Elizabeth II (Colonel in Chief of all the 7 household regiments), Prince Henry Duke of Gloucester (Colonel Scots Guards 1937 - 1974), Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh (Colonel Welsh Guards 1953 - 1975 and Colonel Grenadier Guards 1975 - 2017), Earl Mountbatten of Burma (Colonel Life Guards 1965 - 1979), Edward Duke of Kent (Colonel Scots Guards 1974 - 2024), Charles Prince of Wales (Colonel Welsh Guards 1975 - 2022), Anne Princess Royal (Colonel Blues & Royals 1998 - still serving) and Andrew Duke of York (Colonel Grenadier Guards 2017 - 2022)

QEII started sitting on a dais in 1987 when she stopped riding… Then she was joined there by Prince Philip in 2003 when he stopped riding, and by Edward Duke of Kent in 2013 when he stopped riding…

To even have Royal Colonel’s of the Footguard regiments who have never been on horseback was unheard of until Camilla’s and Catherine’s appointments so that has definitely changed with this reign… I think it’s a good solution to have them on the dais to show that they too are royal colonel’s in the household division..
 
The royal colonels in the last reign was Queen Elizabeth II (Colonel in Chief of all the 7 household regiments), Prince Henry Duke of Gloucester (Colonel Scots Guards 1937 - 1974), Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh (Colonel Welsh Guards 1953 - 1975 and Colonel Grenadier Guards 1975 - 2017), Earl Mountbatten of Burma (Colonel Life Guards 1965 - 1979), Edward Duke of Kent (Colonel Scots Guards 1974 - 2024), Charles Prince of Wales (Colonel Welsh Guards 1975 - 2022), Anne Princess Royal (Colonel Blues & Royals 1998 - still serving) and Andrew Duke of York (Colonel Grenadier Guards 2017 - 2022)

QEII started sitting on a dais in 1987 when she stopped riding… Then she was joined there by Prince Philip in 2003 when he stopped riding, and by Edward Duke of Kent in 2013 when he stopped riding…

To even have Royal Colonel’s of the Footguard regiments who have never been on horseback was unheard of until Camilla’s and Catherine’s appointments so that has definitely changed with this reign… I think it’s a good solution to have them on the dais to show that they too are royal colonel’s in the household division..
Not a member of the British Royal Family but the Grand Duke of Luxembourg was Colonel of the Irish Guards from 1984 to 2000 and then of course Prince William from 2011 to 2022.
 
Is Catherine just not a rider, or could she, if her health were not an issue? She’s so incredibly athletic otherwise… (I know there’s no question about QC and horses; it’s just age/health.)
 
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