Trooping the Colour 2023 - live: King Charles on Buckingham Palace balcony for military flypast

The King is enjoying a military flypast on he balcony at Buckingham Palace after becoming the first monarch in more than 30 years to take part in the Trooping of the Colour on horseback today.

It was the first time a reigning monarch has ridden at Trooping the Colour since Queen Elizabeth’s horse Burmese carried her during the 1986 ceremony.

Around 70 aircraft from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force will take part in the six-minute military flypast today as part of the Trooping the Colour ceremony.

The aircraft will take off from 15 locations across the UK before meeting in the south-east of England to fly across London.

The event will end in the traditional show of red, white and blue from the pilots of the Red Arrows.

The King will appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony with members of the Royal Family for the event.

It comes after a flypast scheduled to take place on Coronation day had to be scaled back due to bad weather.

Key Points

• King Charles rides on horseback for Trooping the Colour

Royal Family leave Buckingham Palace balcony

13:09 , Martha Mchardy

Senior members of the Royal Family have now left the Buckingham Palace balcony after a military flypast to mark the King’s official birthday.

Flypast happening now as King appears on balcony

13:03 , Martha Mchardy

Aircraft are flying over Buckingham Palace now to mark the King’s official birthday as Charles appears on the balcony with other members of the Royal Family.

41 gun salute begins in Green Park

13:01 , Martha Mchardy

The Royal Horse Artillery have started to fire a 41 Gun Salute in nearby Green Park.

21 of the gun salutes will mark the monarch’s birthday, with another 20 signifying it is taking place in a Royal Park.

It is expected to take six minutes, with the commanding officer giving the order to fire every ten seconds.

A further 62 volleys will be fired from the Tower of London by the Honourable Artillery Company.

Members of Royal Family gather on the balcony

12:54 , Martha Mchardy

Members of the Royal Family including the Duchess of Edinburgh have begun gathering on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the military flypast.

Prince of Wales on horseback

12:47 , Martha Mchardy

The Prince of Wales was joined by the Princess Royal and the Duke of Edinburgh as they followed the King in the Trooping the Colour procession.

King set to enjoy military flypast

12:23 , Martha Mchardy

Around 70 aircraft from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force will take part in the six-minute military flypast today as part of the Trooping the Colour ceremony.

The aircraft will take off from 15 locations across the UK before meeting in the south-east of England to fly across London.

The event will end in the traditional show of red, white and blue from the pilots of the Red Arrows.

The King will appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony with members of the Royal Family for the event.

It comes after a flypast scheduled to take place on Coronation day had to be scaled back due to bad weather.

Prime minister among guests

12:20 , Martha Mchardy

Prime minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty were among the guests at the Trooping the Colour ceremony today.

The Duchess of Edinburgh, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and senior military figures were also in attendance.

The King has became the first monarch in more than 30 years to take part in Trooping the Colour on horseback during the ceremony today.

Royal Family return to Palace

12:17 , Martha Mchardy

Charles and the rest of the Royal family are now heading back to Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Colour procession.

National anthem played as King Charles tries to settle his horse

12:10 , Martha Mchardy

Soon after the King arrived on the parade ground the national anthem was played as a mark of respect and Charles had to steady his horse but it would not settle and a groom stepped forward to help.

The King began the ceremony by inspecting the lines of guardsmen on the parade ground, casting a critical eye over the soldiers, formed in two lines, as he rode past.

William, Anne, and Edward rode behind Charles while Camilla and Kate were in a carriage - a symbolic image of the royal family supporting their King as another milestone was reached.

The Queen and the princess wore contrasting outfits, with Camilla in a red silk dress that took inspiration from her regiment, the Grenadier Guards, while Kate was in a striking green dress by Andrew Gn and matching hat by Philip Treacy in honour of her Irish Guards.

The pair later took their seats on a dais with the Duke of Kent, Colonel, Scots Guards, to watch the march past of the troops - a first for the royal women - while the King and the other royal colonels remained on horseback alongside.

Watch: Strange royal traditions around the world

12:06 , Martha Mchardy

King Charles III celebrates his first Trooping the Colour since ascending to the throne on Saturday, 17 June, in Whitehall, London.

It will mark the first military parade for someone other than Queen Elizabeth II in seven decades.

Around the world, 25 other royal families have their own celebrations and traditions.

With Charles’s birthday parade approaching, The Independent takes a look at the weird and wonderful royal traditions from across the globe.

12:00 , Martha Mchardy

The Ensign to the Colour has carried the regimental flag among the ranks of the Welsh Guards.

The parade marks the monarch’s official birthday.

The ceremony dates back to at least the early eighteenth century when the colours of the battalion were carried down the ranks so that they could be seen and recognised by the soldiers.

The significance of Queen Camilla’s hat at King’s first Trooping the Colour

11:54 , Martha Mchardy

King Charles III’s first Trooping the Colour is underway at the House Guards Parade, as the new monarch is joined by the royal family to commemorate his “official” birthday.

This year’s ceremony marks the first time a monarch has joined the parade, featuring hundreds of soldiers, on horseback since the late Queen Elizabeth rode on her favourite horse Burmese in 1986.

Charles is accompanied by the Prince of Wales William, Princess Anne and Prince Edward on horses gifted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Maanya Sachdeva reports:

The significance of Queen Camilla’s hat at King’s first Trooping the Colour

Troops march in formation past King

11:53 , Martha Mchardy

Soldiers are marching past the King, who salutes them while remaining on horseback.

A variety of well-known military tunes are playing while this happens, including “Men of Harlech”, often associated with the Welsh Guards, which describes Welsh soldiers defending Harlech Castle against a siege in the 15th century.

Trooping the Colour parade in pictures

11:49 , Martha Mchardy

11:40 , Martha Mchardy

The Princess of Wales is wearing a green outfit. while Queen Camilla is wearing Lady Diana’s earrings.

The Princess’ dress is a tribute to the Irish Guards.

Queen Camilla is the Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, while the Princess of Wales is Colonel of the Irish Guards.

Watch: How the UK looked when a King last oversaw Trooping the Colour

11:35 , Martha Mchardy

King Charles has become the first monarch in more than 30 years to take part in Trooping the Colour on horseback today.

He was seen saluting to crowds as he left Buckingham Palace for the procession.

Queen Elizabeth was the last monarch to ride on horseback at Trooping the Colour in 1986.

The last time a King took tor salute was in 1950 when King George VI was monarch.

Princess of Wales, Queen Camilla and Royal children ride on carriage

11:30 , Martha Mchardy

The Princess of Wales and Queen Camilla were joined by Prince George and Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte as they took part in the procession during Trooping the Colour today.

King Charles III inspects the Guards as he rides on horseback at Trooping the Colour parade

11:28 , Martha Mchardy

King Charles III inspected the Guards as he rode on horseback at the Trooping the Colour parade.

Trooping the Colour is a social as well as a ceremonial occasion and in the stands overlooking the parade ground were around 8,000 wives, girlfriends and parents of the guardsmen and officers on parade.

The event featured around 1,500 soldiers in total and hundreds of Guardsmen were lined up on the parade ground waiting to be inspected by King, who will be joined by the mounted royal Colonels, including the Queen and Kate in a carriage.

King Charles salutes as he rides of horseback

11:25 , Martha Mchardy

The King has received the official birthday wishes of the nation during his first Trooping the Colour ceremony as monarch.

King Charles saluted as he became the first monarch in more than 30 years to take part in Trooping the Colour on horseback today.

Queen Camilla, who is colonel of the Grenadier guards, followed behind in a carriage with the Princess of Wales, princes Louis and George and Princess Charlotte.

The King’s two birthdays

11:24 , Chris Stevenson

King Charles will not have his birthday until November, but the Trooping of the colour marks some official birthday wishes.Find out more about the King having two birthdays here:

Why does King Charles III have two birthdays and when are they?

Prince George and Louis wave to crowds

11:21 , Martha Mchardy

Prince George and Prince Louis were joined by their sister Princess Charlotte as they waved to crowds at the ceremony.

The three children rode in a carriage Princess of Wales and Queen Camilla during the procession on Horse Guards Parade.

The two princes are wearing suits with red ties.

What is the Trooping of the Colour?

11:19 , Chris Stevenson

The King has received the official birthday wishes of the nation during his first Trooping the Colour ceremony as monarch.

Pomp and pageantry are on display during the military spectacle where the most prestigious regiments in the British Army honoured their Colonel in Chief by parading to mark his anniversary.

Charles had deputised for Queen Elizabeth II at last year's event, also known as the Birthday Parade, but now rode onto Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall as the nation's head of state.

So what makes up the Trooping of the Colour? Watch here to find out.https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/culture/trooping-the-colour-meaning-king-b2359379.html

The King has left Buckingham Palace followed by royals

11:09 , Sam Rkaina

The King has left Buckingham Palace on horseback as Trooping the Colour gets underway in London today.

Queen Camilla, who is colonel of the Grenadier guards, followed behind in a carriage with the Princess of Wales, princes Louis and George and Princess Charlotte.

Prince George was seen waving to crowds, with Prince Louis sitting calmly between his two older siblings.

Ahead of the King were the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, as well as the Duchess of Edinburgh, and the Princess Royal’s husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

Soldiers lined up on Horse Guards Parade

11:08 , Sam Rkaina

Soldiers have lined up on Horse Guards Parade as the first Trooping the Colour of the King’s reign kicks off today.

The regiments, in red ceremonial dress, were led in by a marching band.

The King himself is taking part in today’s ceremony, becoming the first monarch in more than 30 years to do so.

Charles will take the royal salute as Colonel in Chief of the Household Division’s seven regiments as his family and thousands of spectators watch on.

King Charles rides on horseback for Trooping the Colour

11:07 , Sam Rkaina

The King has becomec the first monarch in more than 30 years to take part in Trooping the Colour on horseback as he rides in his inaugural Birthday Parade.

Charles will take the royal salute as Colonel in Chief of the Household Division’s seven regiments during the ceremony, staged on Horse Guards Parade, as members of the royal family and 8,000 spectators watch.

The colour, or regimental flag, that will be trooped in front of hundreds of Guardsmen and officers will be the King’s Colour of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards.

It will be the first time a reigning monarch has ridden at Trooping the Colour since Queen Elizabeth’s horse Burmese carried her during the 1986 ceremony.

Burmese, a gift from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, was the Queen’s favourite steed for ceremonial occasions and she rode it for 18 years until its retirement in 1986, and decided to use a carriage for Trooping rather than train another charger.

When the King rides from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards, he will be joined on horseback by the royal Colonels – Prince of Wales, Colonel, Welsh Guards and the Princess Royal, Gold Stick in Waiting and Colonel, The Blues and Royals.

The Duke of Edinburgh will also be riding during the ceremony in his role as Colonel of the 1st Battalion London Guards, formed last year.

The senior royals on horseback will be joined by a carriage expected to be carrying the Queen and the Princess of Wales and her children.