British king Charles III. officially celebrated his birthday with a traditional parade in central London. Next to the queen Camilla the prince also attended the event William and the princess Kate and their children. Several thousand people watched the ceremony live, foreign press agencies report.
Parade Trooping the Colour or this salute to the flag is a meticulously planned event on the streets of London. The custom originates from the times when soldiers on the battlefield used banners to identify their units, but later it grew into a ceremony.
In addition to being a state ceremony, the parade is also a social event. Around 8,000 family members of Guardsmen and officers filled the stands at the parade. Princess Kate together with King Karl III. and Queen Camilla watched the parade from the central stand, reports the German press agency dpa.
This year’s parade was dedicated to the banner of the Grenadier Guards, which the King presented to the unit earlier in the week. The Grenadier Guards have taken part in every major British military conflict from the 17th century to the recent operations in Afghanistan. Today, in addition to operational tasks, its members also perform the most important ceremonial duties, according to dpa.
PHOTO: Toby Shepheard/AFP
The king inspected the military troops during the ceremony. Just like last year, he did it this year from a carriage in which his wife Camilla kept him company. Behind the royal carriage rode horses members of the royal family, who hold the honorary positions of colonels of individual Guard regiments: Prince William of Wales, Princess Anne and Duke of Edinburgh Edward.
The King and Queen then traveled in procession back to Buckingham Palace. Princess Kate and her children followed them in an open carriage.
Members of the royal family then gathered on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, reports the British BBC.
The highlight of the ceremony was the flyover of 31 military aircraft, including the Red Arrows aerobatic group, which left distinctive red, white and blue trails over London. In honor of the king, 41 cannon volleys were fired in central London earlier.
PHOTO: Toby Shepheard/AFP
The event was also watched by a small group of opponents of the monarchy, who protested in front of Buckingham Palace.
In addition to banners with inscriptions against the monarchy, the protesters also carried photographs of the king’s brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsorwhich is due to connections with a convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had to give up the title. The police then escorted the protesters away, and part of the crowd booed them, BBC reports.
Charles III. will turn 78 on November 14, but the tradition of an official celebration in June dates back to 1748, when the then King George II. wanted to celebrate his birthday in nicer weather than usually accompanied his October birthday.
