Have a birthday 2 times a year? That's not possible you think now? It is possible, but for that you would have to be the Queen of England. Because this celebrates not only on its actual birthday, but also once again officially in June of the respective year with the parade Buckingham Palace: the Trooping the Colour.
- Always on the 2. Saturday in June
- Location: Buckingham Palace& Horse Guards Parade
- How to get there: Green Park subway station
Parade Buckingham Palace – Queen you must be
The Queen's birthday is on 21. April but if you are a royal, then you can also simply allow yourself to extend the spectacle around the birthday. So why not celebrate 2 times. In addition to the actual birthday, a military parade is held each year in her honor. Every year on 2. Saturday in June is the Trooping the Colour in London. By the way, Trooping the Colour takes place in June, because of the unsettled English weather.
The parade and celebration surrounding the Queen's birthday is a historic and recurring event that was first publicly performed in 1805. All London is in an uproar, because such royal events are loved by Londoners. Traditions are very well maintained and highly respected here, so it feels like all of London meets around Buckingham Palace to be part of this celebration.
Parade Buckingham Palace: Bound by Protocol
The ceremonial has remained unchanged for almost 200 years and takes place according to a strict protocol. On the Horse Guards Parade in the St James's Park is celebrated from 10:00 properly. The parade hosted by the Queen is full of military pomp and pageantry. The main focus of the Queen is on the musicians and infantry because they are to be "inspected".
The pace of the troops changes between fast and slow and is accompanied by the appropriate music. The original purpose of the Trooping the Colour Parade was to display the regimental flags (coulours) so that the soldiers could recognize them in battle.
The troops continue on their way to Buckingham Palace. Where the Queen will salute them. The arrival at Buckingham Palace is accompanied by a 41-gun salute from Green Park and a 62-gun salute from the Tower of London. Normally, the ceremonial is that the Queen accompanies the parade on a horse. But since its 60th anniversary. She prefers to take the carriage when she is in her twentieth year. Even queens grow old.
The highlight of the parade Buckingham Palace
Highlight of the Trooping the Colour ceremony is the meeting of the Queen with other royals on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. There is then diligently waving and smiling. Actually the Queen does not have to do much, because the crowd is celebrating Her Majesty the Queen.
And that's not the end of it, as the royals now join the crowds in marveling at the Royal Air Force's flyover of the palace with their planes. A colorful spectacle what is happening here in the sky and who would have expected it otherwise of course in the colors of the flag.
Everyone admires the Queen and all eyes are on her. When this still rode on horseback, it wore a uniform with badge. But today, she is showing her respect for the military by wearing diamonds symbolizing different regiments of the country.
Trooping the Colour all over the world
Not only in London the ceremony takes place also in remnants of the Commonwealth this ceremony is still celebrated. In Australia, celebrations have been held during the Queen's vacation since 1956. The flag is also inspected in Canada, on Queen Victoria's birthday.
Kenya is the only African country to celebrate Trooping the Colours. Every year on the 12th. December, the Jamhurri Day. The day Kenya got independence and became a republic. Malaysia and Singapore, as parts of the Commonwealth also celebrate. This is how a piece of English history is preserved and celebrated on all continents.
All in all, Trooping the Colour is a very cheerful and long-awaited celebration by Londoners. But not only locals but tourists are attracted by the spectacle. If you want to be there live, you have to get up early to really catch a glimpse of the royals.
Around the parade, the English celebrate their monarchy with flags and unusual costumes on every corner. In the evening we will continue to celebrate in the pubs and drink to the health of the Queen. If you want to learn more about interesting celebrations around the world, check out.