The royal family stepped out in style at the first Trooping the Colour celebration in honor of King Charles III.
His Majesty, 74, arrived to Buckingham Palace on horseback, alongside eldest son Prince William and his sister Princess Anne . After the pair conducted their formal review of the British military, they joined other members of the family on the balcony to watch the military fly past. Charles beamed alongside his wife, Queen Camilla, while the 40-year-old Prince of Wales had his entire brood at his side, including wife Princess Kate and their three children: Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.
The Princess of Wales, 41, dazzled in a green dress and a matching fascinator during the occasion, in which she arrived via carriage with Camilla, 75, George, Charlotte and Louis.
Trooping the Colour is an annual celebration of the reigning monarch’s birthday. Saturday’s festivities are the first in celebration of Charles. The king ascended the British throne in September 2022 after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Charles’ official coronation was held last month.
“This is a slightly spectacular version of it,” royal expert Gareth Russell exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, June 13, noting that Charles’ parade will vary from how the occasion was held on behalf of the late queen. “The first one of a new reign is a bit punchier and has a higher production value. We know that all seven of the regiments will be there, and this is more than we’re used to seeing.”
Russell added: “It’s a big event regardless of the scale of it, but because this is the first of Charles III’s reign, we are seeing more soldiers involved. [Charles] certainly wanted to take the salute from horseback. It matches the tone of the inaugural, for want of a better word, Trooping of the Colour for his reign.”
Trooping the Colour marks the first time that the royals have stepped out on their palace balcony perch since the coronation. After Charles’ crowning ceremony, he was joined by Camilla, 75, William, the Princess of Wales, 41, and his eldest three grandchildren. The king’s sister Anne, 72, and brother Prince Edward and his wife, Duchess Sophie, also joined the group. The Princess Royal, Duke of Edinburgh, 59, and the former publicist, 58, did join the group again on the balcony on Saturday.
While Charles was flanked by his loved ones during the public outing, his youngest son Prince Harry was notably absent.
“I don’t think they need to be invited,” Russell previously claimed to Us on Tuesday. “Not as a kind of insult to them, but you know, it’s a long trip to make from California for the sake of Trooping the Colour. … I think this is one of the events where the Sussexes were never going to be invited.”
The Duke of Sussex, 38, and wife Meghan Markle — who share son Prince Archie, 4, and daughter Princess Lilibet, 2 — stepped down from their duties as senior working royals in early 2020 before ultimately relocating to Montecito, California. Amid their step-down, they’ve remained at odds with Charles and William over security and privacy battles. The Spare author even attended the coronation solo, leaving quickly after the service ended and before the balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace.
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Scroll below to see photos from Trooping the Colour:
