SUPPORT OUR JOURNALISM: Please consider donating to keep our website running and free for all - thank you!

British Royals

Canada’s strong connection to the Crown on full display at this year’s Trooping the Colour

Royal Riders Ride RCMP Horses from Canada at Trooping the Colour

Canada’s connection to Trooping the Colour was on full display as the three royal riders rode horses presented to the Royal Family by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Duke of Edinburgh all rode horses gifted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, two of whom were gifts to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Prince William, who serves as Colonel of the Welsh Guards, rode Darby.

Darby was presented to Queen Elizabeth II in 2019 to commemorate both the 50th anniversary of the presentation of the first Royal Canadian Mounted Police horse, Burmese, and the 80th anniversary of the police force’s breeding programme.

Princess Anne, who serves as Colonel of The Blues and Royals, rode Noble.

Noble was presented to King Charles in 2023 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Noble was formerly a Musical Ride horse, gifted at King Charles’s request to be ridden at Trooping the Colours. The King rode Noble at the 2023 ceremony before retiring to a landau due to his cancer diagnosis.

At the time that Noble was gifted to King Charles, the Superintendent in Charge of the Musical Ride said in a statement: “[I]t’s truly humbling to be able to continue these traditions with our new monarch in the first year of his reign.”

Prince Edward, who serves as Colonel of the Scots Guards, rode Sir John.

Sir John was presented to Queen Elizabeth II as a 90th birthday gift at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2016, where the Musical Ride was performing as part of the event.

Horses from Canada and the RCMP at Trooping the Colour 2025
Horses from Canada and the RCMP at Trooping the Colour 2025 BBC / Fair Use

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride is a mounted showcasing calvary that travels around to highlight the skills of the horses and their riders.

Throughout her 70-year reign, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police presented eight horses to Queen Elizabeth II, starting with her most famous, Burmese. Burmese was presented to the late queen in 1969, and she rode the horse to every Trooping the Colour through 1986, after which she rode in a carriage.

Queen Elizabeth II was very fond of Burmese, and often told people that she was her favourite horse.

About author

Jess Ilse is the Assistant Editor at Royal Central. She specialises in the British, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish Royal Families and has been following royalty since Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee. Jess has provided commentary for media outlets in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Jess works in communications and her debut novel THE MAJESTIC SISTERS is now available.