The King was in full uniform for Trooping the Colour and his secret for keeping cool during the long parade has been spotted.
King Charles, along with Queen Camilla and the Princess of Wales, took centre stage at the Sovereign’s Birthday Parade, sitting on a dais in the centre of Horse Guards Parade where the event is held.
With temperatures climbing as London starts to enjoy some real summer weather, the royal podium was covered to keep the sun’s rays at bay.
And the royal party had another cooling trick on hand. Beneath their chairs, a row of mineral water bottles could be spotted.
There was another regal touch as all three had been given special glasses to drink from.
Underneath the chairs there was no sign of a paper or plastic cup or a straw. Instead, The King and Queen as well as the Princess had been provided with cut glass tumblers to use for their water.
Kate was already keeping cool, choosing an ice blue coat with matching hat for the Parade. The Princess of Wales chose a coat dress with white trim by Catherine Walker and a pale blue straw hat by Philip Treacy for the occasion.
(Photo by Donald C Todd/ Ministry of Defence)
The Queen was in much warmer clothes, wearing a bespoke Fiona Clare jacket created to match the uniform of the Grenadier Guards. Queen Camilla is their Colonel and has worn the outfit before to Trooping. She chose it again this year as her regiment is trooping their colour.
The King and Queen arrived at Horse Guards by carriage, leading out the procession which also saw the Princess of Wales travel from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade by Ascot Landau. Kate was with her three children – Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10 and 8 year old Prince Louis.
The Duchess of Edinburgh and Sir Tim Laurence were in the first landau to leave the palace with the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester also arriving by carriage.
The Prince of Wales rode to the parade along the Mall with the Princess Royal and the Duke of Edinburgh also on horseback for the event.
King Charles took the salute as Trooping the Colour took place with the traditional pageantry. This is the fourth Sovereign’s Birthday Parade of his reign. In 2022, he also took the salute when he stood in for his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who didn’t travel to Horse Guards and instead reviewed the troops from the balcony of Buckingham Palace as they returned following the parade.
As this year’s spectacular came to an end, King Charles and Queen Camilla returned to Buckingham Palace for the traditional fly past and a balcony appearance.
