The Royal Family lead minute’s silence at Trooping The Colour following Air India plane disaster

Members of The Royal Family wore black armbands at Trooping The Colour on Saturday following the devastating plane crash in India which killed more than 250 people.

At the request of The King, royals who attended Trooping in uniform wore a black armband, as did all mounted officers in the procession and all liveried Mews staff.

In another mark of respect, after The King and Queen exited their carriage and took their position on the Dais, a minute’s silence was held – signalled by sounding the a Last Post and Reveille.

On Thursday, The King said that both he and Queen Camilla were ‘desperately shocked’ after a plane departing Ahmedabad for London’s Gatwick Airport crashed shortly after taking off.

242 people were on board – 52 of them British and one Canadian, in addition to 169 Indian nationals and seven Portuguese.

All of the passengers and crew were killed, with the exception of one British survivor. Others were also killed on the ground.

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, King Charles said: “My wife and I have been desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad this morning.

“Our special prayers and deepest possible sympathy are with the families and friends of all those affected by this appallingly tragic incident across so many nations, as they await news of their loved ones.

“I would like to pay a particular tribute to the heroic efforts of the emergency services and all those providing help and support at this most heartbreaking and traumatic time.”