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British Royals

King Charles and Prince William wear black armbands at Trooping as mark of respect after Air India crash

By
14th June 2025
King Charles

The King has ordered all members of the Royal Family in uniform for this year’s Trooping the Colour to wear black armbands as a mark of respect for those lost in the Air India crash earlier this week.

King Charles, who will lead Trooping, has asked that mounted Officers in the Procession and all liveried Mews staff also wear black armbands for those lost in the tragedy as well as to show respect for their grieving families and loved ones and the communities affected by the disaster.

Air India flight 171 crashed less than a minute after take off from Ahmedabad airport, en route to London, with 241 of the 242 people on board killed. At least 38 people on the ground also died when the plane hit the ground.

His Majesty will wear his black armband over the uniform of the Coldstream Guards who are Trooping their Colour this year. The King’s uniform will bear the cypher of Queen Elizabeth II as His Majesty was Personal Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty.

Charles III will also wear the decorations of the Order of the Garter, the Order of the Thistle and the Order of the Bath as well as the neck order of the Order of Merit.

The King will travel to Horse Guards Parade in an Ascot Landau for Trooping.

Prince William, who will ride on horseback to the parade, is in Full Ceremonial Guard Order of the Welsh Guards. The Prince is their Colonel.

The Prince of Wales will wear aiguilettes as a Personal Aide-de-Camp to His Majesty. His uniform will bear two cyphers – that of Charles III as the Prince is Personal Aide-de-Camp to His Majesty and that of Queen Elizabeth II to whom he was also Personal Aide-de-Camp.

The Duke of Edinburgh is Colonel of the Scots Guards and will ride to the parade wearing the Full Ceremonial Guard Order of the Scots Guards.

The Princess Royal, Colonel of The Blues and Royals, will be in the Full Mounted Ceremonial uniform of the Blues and Royals and will carry the Gold Stick as Gold Stick in Waiting for this year’s parade.

The Royal Family will attend the ceremony, with the Princess of Wales travelling by Ascot Landau to Horse Guards. The Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will arrive by barouche.

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About author

Lydia Starbuck is Editor in Chief at Royal Central and the main producer and presenter of the Royal Central Podcast and Royal Central Extra.Lydia is also a pen name of June Woolerton who is a journalist and writer with over twenty years experience in TV, radio, print and online. Her latest book, A History of British Royal Jubilees, is out now. Her new book, The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr, will be published in March 2024.June is an award winning reporter, producer and editor. She's appeared on outlets including BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio and has also helped set up a commercial radio station.June is also an accomplished writer with a wide range of material published online and in print. She is the author of two novels, published as e-books. She is also a marriage registrar and ceremony celebrant.