The Princess of Wales has once again taken a leading role at Trooping the Colour, joining King Charles III and Queen Camilla on the dais at Horse Guards Parade.
Catherine watched the King’s Birthday Parade from the prestigious position for the second consecutive year, underlining her increasingly prominent role within the Royal Family.
The Princess travelled to Horse Guards Parade by carriage from Buckingham Palace alongside Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, who delighted crowds lining The Mall with waves as they made their way to the ceremony.
Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales took part in the parade on horseback, riding Darby, a horse presented to the Royal Family by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
As one of the most senior working members of the Royal Family and the future Queen, Catherine’s position alongside the Monarch and Queen reflected her central role in the monarchy’s future.
The dais at Horse Guards Parade is reserved for a select group of senior royals and dignitaries and offers the best vantage point from which to observe the military spectacle.
Last year marked the first time the Princess sat alongside both the King and Queen for Trooping the Colour.
Her appearance in 2025 carried particular significance following her return to public duties after announcing she had completed a course of preventative chemotherapy.
This year’s appearance marks the second consecutive Trooping at which Catherine has occupied the prominent position, a sign of both continuity and confidence as she resumes a full programme of royal engagements.
For decades, Queen Elizabeth II was accompanied on the dais by her cousin, the Duke of Kent, one of the Royal Family’s most experienced ceremonial figures.
The Princess’s continued presence alongside the King and Queen places her at the heart of one of the monarchy’s most important annual events.
Trooping the Colour remains one of the highlights of the royal calendar, bringing together more than 1,300 soldiers, hundreds of musicians and members of the Royal Family in a display of military precision and tradition dating back centuries.
