Trooping the Colour takes place in a slimmed down form again this year. The Queen will preside over the traditional parade, which marks the Monarch’s official birthday, at Windsor Castle. Ahead of the June 12th ceremonial, Royal Central outlines what to expect from this ancient royal event as it is affected, for a second year, by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Sovereign’s Birthday Parade will take place in the Quadrangle at Windsor Castle with strict social distancing rules. To ensure that all pandemic guidelines are observed, people have been asked not to travel to Windsor to try and catch a glimpse of the ceremony. The event will take place within the walls of Windsor Castle.
Many of the soldiers taking part have played instrumental roles in the NHS’s response to the pandemic and they will be joined by other military who have been serving overseas.
The colour being trooped this year belongs to The Queen’s Colour of F Company Scots Guards. The Duke of Kent, the Queen’s cousin, is Colonel of the Scots Guards and will accompany Her Majesty at the event. No other members of the Royal Family will attend and there will be no carriage processions before or after the parade.
On their arrival in the Quadrangle, The Queen and The Duke of Kent will be greeted with a Royal Salute and the National Anthem will be played. The parade will then get under way and conclude with a second Royal Salute.
The military parade will be held by the Household Division and will be led by the Foot Guards. They will be joined in the Quadrangle by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.
The music at Trooping the Colour this year will be played by a Massed Band of the Household Division including 1st Battalion Scots Guard Pipes and Drums.
At the end of the parade, The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery will fire a 41 gun salute from the East Lawn of Windsor Castle to mark The Queen’s official birthday.
The Royal Family has already announced that things will be very different in 2022. Next summer, it is hoped that the pandemic will have passed and a full Trooping will take place in London. Furthermore, this special tradition has been given a very special role in a unique celebration. It is expected that the 2022 Trooping the Colour will take place on Thursday June 2nd at the start of a four day holiday to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the only time in British history that a Monarch has reigned for 70 years.
