For the first time in her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II will reportedly miss taking the salute at Trooping the Colour, instead delegating the task to three senior royals.
The news—though unconfirmed—has been trickling out this week as final preparations are completed for Platinum Jubilee weekend, with Trooping the Colour on 2 June kicking off the extra-long weekend celebrations.
The unconfirmed reports state that The Queen will not receive the salute at Horse Guards during Trooping the Colour, and instead, the salute will be taken by her son and heir, Prince Charles; her grandson Prince William; and her daughter, Princess Anne. The trio will all be riding in the ceremony as colonels of the Welsh Guards, the Irish Guards, and the Blues and Royals, respectively.
After the Trooping the Colour ceremony, a flypast will take place over Buckingham Palace, with The Queen and working royals—Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall; the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children; Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Lawrence; and the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their children—watching from the balcony.
Prince William undertook the Colonel’s Review on Saturday with the Irish Guards, which will be trooping the colour at this year’s ceremony. This is the first large-scale royal event since the pandemic began, with smaller, modified versions of Trooping the Colour taking place at Windsor Castle in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.
The Queen’s attendance at Platinum Jubilee celebrations are being kept under wraps until the day of events due to her ongoing mobility issues, though the wider Royal Family are expected to attend the majority of events.
It is anticipated that the attendance of other members of the Royal Family at events will be announced in the coming week as final preparations are underway to mark the Platinum Jubilee.
Royal Central will bring you full coverage of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee over the next week.
