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Traditions, Trooping the Colour
 The
custom of Trooping the Colour dates back to the time of Charles II in
the 17th C when the Colours of a regiment were used as a rallying point
in battle.
The Colours are the flags which were carried into battle by different
regiments, these flags were the rallying point of each regiment and in
order to ensure that each soldier could recognise their own Colours the
flag was carried (trooped) in front of them every day.
In London, the Foot Guards used to do this from 1755 onwards as part
of their daily Guard Mounting on Horse Guards and the ceremonial of the
present parade is along similar lines.
This impressive display of pageantry is now held on the occasion of
the Queen's Official Birthday. It takes place in June each year to
celebrate the official Birthday of the Sovereign and is carried out by
her personal troops, the Household Division, on Horse Guards Parade,
with the Queen herself attending and taking the salute.
Since 1987, The Queen has attended in a carriage rather than riding,
which she did before that on 36 occasions, riding side-saddle and
wearing the uniform of the regiment whose Colour was being trooped. The
regiments take their turn for this honour in strict rotation.
As the clock on the Horse Guards Building strikes 11, the Royal
Procession arrives and The Queen takes the Royal Salute. The parade
begins with the Inspection, The Queen driving slowly down the ranks of
all eight Guards and then past the Household Cavalry. After the event,
the Royal Family gathers on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch an
RAF flypast. |
