King Charles to celebrate his birthday with Trooping the Colour parade: All you need to know about the royal tradition

If there's one thing King Charles holds dear, it's his love for historical traditions, be it the Boxing Day shoot or Trooping the Colour parade. The 76-year-old monarch will be honoured at Trooping the Colour, the annual birthday parade for the British monarch held in London.The parade will be held on June 14, 2025, and will be joined by the British royal family. While as a King this is his third time enjoying the parade, as a child he has attended the royal event several times, once for his grandfather King George VI, and then for his mother Queen Elizabeth.What is the parade and what does it include? Know all about the ancient royal tradition below!

What is the Trooping the Colour parade?

According to the Royal Museums Greenwich, the origins of the parade can be traced back to the battlefield when a regiment's flags called "colours" signalled a rallying point for soldiers."In order to ensure that every soldier would be able to recognize their colours, the flag would be marched or 'trooped' regularly 'round the ranks," they state. "A regiment’s colours came to have huge significance for serving soldiers, and the gain or loss of colours were seen as decisive moments in battle."The first-ever ceremonial presentation of the military's regimental flags, "colours" is believed to have been during the reign of King Charles II, who ruled from 1660 to 1685.

However, it was formally linked to the monarch's birthday during the reign of King George II in 1748.The parade was formally made a part of the royal calendar after the accession of King George III in 1760.What's interesting to know about this celebration is that it is not King Charles' actual birthday. The king actually celebrates his birthday on November 14th. Then why is the parade held in June?Well, as per the Royal Museums Greenwich “With a November birthday being too cold for a celebratory parade, he tied his celebrations in with the annual Trooping the Colour military parade,” they stated to People.Over the years, the parade has continued to serve as the official birthday of the reigning king or queen no matter when their actual birthday may be.

What happens in the Trooping the Colour parade?

In the parade, hundreds of soldiers, musicians and horses present a patriotic display of military precision, horsemanship and fanfare as a team. Members of the royal family travel in a carriage or on horseback from Buckingham Palace down to The Mall in London to the Horse Guards Parade at St.

James' Park.The king, who is the man of the hour, receives a royal salute and inspects the troops representing the Regiments of the Household Division dressed in ceremonial uniforms.Military bands will perform, regimental colours will process down the ranks and the Officer in Command of the Parade will direct the soldiers.After the Foot Guards march past the monarch, King Charles will lead the procession back to Buckingham Palace and take another salute from the dais.One of the most sought-after moments will then take place when the leading members of the royal family appear on the balcony of the palace for the final event. They will gather to see the Royal Air Force perform a colourful flypast in the sky at the same time when a gun salute is fired in the nearby Green Park.Fans and well-wishers of the royal family gather around the Union Jack-lined streets to get a glimpse at the royals and the elaborate procession.