What is Trooping the Colour?

A regiment's flags, or colours, represent the regiment, it's service to Sovereign and country, and those who have fallen in battle. It's loss on the battlefield constituted great shame, and the capture of the enemy's colors, great pride.

The 'trooping', or carrying of the flag, stems from the fact that the flags were used as rallying points. It was therefore crucial that every soldier be familiar with his flag. Regiments would have the flags slowly marched through the ranks so that everyone would know their flag before battle. Trooping the Colour after battle showed the soldiers that their flags were still in their keeping.

Trooping the Colour has marked the Sovereign's birthday annually since 1820. King Edward VII had the date officially moved to June each year, in the hopes that there would be better weather for the occasion.

The Trooping of the Colours is performed by the Sovereign's personal troops, the Household Division, on Horse Guards Parade. Five regiments take turns in strict rotation each year. Over 1200 officers and men, 200 horses, and 400 musicians take part. Military bands play before and after the ceremony, with the first band leaving from Wellington Barracks, passing Buckingham Palace, and leading down the Mall to Horse Guards Parade (Whitehall).

At 11:00 the Royal Procession arrives for the Queen to take the Salute. The Royal Standard is raised and flown from the Horse Guards Building. The Queen used to appear on horseback, riding sidesaddle and wearing the uniform of the regiment whose colour was being trooped. Since 1987, she has arrived in a carriage (called a phaeton), in use since 1842.She leaves the carriage, receives the Royal Salute, returns to the carriage, and inspects the troops. This is followed by the ceremony itself. It involves a Massed Bands troop, which includes a famous formation called the 'spinwheel', as well as the actual Trooping of the Colors.

After the ceremony, the Massed Bands play the Queen back to Buckingham Palace, to watch another march past, a 41 gun salute, and a Royal Air Force flypast.

There are few other spectacles to match the colour and pageantry of this display. Tickets for seated stands can be difficult to obtain, but vantage points can be found on the Mall if you get there early. This year's Trooping of the Colour takes place on Saturday, June 13^th, starting around 10:00AM.

If you cannot get there, or access BBC, there are several audio recordings from previous ceremonies available, as well as new and used videos and books, on Amazon.com. For further information on the history of this ceremony, or details on this year's event, see the attached links.

Sources: the UK Army homepage (http://www.army.mod.uk)

The Guards: Changing of the Guard, Trooping of the Colour, the Regiments (Pitkin Guides) by Peter Simkin and Barry Gibbs. Jarrold Publishing, 1990.