Trooping the Colour

<body bgcolor="#800000" link="#FFFFFF" vlink="#FFFFFF" alink="#FF0000" bgproperties="fixed"> <p align="left"><font color="#FFFFFF" face="Arial"><strong>The custom of Trooping the Colour dates back to the time of Charles II in the 17th. Century when the Colours of a regiment were used as a rallying point in battle and were therefore trooped in front of the soldiers every day to make sure that every man could recognise those of his own regiment. 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 modern Trooping the Colour parade is along similar lines. In 1805 the parade was for the first time carried out to celebrate the Sovereign's birthday. </strong></font></p> <p align="left"><font color="#FFFFFF" face="Arial"><strong>This impressive display of pageantry is now held on the occasion of the Sovereign's Official Birthday. Trooping the Colour takes place in June each year to celebrate the official Birthday of the Sovereign and is carried out by their personal troops, the Household Division, on Horse Guards Parade, with the Sovereign attending and taking the salute. </strong></font></p> <p align="left"><font color="#FFFFFF" face="Arial"><strong>Since 1987, The Queen attended Trooping the Colour 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. </strong></font></p> <p align="left"><font color="#FFFFFF" face="Arial"><strong>Over 1400 officers and men are on parade, together with two hundred horses; over four hundred musicians from ten bands and corps of drums march and play as one. Some 113 words of command are given by the Officer in Command of the Parade. The parade route extends from Buckingham Palace along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall and back again.</strong></font></p> <p align="left"><font color="#FFFFFF" face="Arial"><strong>Precisely as the clock on the Horse Guards Building strikes eleven, the Royal Procession arrives and The Sovereign takes the Royal Salute. The parade begins with the Inspection, The Sovereign 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.</strong></font></p> <p align="left"><font color="#FF0000" size="3" face="Arial"><strong>All the pageantry and spectacle of the annual Sovereign's Birthday Parade, held on Horse Guards Parade in London in June each year. With some audio and video clips</strong></font></p> <p><a href="trooping/history.htm" target="main"><font size="3" face="Arial"><em><strong>History</strong></em></font></a></p> <p><a href="trooping/inspection.htm" target="main"><font size="3" face="Arial"><em><strong>The Inspection of the Line</strong></em></font></a></p> <p><a href="trooping/massed_bands.htm" target="main"><font size="3" face="Arial"><em><strong>The Massed Bands Troop</strong></em></font></a></p> <p><a href="trooping/trooping.htm" target="main"><font size="3" face="Arial"><em><strong>The Trooping of the Colour</strong></em></font></a></p> <p><a href="trooping/marchpast.htm" target="main"><font size="3" face="Arial"><em><strong>The March Past of the Footguards</strong></em></font></a></p> <p><a href="trooping/mounted.htm" target="main"><font size="3" face="Arial"><em><strong>The Walk and Trot Past of the Mounted Guards</strong></em></font></a></p> <p><a href="trooping/palace.htm" target="main"><font size="3" face="Arial"><em><strong>The return to Buckingham Palace</strong></em></font></a></p> <p><a href="trooping/troopinginfo.htm" target="main"><font size="3" face="Arial"><em><strong>Trooping the Colour information</strong></em></font></a></p> <p><a href="trooping/links.htm" target="main"><font size="3" face="Arial"><em><strong>Links</strong></em></font></a></p> </body>