For the second year in a row, Trooping the Colour took place at Windsor Castle today, to mark The Queen’s official birthday.
The event was held in the Quadrangle of the castle, like last year, due to the pandemic.
Her Majesty was accompanied by her cousin, The Duke of Kent, but a small number of invited guests were also attended this year, seated along the edge of the Quadrangle.
An aerial view of Trooping the Colour 2021 (BBC still)
What is Trooping?
It is The Queen’s official birthday parade, celebrated every year on the second Saturday in June. Normally it would see over 1,400 members of the Household Division on Horse Guards Parade, parading together with over 200 horses, and over 400 musicians from ten bands. For the second year in a row, due to Covid restrictions, it has been scaled down.
The Parade was held by the Household Division, and The Queen’s Colour of F Company Scots Guards (of which The Duke of Kent is Colonel) were trooped. The Parade was led by the Foot Guards, who were joined by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.
Throughout the event, music was played by a Massed Band of the Household Division, which included 1st Battalion Scots Guards Pipes and Drums.
The parade was bigger than last years, which only included 85 guardsmen. This time, 275 soldiers paraded in front of their Sovereign as the sun shone down from the blue sky above. There was also a total of 70 horses taking part.
The Queen viewed the parade from a special dais which was erected for the event. She was seen tapping her foot along to the music and clearly was enjoying the event as she smiled.
The Queen enjoyed the scaled back version of Trooping to mark her official birthday (@RoyalFamily)
Lieutenant Hugh Dingwall was the person given the honour of carrying the Colour while this year saw a rare occurrence for Trooping. Two officers on the parade ground, Colonel Jeremy Bagshaw, Chief of Staff at Army Headquarters London District and 2nd Lieutenant Henry Bagshaw of the Coldstream Guards are father and sun!
The event culminated in a 41 gun salute been fired from the East Lawn of the Castle, while a 21 gun salute was fired at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich. The Red Arrows also carried out a flypast, which we saw The Queen grin at.
It would not be lost on those present, and those watching, that the last time all eyes were on the Quadrangle was for the funeral of The Duke of Edinburgh.
Two days on from what would have been the Duke’s 100th birthday, his wife enjoyed a much happier event – one of her favourites.
