The British royal family, including Princess Kate Middleton, is gearing up for one of their biggest events of the year.
The annual Trooping the Colour ceremony commemorates the monarch’s birthday with a grand military parade and the famous gathering of royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch the Royal Air Force fly-over.
Last year’s June 2023 festivities marked King Charles III’s first Trooping the Colour since taking over leadership duties from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, who died at age 96 in September 2022. To commemorate the occasion, Charles, 75, revived an old tradition of riding alongside the military during the parade from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade.
Several royal family members — including Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Anne, joined Charles along the parade route last year before greeting the public on the Buckingham Palace balcony. Not to mention, William and Kate’s kids — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — stole the show by smiling at onlookers and making funny faces.
It is unknown how this year’s Trooping the Colour will be affected by Charles’ ongoing cancer treatments. He resumed public appearances in April 2024, two months after he was diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer.
Scroll down for everything you need to know about this year’s Trooping the Colour:
When Is the 2024 Trooping the Colour?
This year’s Trooping the Colour celebrations will take place on Saturday, June 15.
What Will Happen During the 2024 Trooping the Colour?
Kicking off at Buckingham Palace, the parade will make its way to Horse Guards Parade, the ceremonial parade ground in St. James’s Park where Charles will give military troops an inspection before returning to the palace for the Royal Air Force fly-over.
“It is when a group of regiments called the household division — and they’re the seven regiments [of a] five-foot two cavalry — who [guard the] official royal residences,” royal expert Gareth Russell explained to Us Weekly in June 2023. “The king and queen primarily have a parade from Buckingham Palace down the mall to Horse Guard Parade, where [the soldiers will] be inspected by the king.”
Russell noted that the event “brings a large crowd to see it,” adding, “It’s a chance for those seven regiments to sort of get together and also to be formally acknowledged by the monarchy for the role they play throughout the year in guarding them.”
Will There Be a 2024 Trooping the Colour Rehearsal?
Prior to the official event on June 15, the first rehearsal, known as The Major General’s Review, will take place on Saturday, June 1, according to Londonist. The Colonel’s Review, or second rehearsal, will be held on Saturday, June 8.
Which Royals Will Attend the 2024 Trooping the Colour?
Charles is confirmed to be present at this year’s events alongside Camilla, 76. However, he will not ride horseback during the parade as he did last year but will sit in a carriage with his wife.
Other royals including as William, 41, and Anne, 73, are expected to take part in the day’s ceremonies. The palace has not confirmed whether William and Kate’s kids will take part in the event following Kate’s March 2024 cancer diagnosis announcement.
Will Princess Kate Attend the 2024 Trooping the Colour?
On June 14, Kate confirmed that she would be attending Trooping the Colour as she continues to undergo treatment, despite previous reports saying otherwise.
“I’m looking forward to attending The King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to join a few public engagements over the summer, but equally knowing I am not out of the woods yet,” she shared in a statement. “I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty. Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much needed time to heal.
The Princess’ statement is a happy surprise following a May statement from the the palace, which said that she would not participate in the event due to her ongoing cancer recovery.
Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Attend the 2024 Trooping the Colour?
It is unknown whether Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and their children — Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet — will attend the Trooping the Colour after skipping out on last year’s events. The couple have not joined the royal family for the Buckingham Palace fly-over since stepping down from royal duties in 2020, as only working royals are reportedly allowed on the balcony to watch the spectacle.
