Trooping the Colour map reveals the best spots to watch the King’s birthday celebrations

The King’s Birthday Parade, also known as Trooping the Colour, will take place today – Saturday June 15 – with King Charles III set to observe the event from a carriage.

The Royal Family scaled back engagements in the wake of the General Election being called, but Buckingham Palace quickly confirmed the monarch’s birthday celebrations would go ahead.

It is one of the biggest military ceremonial events of the year, featuring more than 1,200 soldiers and 200 horses, and dates back to the 17th century.

The late Queen Elizabeth II attended every one during her reign except in 1995 when a national rail strike forced its cancellation.

King Charles leads Prince William, Prince Edward and Princess Anne for last year’s King’s Birthday Parade (Picture: AFP via Getty)

Members of the public cheer as they watch the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows during the King’s Birthday Parade last year (Picture: AFP via Getty)

Map showing the parade route (Picture: Metro.co.uk)

Charles became the first monarch in more than 30 years to saddle up at Trooping the Colour since his mother’s horse Burmese carried her during the 1986 ceremony. 

Burmese was the Queen’s favourite steed for ceremonial occasions and she rode it for 18 years until its retirement that year.

She then decided to use a carriage for Trooping rather than train another charger.

The decision for the King to do likewise this year reflects earlier Palace briefings that each engagement would be reviewed and adaptations made when advised by doctors.

When is Trooping the Colour 2024 and what is the parade route?

Unlike his mother’s official birthday, which was held on the second Saturday of June, Charles’s will be held on the third – June 15.

The ceremony begins at 10am and lasts until around 1pm.

The King will leave Buckingham Palace and be escorted down The Mall to Horse Guards Parade by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.

After taking the Royal Salute, Charles will inspect the troops before the bands perform a musical ‘troop’ and the Regimental Colour is escorted up and down the ranks.

King Charles III reviews The Irish Guards marching in front of him (Picture: Reuters)

The Foot Guards and Household Cavalry will then march past the King before His Majesty heads back to the Palace at the head of his guards.

The King will then take another salute from the Palace gates, with the ceremony due to end at 12.25pm.

He will then join other royals on the balcony to watch a flypast by the Royal Air Force at roughly 1pm.

Can I watch Trooping the Colour in person?

Tickets are sold out so royal fans will need to find a public vantage point somewhere along the route to catch a glimpse of all the pageantry on show.

The best place to do this will be along The Mall or at the edge of St James’s Park overlooking Horse Guards Parade, although some views from the latter may be obscured by troops.

Spectators are advised to start standing from 9am at the latest. 

Restrooms and refreshments will be found in St James’s Park.

Which royals will attend Trooping the Colour?

Queen Camilla will attend the ceremony along with the King.

Although no guest list has been released, it is highly likely the Prince and Princess of Wales will have been invited with their children, George, Louis and Charlotte.

Princess Kate will now take part after uncertainty due to her ongoing treatment for cancer, and is expected toappear on the balcony.

The Princess of Wales is unlikely to attend but there has been speculation she may make a surprise appearance (Picture: Getty)

She apologised in a heartfelt letter for missing the final rehearsal, known as the Colonel’s Review, last weekend.

Kate, who is the honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards, wrote: ‘Please pass my apologies to the whole Regiment, however, I do hope that I am able to represent you all once again very soon.’

Other royals on the balcony last year were the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.

Elizabeth Baker