Trooping the Colour / Queen’s Birthday Parade.

Saturday, May 26, 2018.

In June each year the highlight of the ceremonial calendar Trooping the Colour, also known as ‘The Queen’s Birthday Parade‘, takes place on Horse Guards Parade in London.

Prior to the Queen’s Birthday Parade there are two full dress rehearsals; ‘The Major General’s Review’ and The Colonel’s Review. The War Horse Memorial was delighted to be at today’s Major General’s Review, invited by Giles Stibbe OBE, Director Household Cavalry Foundation – one of our principal charities.

More than 1,400 officers and men and approximately 400 musicians from the Massed Bands of the Household Division take part in Trooping the Colour and the Reviews, which are full dress rehearsals for the Queen’s Birthday Parade.

Trooping the Colour / Queen’s Birthday Parade.

The Colour of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards will be Trooped at the Queen’s Birthday Parade in 2018, and today’s rehearsal was full of pageantry, precision and splendour as you can see from the images here. The custom of Trooping the Colour dates back to the times of Charles the Second 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.

Trooping the Colour / Queen’s Birthday Parade.

What was noticeable today was just how many women were taking part in the ceremony. The Army is recognised as being a good employer for women, having been awarded a place in The Times top 50 Employers for Women, 2017, and winning a Workplace Gender Equality Award from Business in the Community.