Trooping the Colour - Queen's Birthday Parade

Good old Queen Elizabeth II, she only has TWO birthdays you know, and like to celebrate in style with a Trooping of the Colour.

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.

This impressive display of pageantry is now held on the occasion of the Queen's Official Birthday. It takes place in June each year to celebrate the official Birthday of the Sovereign and is carried out by her personal troops, the Household Division, on Horse Guards Parade, with the Queen herself attending and taking the salute.

Since 1987, The Queen has attended 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.

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.

This historical event is taking place on Thursday June 12th starting in The Mall at 10am.

Find out more about the Trooping of the Colour.

How to get there

The closest tube station to The Mall is located at Green Park.

If on the bus the 2, 8, 9, 10, 14, 16, 19, 22, 36, 38, 52, 73, 74, 82, 137, 148, 414 and the 436 all serve Hyde Park Corner and Green Park.