King Charles marked the Trooping the Colour ceremony, held in celebration of his official birthday, with a solemn tribute to those who lost their lives in the tragic Air India plane crash. Wearing a black armband, the King requested that others present also don black armbands as a sign of respect for the 241 passengers and crew killed, including over 50 British nationals, along with approximately 30 victims on the ground.
The royal procession commenced at Buckingham Palace, where King Charles and Queen Camilla traveled by carriage along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade. Hundreds of guardsmen stood in formation as the event unfolded with traditional military grandeur. The appearance of the Prince and Princess of Wales’ children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—seated with their mother, Kate Middleton, drew enthusiastic cheers from onlookers.
Following the royal family’s carriages were senior royal figures including the Duchess of Edinburgh, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Notably, the royal colonels present—Prince William, Colonel of the Welsh Guards; Princess Anne, Colonel of the Blues and Royals; and the Duke of Edinburgh, Colonel of the Scots Guards—each wore black armbands in remembrance.
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The procession was accompanied by the Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and the stirring music of the Band of the Household Cavalry, led by drum horses carrying solid silver kettle drums. Senior officers participating in the ceremony, as well as coachmen and women from the Royal Mews, also wore black armbands.
After inspecting the guards, King Charles will observe a minute’s silence to honor the victims. This moment of reflection will be marked by the bugler sounding the Last Post, concluding with the Reveille.
A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace confirmed that the King had personally requested adjustments to the Trooping the Colour programme “as a mark of respect for the lives lost, the families in mourning and all the communities affected by this awful tragedy.”
This solemn act recalls a similar gesture made during the 2017 Trooping the Colour service, when Queen Elizabeth II led a minute of silence following the Grenfell Tower fire.