View source for Trooping the Colour

Military parade that traditionally takes place each year on a Saturday in June. It marks the official celebration of the monarch’s birthday. 

[[Elizabeth II]], the current monarch, was born on April 21. However, due to the capricious English weather conditions, it has been decided to celebrate this event later in the year in order to improve the chances of good weather. 

Traditionally, the parade takes place on Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall (opposite [[Buckingham Palace]] if you follow The Mall). During the ceremony, the Monarch’s Colour (flag) is ‘trooped’, i.e. carried by a battalion, before the monarch. After being greeted by a Royal salute, the monarch inspects the troops. This is followed by a musical performance of the regimental bands and the carrying by of the Colour. The troops then march past the monarch. Afterwards, (s)he rides to [[Buckingham Palace]] on horseback or in a carriage (which Elizabeth II has been doing since 1987) where (s)he takes another salute. The parade ends with a fly-past by the Royal Air Force which the Royal Family observes from the Palace’s balcony. 

All soldiers taking part in the parade belong to fully trained and operational troops from the monarch’s Household Division. There are five of these regiments - Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards. Each year the colour is trooped by a different regiment. 

The parade itself dates back to the early 18th century or earlier, and is based on the two military ceremonies Trooping the Colour and Mounting The Queen's Guard. There, the flags of the different battalions were slowly carried down the ranks to allow the soldiers to see and recognise them. In 1748, this became part of the official celebration of the monarch’s birthday. Except for WW1, WW2 and a cancellation in 1955 due to a national rail strike, the parade has taken place annually since the accession to the throne of [[George IV]]. [[Edward VII]] was the first monarch to attend the parade in person.

The parade is traditionally watched by the Royal Family and invited guests, but it is also open to the public. However, to watch the entire ceremony on the ranks on Horse Guards Parade, tickets have to be purchased in advance (£25.00 for the 2010 event). The ceremony is also broadcast on the [[British Broadcasting Corporation|BBC]] and can usually also be watched live on German TV.

On 13 June 2009 the Colour was trooped by 1st Battalion Irish Guards. In 2010, the parade will take place on 12 June; the Colour will be trooped by 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. 


Sources:

http://www.army.mod.uk/events/ceremonial/1074.aspx

http://www.army.mod.uk/events/events/11237.aspx

http://www.royal.gov.uk/RoyalEventsandCeremonies/TroopingtheColour/TroopingtheColour.aspx