First ‘Trooping the Colour’ parade for Britain’s King Charles

LONDON, June 17 (Reuters) – Britain’s King Charles celebrated his first official birthday parade as sovereign on Saturday, riding on horseback to inspect soldiers in a ceremony that has been an annual event since 1760.

King Charles

The parade,  known as “Trooping the Colour”, comes  just weeks after Charles’s coronation on May 6,  another  ceremony  featuring  soldiers marching in scarlet coats and bearskin fur hats in  central London  accompanied to  music  played  by  military bands.

By  appearing on horseback Charles, 74, revives a  tradition which his mother, Queen Elizabeth, gave up in 1986  when she  was 60.

In  what is the British  military’s annual tribute to the monarch, Charles  was greeted  by a Royal Salute, and  carried out an inspection of  soldiers in  front of 8,000 spectators,  followed  by his son the Prince of Wales, his sister Princess Anne and his brother the Duke of Edinburgh  also on horseback.

The Queen and the Princess of Wales  followed in a carriage.