The royal children were in high spirits today as they arrived in a carriage for their grandfather’s very first Birthday Parade.
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis travelled to Horse Guards Parade with their mother the Princess of Wales and Queen Camilla for the Trooping the Colour.
They waved enthusiastically at thousands of spectators who gathered outside Buckingham Palace and on The Mall, while the King and the Prince of Wales travelled on horseback.
Today was the first time a monarch had ridden on horseback at Trooping the Colour since Queen Elizabeth’s horse Burmese carried her during the 1986 ceremony.
The royal party travelled in the middle of a Sovereign’s Mounted Escort formed by troops from the Household Cavalry’s Life Guards and Blues and Royals.
Prince Louis holds his nose as he and his brother George and sister Charlotte travel
The royal children were in high spirits today as they arrived in a carriage for their grandfather’s very first Birthday Parade
George, Charlotte and Louis will later take to the Buckingham Palace balcony for a flypast – after one set for the King’s Coronation was scaled back in May.
Princess Charlotte, eight, wore a white dress with red detailing, while her hair was pulled back in intricate braids that came together in a low bun.
Her brothers George, nine, and Louis, five, wore matching navy suits, white shirts and red ties – with their hair combed neatly to the side.
After the King’s Birthday Parade, the royal children will travel to the Buckingham Palace balcony for a flypast expected to last around six minutes.
Some 70 aircraft from the Royal Navy, British Army and the Royal Air Force are poised to take part while members of The Firm watch on.
Prince Louis has been a hit at such events in the past, previously covering his ears and shouting in despair as the loud planes passed by.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said today’s aircraft will take off from 15 locations up and down the UK before meeting in the south-east of England and flying over London.
The event will end in a show of red, white and blue from the pilots of the Red Arrows.
Louis points at something in sky above as he and the royal children arrive for Birthday Parade
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis travelled to Horse Guards Parade with their mother the Princess of Wales and Queen Camilla for the Trooping the Colour
George, Charlotte and Louis chat amongst themselves as they travel to Horse Guards Parade
Princess Charlotte, eight, wore a white dress with red detailing, while her hair was pulled back in intricate braids that came together in a low bun
Her brothers George, nine, and Louis, five, wore matching navy suits, white shirts and red ties – with their hair combed neatly to the side
After the King’s Birthday Parade, the royal children will travel to the Buckingham Palace balcony for a flypast expected to last around six minutes
The MoD said many of the aircraft taking part in the flypast have been involved in operations around the world this year, including the Nato air policing mission in Eastern Europe and the evacuation of British citizens from Sudan.
Charles will be joined on Saturday by the Queen and members of the royal family to view the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards Troop their Colour.
The Trooping the Colour has marked the official birthday of the sovereign – which takes place in June despite Charles being born in November – for more than 260 years.
Members of the Welsh Guards, a regiment of Household Division, march to Horse Guards Parade during Trooping the Colour
Some 70 aircraft from the Royal Navy, British Army and the Royal Air Force are poised to take part while members of The Firm watch on
It will be the first time a full flypast has been possible in the reign of King Charles, after a Coronation flypast had to be scaled back in May due to bad weather.
Helicopters and the Red Arrows had been displayed instead, with footage from the skies illustrating just how poor the weather was over London.
The birthday flypast has been increased in size to pay tribute to the new monarch.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, said: ‘We are very proud to be able to showcase our capabilities to our Commander-in-Chief, on this historic occasion for his majesty the King.
‘We have planned a fitting and appropriate tribute for our monarch, that should be a true spectacle for the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.’
Air Officer Commanding 1 Group, Air Vice-Marshal Mark Flewin, said: ‘It is a great honour to be part of his majesty the King’s birthday celebrations, where the flypast is an opportunity for us to showcase formation, precision and excellence in the air to our Commander-in-Chief on such a special occasion.’
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said today’s aircraft will take off from 15 locations up and down the UK before meeting in the south-east of England and flying over London
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