A Royal Tour de Force Launches Platinum Jubilee

The Duchess of Cambridge mixed new and old designs for the Queen’s Birthday Parade, also called Trooping the Colour. 

Today’s events launched the Platinum Jubilee weekend marking the Queen’s 70-year reign.

For the first time, the Cambridge children rode in a carriage.

This year was also the first time the Queen appeared at Buckingham Palace to take the salute, instead of being at Horse Guards Parade.  Below, HM on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with her cousin, the Duke of Kent, Colonel of the Scots Guards.

A look back to June 5, 1952, the Queen’s first Trooping the Colour as Sovereign.

It was a bright, sunlit day as troops headed to Horse Guards Parade. 

And crowds were enormous. 

A member of the Coldstream Guards holding souvenir programs.

Things got underway with the procession of carriages to Horse Guards Parade. In the first carriage, the Duchess of Cornwall, Duchess of Cambridge, and the Cambridge children.

A quick video from the Royal British Legion. 

The Duchess of Cornwall, Duchess of Cambridge and George, Charlotte and little Louis ???? @RoyalFamily @KensingtonRoyal @ClarenceHouse #PlatinumJubilee pic.twitter.com/zhF5YNAjAr

— Royal British Legion (@PoppyLegion) June 2, 2022

Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis traveled in a barouche pulled by horses Shamus & St Ives, per the Royal Family’s social media.

In this photo, you can see Princess Charlotte holding Prince Louis’s hand. 

In the second carriage, the Wessex family. 

And in the third, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. 

As well as Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

A cute moment as the children rode to Horse Guards Parade. 

Princess Charlotte putting an end to the enthusiastic waving from her younger brother, Prince Louis. #PlatinumJubilee #HM70 #TroopingTheColour (No copyright breach intended. Copyright BBC Television) pic.twitter.com/oojLboe9wb

— Royal Reporter (@RoyalReporterUK) June 2, 2022

From left to right, Princess Anne, Prince William, and Prince Charles. 

More from The Daily Mail: 

The Prince of Wales went ahead of the Duke of Cambridge and the Princess Royal as they rode diagonally across the forecourt and under the arches of Horse Guards. Charles wore his scarlet Colonel of the Welsh Guards uniform and green thistle sash riding a horse named George. 

William rode on Derby in his Irish Guards uniform and Anne on a horse named Sir John in her Colonel of the Blues and Royals uniform as part of the colourful parade.

After arriving at Horse Guards Parade, those watching the spectacular ceremony headed inside. Below you see the Cambridge children, the Duchess, and Savannah and Isla Phillips on the far right.

Some background on the event via the Household Division.  

The ceremony of Trooping the Colour is believed to have been performed first during the reign of King Charles II (1660 – 1685). In 1748, it was decided that this parade would be used to mark the official birthday of the Sovereign and it became an annual event after George III became King in 1760.

Another view of the Duke of Cambridge and Princess Anne.

A video from The Daily Mail’s Rebecca English. 

The Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge and Princess Royal set off to inspect the troops…. #TroopingTheColour #PlatinumJubilee pic.twitter.com/2NT1VH2J8q

— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) June 2, 2022

More about the event from the Household Division. 

Regimental flags of the British Army were historically described as ‘Colours’ because they displayed the uniform Colours and insignia worn by the soldiers of different units. The name ‘Colour’ continues to be used to this day. The principal role of a regiment’s Colours was to provide a rallying point on the battlefield. This was important because, without modern communications, it was all too easy for troops to become disoriented and separated from their unit during conflict.

The Cambridge children seemed to enjoy watching the action. 

Prince Louis taking it all in.

Some will recognize the four-legged member of the Irish Guards. 

That is the Regiment’s mascot, Turlough Mór, also known as Séamus. He was part of this year’s shamrock ceremony. 

More from The Evening Standard.

Speaking to Sky News accompanied by Seamus, Drummer Adam Walsh said: “It’s quite loud in front of the band, and with his hearing, it’s very amplified.

“For him to stay cool, calm, and collected, it takes a lot of training and a lot of prep.”

Seamus has his own room with the Irish Guards, and is a “pampered pooch”, Drummer Walsh added. “He’s treated as one of the lads.”

The Telegraph notes “In 1961 the Irish Wolfhound was admitted to the select club of official army mascots entitling him to the services of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, as well as quartering and food at public expense.” 

Princess Charlotte pointing something out to her brothers and Mia Tindall.

Another view of Princess Anne. 

This year it was the Irish Guards trooping their colors. More than 1500 soldiers and officers with 400 musicians and 250 horses took part in the ceremony. 

After the Colours are trooped everyone returned to Buckingham Palace. Chris Ship of ITV shared a video of the Duchesses and children.   

VIDEO: Camilla, Kate and the three children George, Charlotte, Louis returning to Buckingham Palace. The Queen will make the first of her two balcony appearances shortly. #TroopingTheColour #PlatinumJubilee #hm70 pic.twitter.com/U1oo4rWMW5

— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) June 2, 2022

A look at the crowds along the mall. 

After the troops saluted HM, she took a break before returning to the balcony with the Duke of Kent.

Where she was joined by royal family members. 

Here is a wide shot of the group on the balcony. You see (from L to R): the Gloucesters, Princess Alexandra (the Queen’s cousin), the Duke of Kent, Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and Princess Anne, the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles, HMTQ, the Cambridge family, the Wessex family.    

Then it was time for the much-anticipated flypast. 

More from People’s story. 

Prince George and Princess Charlotte are now Buckingham Palace balcony veterans. George made his Trooping the Colour debut in 2015 in the arms of his father, while Princess Charlotte joined her family for the first time in 2016.

A Lancaster bomber, two Spitfires, and two Hurricanes. 

The Queen chatted with Prince Louis. 

The Queen looked happy to be watching the action.

Another view of Prince Louis. 

Joe Little of Majesty magazine pointed out it looked like the young Prince was wearing a sailor suit his father wore to Trooping the Colour thirty-seven years ago. The flypast included contemporary and vintage aircraft. 

Some readers will have already seen headlines reading, “Prince Louis Stole the Show.”

He was quite a character as he watched the flypast. His expressions seemed to change by the second. 

Between the crowds and the aircraft, it had to be incredibly loud.

The sensory stimulation has to be intense for everyone, let alone a four-year-old.

The Duchess chatting with her youngest.

And having a laugh. 

Prince George and his father. 

A wider shot.  

One of the most amazing aircraft formations, the Typhoons formed the number “70.”  

As mentioned above, the crowds were huge. More from a Metro story. 

Thousands of people draped in Union Jack flags, party hats and plastic tiaras lined the Mall in the warm sunshine to take in the pomp and pageantry on display.

Many queued for hours to grab a coveted spot at the front, with huge crowds also gathering in surrounding areas including Green Park, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall.

But within minutes of The Queen’s Birthday Parade beginning with Trooping the Colour, those yet to make their way into town were warned that viewing areas ‘are now full’ and advised to ‘enjoy the Jubilee celebrations elsewhere’.

The scene in Trafalgar Square. 

 From The Telegraph’s coverage. 

Several handmade signs hung over the barriers, with one simply saying, “thank you”.

Cheers can be heard from the delighted revellers, some of whom had travelled from overseas just to get a glimpse of the Queen.

The RAF Red Arrows finished off with their red, white, and blue smoke.  

It was quite a sight. 

Another shot from the balcony.

And one more of HM with Prince Louis.

Now for our look at styles worn for the day’s events. HM was in designs by Angela Kelly, the same ensemble worn in a new portrait released last night by Buckingham Palace.

The design is described as dusky blue Charmelaine wool embellished with pearl and diamante trim around the neckline and front. Today the Queen also wore her Guards brooch. More about it from The Royal Watcher. 

Known as the Brigade of Guards Brooch or the Guards’ Badge, rendered in diamonds and topped by a crown, the piece combines the badges of the five Household Regiments: the Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish, and Welsh Guards, all enclosed in an oval frame bearing the words QUINQUE JUNCTA IN UNO, meaning “five joined as one”. 

And from The Court Jeweller. 

Many, including me, think it’s the same brooch originally made for Queen Alexandra and later worn by Queen Mary.

The Duchess of Cornwall wore a dress by one of her go-to designers, Bruce Oldfield with a hat by Philip Treacy.

The Court Jeweller reports she wore her “…four-stranded pearl necklace with the round diamond clasp. Two more necklaces peeked out from beneath the pearls. She wore her Kiki McDonough Apollo Necklace, plus a second necklace with a gold disc pendant.” 

The Countess of Wessex wore a bespoke dress by Suzannah with a Jane Taylor hat and earrings by G. Collins. Thank you to Dagmar for this info.

The Countess’s daughter, Lady Louise, had on a Philip Treacy hat first worn by her mother for Trooping the Colour in 2009. (Thank you to Polka Popp for that tidbit!)   

Now for our look at what Kate wore for Trooping the Colour 2022. 

The Duchess was in a coatdress believed to be an Alexander McQueen design. 

Some will remember this design from its first outing at last June’s G7 reception. The design features peak lapels, slightly flared cuffs with four buttons, and a full, plated skirt.  

Her hat is a Philip Treacy design, with thanks to Bojana for the speedy ID. 

Here is a closer look that also shows the Duchess’s updo. 

Here is a look at the hat and updo in this terrific profile shot.

Her earrings are a pair that belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales. Below, Diana wearing the earrings in December 1996. 
Embed from Getty Images 
In this montage, you see the earrings and the pendant, the latter as shown when worn to the Commonwealth service in March.  

Seeing the earrings today clears up a misconception many of us shared: that the earrings worn frequently by the Duchess are not this pair, restyled. 

We return to The Court Jeweller’s coverage. 

The earrings, featuring two sapphire and diamond clusters joined by a small diamond brilliant, come from the collection of Kate’s late mother-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales. For several years people have speculated that these earrings were dismantled to create another sapphire pair worn by Kate. I’ve always believed they were two separate pairs of earrings, and I feel particularly vindicated today!

The Duchess carried her Strathberry bag, the Scottish brand’s Multrees Chain Wallet Clutch ($395). 

The bag measures 8″ x 4″ and has a detachable chain. 

Tonight HM took part in a beacon-lighting ceremony at Windsor Castle. This was the first of more than 3000 beacons that will be lit throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, and UK Overseas Territories.

More from The Guardian’s coverage. 

The ceremony, part of a long tradition of celebrating jubilees, weddings and coronations with the lighting of beacons, dates back hundreds of years when beacon chains were used as communication tools. Today, they symbolise togetherness at key moments of national significance.

On mountain and cliff tops, on village greens and town squares, a chain of more than 3,000 beacons were set ablaze across the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories. For the first time beacons were lit in all 54 Commonwealth capitals.

A wide shot at Windsor Castle.

HM after the ceremonial lighting.

Buckingham Palace tonight. 

The Tree of Trees at Buckingham Palace tonight.

Below, Lt. Colonel Lorne Campbell, Commander of the Edinburgh Garrison, at the beacon lighting at Edinburgh Castle.

Fireworks over Cardiff Bay in Wales. 

One item of note: The Queen will not be attending tomorrow’s Service of Thanksgiving. Buckingham Palace released a statement this afternoon. 

The Queen greatly enjoyed today’s Birthday Parade and Flypast but did experience some discomfort. 

 

Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow’s National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, Her Majesty with great reluctance has concluded that she will not attend.” 

VIDEOS: 

Tonight’s beacon lighting via the Royal Family Channel. 

 Reuters has nearly three hours of coverage in this video. 

Sky News provides nearly five hours coverage in this video. 

 This video from the Royal Family Channel offers almost two minutes of coverage focused on the children.

 Here is almost five minutes of coverage of the flypast. 

 This contains the ceremony at Horse Guards Parade and the children watching.

 

Sky TV offers almost three minutes coverage in this video. 

The Queen and Royal family watch the RAF flypast over Buckingham Palace for the #PlatinumJubilee https://t.co/eK1x4o9XBa pic.twitter.com/Zs46ZNwgZG

— ITV News (@itvnews) June 2, 2022