A major change has been made to the Queen’s annual birthday celebration, Trooping The Colour falling this year on the 2nd of June.
For the first time during her reign, Queen Elizabeth, 96, won’t receive the Trooping the Colour salute due to health concerns and instead her eldest children Prince Charles, 73, and Princess Anne, 71, will receive the honour given during the military display at the Horse Guards Parade. Her Majesty will not be in attendance.
Queen Elizabeth has taken the royal salute every year of her reign except in 1955 when the event was cancelled due to a rail strike. Changes have been made due to underlying health concerns, she will not be participating in all of the events.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson recently explained Her Majesty is suffering from “mobility issues” which has seen her pull out of a number of scheduled engagements.
It has been reported that a number of plans for the day are being reconsidered. One would see the Queen travel in a carriage from Buckingham Palace to briefly inspect the troops before retiring to her residence to rest while Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince William fill in for her during the remainder of the parade.
Earlier this month Prince Charles, 73, stood in for her at the state opening of parliament, the first time she had missed the event in 59 years.
For the past two years the event Trooping the Colour has been heavily modified due to the pandemic and it is hoped it will return in it’s full glory this year.
It has been announced the number of senior royals joining Her Majesty on the balcony of Buckingham Palace will be reduced to senior working royals only which will exclude Prince Andrew and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Although Harry and Meghan and their children Archie, and Lilibet, are expected to attend the parade and a service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on June the 3rd.
Trooping the Colour will kick off four days of national celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Image: Getty Images
This article first appeared on OverSixty.