By Wonderwall.com Editors
9:30pm PDT, Jun 18, 2023
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The British royal family is known for the pageantry of their weddings and the spectacle of their birth announcements, but there are other royal events that are just as awe-inspiring, such as the annual Trooping the Colour. The ceremony dates back to the time of King Charles II in the 17th century and is the official birthday celebration of the British sovereign. In 2023, it's even more special: When it took place on June 17 this year, it marked the first time newly crowned King Charles III was honored at his own Trooping the Colour. Join us as we take a look at photos from previous Trooping the Colour days through the decades…
Queen Elizabeth II waved to the crowds from the balcony at Buckingham Palace in London on June 2, 2022, alongside son Prince Charles during what would be her final Trooping the Colour birthday celebration: She died just three months later at 96 after a 70-year reign. The 2022 event took place during a weekend of celebrations marking her Platinum Jubilee.
The 2022 event was also notable as a new rule was in place: "After careful consideration, the queen has decided that this year's traditional Trooping the Colour balcony appearance on Thursday 2nd of June will be limited to Her Majesty and those members of the royal family who are currently undertaking official public duties on behalf of the queen," a Buckingham Palace spokesman announced. That meant that royals including Prince Harry and wife Duchess Meghan as well as Prince Andrew were not invited on the balcony — making their 2019 appearances perhaps their last ever at the event.
Keep reading to see more great photos from Trooping the Colour days over the years…
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The slimmed-down royal family — Sir Timothy Laurence and wife Princess Anne; Prince George, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte and parents Princess Kate and Prince William; King Charles III and Queen Camilla; and Prince Edward and wife Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh — stood on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch a fly-past of Royal Air Force aircraft during Trooping the Colour in London on June 17, 2023.
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Prince George, Prince Louis — looking a little bored — and Princess Charlotte stood on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch a Royal Air Force fly-past during Trooping the Colour in London on June 17, 2023.
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Princess Diana held a young Prince Harry in her arms as she watched the Trooping the Colour celebration with a bored-looking Prince William and the queen's sister, Princess Margaret, from the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London on June 1, 1988.
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Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Andrew, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour on June 8, 2019. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Duke of York's 2019 Trooping the Colour balcony appearance was likely their last, perhaps ever, as all three are no longer working royals.
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A joyful Queen Elizabeth II, holding infant son Prince Edward, posed with husband Prince Philip on the balcony at Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour on June 13, 1964.
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Princess Diana — who was just days away from giving birth to her first child, Prince William — stood with father-in-law Prince Philip on the balcony of London's Buckingham Palace to watch Trooping the Colour festivities on June 12, 1982.
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Prince Harry, Duchess Kate — who was pregnant with Prince George at the time — and Prince William stood side by side on the balcony at Buckingham Palace during the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony in London on June 15, 2013.
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Instead of a grand parade, a military flyover and photos of the royal family gathered on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London to mark the monarch's 95th birthday in 2021, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated with a scaled back ceremony — due to the coronavirus pandemic — in the quadrangle at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, where she lived during the global health crisis. The monarch is seen here watching soldiers march across the quadrangle.
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A delighted Queen Elizabeth II is seen taking it all in during a military ceremony to mark her official birthday celebration, Trooping the Colour, at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, on June 12, 2021.
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Queen Elizabeth II and cousin Edward, the Duke of Kent sat under a white canopy in the quadrangle of Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, on June 12, 2021, as they watched a flyover by the Royal Air Force Red Arrows during her official birthday celebration, Trooping the Colour.
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Prince Harry had his signature beard while processing up the Whitehall during Trooping the Colour's Royal Horse Guards Parade in London on June 11, 2016.
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Queen Elizabeth II smiles during her official Trooping the Colour birthday celebration at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, on June 13, 2020.
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Queen Elizabeth II and military leaders practiced social distancing as they watched the Welsh Guards march during a scaled-back version of her official birthday celebration, Trooping the Colour, at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, on June 13, 2020.
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While seated inside a white structure erected outside Windsor Castle, Queen Elizabeth II viewed a military ceremony and salute by the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards in the castle's quadrangle in Windsor, England, during her official annual birthday celebration on June 13, 2020.
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Mary of Teck, Queen Consort to King George V, appears with daughter Princess Mary, Elizabeth, Duchess of York (the future Queen Mother) and granddaughter Princess Elizabeth of York (the future Queen Elizabeth II) at the Trooping the Colour ceremony at St. James's Palace in London on June 5, 1933.
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Members of the royal family are pictured on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour celebrations on June 13, 1987: Prince Andrew and wife Sarah, Duchess of York, young Lady Gabriella Windsor, Princess Diana, Prince Harry, Peter Phillips, Princess Anne and Prince William.
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Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall attended her first Trooping the Colour ceremony on June 11, 2005. She appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony with then-new husband Prince Charles and step-son Prince William.
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Duchess Kate, Princess Charlotte, Prince William, Savannah Phillips and Prince George watched the crowds from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour in London on June 9, 2018.
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Prince Harry looked down from a Buckingham Palace window at Trooping the Colour proceedings in the courtyard of Buckingham Palace in London on June 16, 1990. How cute!
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Held by nanny Maria Borrallo, a gleeful Prince George looked through a window in Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour ceremonies in London on June 13, 2015. Just like his uncle Prince Harry did decades earlier!
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Duchess Kate made her way down The Mall during the Trooping the Colour procession in London on June 11, 2011 — her first one following her marriage to Prince William that spring!
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Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother is pictured here with daughter Princess Margaret at Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Colour in London on June 11, 1953.
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Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother stands with Princess Margaret, Princess Diana, Prince William and Princess Michael on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the Trooping the Colour ceremony on June 16, 1984.
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Queen Elizabeth II spoke with her youngest son, Prince Edward, during Trooping the Colour at Buckingham Palace in London in 1972.
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Queen Elizabeth II is seen here with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and their children Prince Charles and Princess Anne on the balcony at Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London on June 10, 1954. In the background is Earl Mountbatten, the Duke of Edinburgh's uncle.
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Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and little brother Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, looked out at the crowds from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London on June 17, 2017.
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Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and Princess Diana left Buckingham Palace in a carriage to attend the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London on June 13, 1987.
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King George V (Queen Elizabeth II's grandfather) saluted during Trooping the Colour in London in 1928.
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Prince William waved from a carriage during the Trooping the Colour procession in London on June 11, 1988.
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Duchess Kate and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace during the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony in London on June 17, 2017.
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Queen Elizabeth II wore the uniform of the Grenadier Guards and rode on horseback at the Trooping the Colour ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London in 1947.
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Queen Elizabeth II and husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh rode in a carriage during the annual Trooping the Colour procession in London on June 17, 2017.
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Prince Charles and Prince William rode horses during the annual Trooping the Colour parade in London on June 17, 2017.
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Duchess Kate, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince William, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip stood together on the balcony at Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour in London on June 11, 2016. The 2016 ceremony officially celebrated the queen's 90th birthday!
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A young Prince Charles gave his best military salute during the Trooping the Colour ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London on June 11, 1953.
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Prince William and Prince Harry smiled as they joined other royals on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after Trooping the Colour festivities in London on June 13, 2003.
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Prince Charles held a young Prince William on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London on June 16, 1984.
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Like father, like son! Prince William held son Prince George on the balcony at Buckingham Palace alongside Duchess Kate, Duchess Camilla, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Harry and Prince Philip during Trooping the Colour in London on June 13, 2015.
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Princess Beatrice of York and Princess Eugenie of York waved at the crowds during the annual Trooping the Colour Horse Guards Parade in London on June 13, 2015.
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Prince Edward rode in an open carriage during the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London on June 15, 1985.
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Queen Mary, Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and the Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother) are pictured on their way by carriage to the Trooping the Colour ceremonies in London on June 6, 1931.
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Princess Anne rode a horse during Trooping the Colour in London on June 16, 2001.
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Queen Elizabeth II appeared with Prince Phillip, Lord Nicholas Windsor, Prince Edward, Princess Anne, Prince William and Prince Charles, who is seen passing Prince Harry to Princess Diana, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London on June 15, 1985.
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Prince William, Prince Andrew, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie attended Trooping the Colour in London on June 15, 2017.
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Princess Diana appeared with Prince William and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother in a carriage at the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London on June 13, 1987.
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King George V saluted as the troops marched past during Trooping the Colour in London on May 6, 1920. In the stands are Queen Mary, Princess Mary, Princess Arthur of Connaught, Princess Christian and Princess Beatrice. You can also spot Winston Churchill in the front of the stands!
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Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother appeared with daughter Princess Margaret at Trooping the Colour in London on June 12, 1993.
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Sophie, Countess of Wessex and husband Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex returned to Buckingham Palace during the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony in London on June 15, 2013.
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Young Zara Phillips, Princess Diana, Prince William, Captain Mark Phillips and Princess Anne, who's holding a young Prince Harry, appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after Trooping the Colour in London on June 14, 1986.
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Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Duchess Kate and Prince Harry traveled by carriage during Trooping the Colour in London on June 14, 2014.
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Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice stood on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour on June 9, 2018.
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Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles waved from the Buckingham Palace balcony after the annual Trooping the Colour ceremonies in London on June 15, 2002.
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Prince William and Duchess Kate stood on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Colour parade in London on June 11, 2011.
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Prince William, step-mother Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and brother Prince Harry appeared together on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the annual Trooping the Colour in London on June 13, 2009.
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Prince Charles and grandmother Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother talked as they stood on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch Trooping the Colour festivities on June 12, 1999.
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Sophie Rhys-Jones joined Prince Edward — whom she would marry just a week later — and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother for Sophie's first Trooping the Colour procession on June 12, 1999.
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Princess Margaret appeared in the carriage procession during Trooping the Colour with her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother in London on June 12, 1982.
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Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Andrew, Duke of York,
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend Trooping The Colour in London on June 8, 2019.
