Editing Trooping the Colour (section)

{{Short description|Military ceremony in the British Army and other Commonwealth militaries}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}

[[File:Trooping the Colour MOD 45155754.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Trooping the Colour, Horseguards Parade, Central London, June 2013]]
'''Trooping the Colour''' is a ceremonial event performed every year on [[Horse Guards Parade]] in [[London]], [[United Kingdom]], by [[regiment]]s of [[Household Division]], to celebrate the [[King's Official Birthday|official birthday of the British sovereign]].<ref>[http://www.trooping-the-colour.co.uk/ Trooping The Colour] at [http://www.turnipnet.com/ Turnipnet's] British Military Ceremonial website</ref> It is also known as the Sovereign's Birthday Parade. Similar events are held in other countries of [[the Commonwealth]]. In the UK, it is, with the [[State Opening of Parliament]], the biggest event of the ceremonial calendar, and watched by millions on TV and on the streets of London.

Historically, [[Colours, standards and guidons|colours]] were once used on the battlefield as a rallying point. They display the battle honours of a regiment and are a focal point of Trooping the Colour. The ceremony has marked the sovereign's official birthday since 1748. Each year, one of the five [[Foot guards#United Kingdom|Foot Guards]] regiments of the Household Division is selected to slowly troop (carry) its colour through the ranks of guards, who stand with arms presented. During the slow march-past, the colours are lowered before the monarch and during the quick march-past the colours fly. The monarch will salute the colours in return.

During the ceremony, the monarch processes down [[The Mall, London|the Mall]] from [[Buckingham Palace]] to Horse Guards Parade in a royal procession with a Sovereign's Escort of [[Household Cavalry]] (mounted troops or horse guards). After receiving a royal salute, the monarch inspects his troops of the Household Division and the [[King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery|King's Troop]]. Music is provided by the massed bands of the Foot Guards and the [[Mounted Band of the Household Cavalry]], together with a [[Corps of Drums]], and pipers, totalling approximately 400 musicians. Once obtained, the colour is displayed at the head of the march past the sovereign in slow and quick time, by the Foot Guards, the Household Cavalry, and the King's Troop. (The latter two elements, being mounted, conduct a walk-past and a trot-past.)

Returning to Buckingham Palace, the monarch surveys a further march-past from outside the gates. Following a 41-[[gun salute]] by the King's Troop in [[Green Park]], the [[British royal family|royal family]] make an appearance on the palace balcony for a [[Royal Air Force]] flypast.{{efn|group=note|Occasionally, aircraft from the British Army and the Royal Navy take part as well, as during the 2022 Queen's Platinum Jubilee.}}