Editing Trooping the Colour (section)

=== March on ===
[[Image:Marker on Horseguards.jpg|thumb|Colour marker point marching at end of parade]]

A detail of guardsmen bearing marker flags marches on, to mark the positions of Nos. 1-6 Guards. (These marker flags are the respective company colours from each regiment.)

Preceded by their regimental bands, Nos. 1-6 Guards march into position. No. 1 Guard is "Escort for the Colour."

*Nos. 1-5 Guards align in two ranks on the west side of the parade ground facing [[Horse Guards (building)|Horse Guards Building]].
*No. 6 Guard lines up perpendicular to them on the north side, thus making an "L" shape. Up to eight Guards companies may take part. Nos. 7 and 8 Guards, if present, would line up next to No. 6 Guard. In 2009, to reflect the successful recruitment efforts of the Irish Guards, there were seven Guards on [[Horse Guards Parade|Horse Guards]].<ref>BBC1 television commentary, 13 June 2009</ref>
*The massed bands are on the south side, by the gardens of [[10 Downing Street]].
*Adjacent to No. 6 Guard is the Colour Party made up of 3 soldiers. A snare drummer joins them in the march on. As the party takes its place the drummer marches off and the colour's casing is removed, revealing the colour to be trooped.
*The King's Troop, the Household Cavalry, and their mounted band form up behind Nos. 1-5 Guards.{{efn|group=note|2011 marked the first time that the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery did not attend the ceremony since its first appearance in 1997.  Instead, they performed the gun salutes on the anniversary of the Queen's coronation (2 June) and on the Duke of Edinburgh's birthday the day before. The job of handling the salutes was entrusted to the [[Honourable Artillery Company]] in the Tower of London grounds with a 62-gun Royal Salute as per tradition.}}

With the foot guards in their home service order and the mounted band in state dress uniform, the assembled ranks of Household Division make a colourful spectacle.

Guards half-companies line up on the road to Horse Guards Parade to provide security to the Royal Family that will arrive later and to the marching and mounted contingents.