Summary

  • A massive flypast featuring the Red Arrows has taken place over Buckingham Palace as the Royal Family looked on from the balcony

  • It was the final event to mark King Charles III's birthday parade - Trooping the Colour

  • Thousands of spectators lined the route of the parade from the Palace to Horse Guards Parade and back again

  • King Charles, riding on horseback, inspected the troops at Horse Guards Parade and received the royal salute

  • More than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and hundreds of army musicians took part, and there was a guns salute in Green Park

  1. That's it from us todaypublished at 14:07 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    Emma Owen
    Live reporter

    Royals on horsebackImage source, get

    We hope you enjoyed following along with us - we're going to finish up our coverage and get out into the sunshine ourselves.

    Here's what we've seen today:

    • King Charles III flanked by Prince William, Prince Edward and Princess Anne on horseback, and followed by Queen Camilla and Catherine in a horse-drawn carriage, inspecting the assembled troops and receiving the royal salute

    • A 41-gun salute in Green Park

    • Helicopters, Battle of Britain aircraft, typhoon fighter jets and the Red Arrows in a huge flypast as the royals watched from the Buckingham Palace balcony - with aircraft forming the initial CR - for Charles Rex - in the sky

    You can see the best of the day in pictures here.

    And if you check back on our home page shortly, you'll find a video of the best bits.

    Goodbye, and have a lovely afternoon!

    Crowds on The Mall watch the flypastImage source, PA Media
  2. Spectacular precision but perhaps poignancy toopublished at 14:03 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    Sean Coughlan
    Reporting from Buckingham Palace

    Family on balconyImage source, get

    When the King stepped back inside from his balcony he must have had a sense of relief, after a morning when everything went to plan.

    His horse might have been a little skittish at the start, but the choreography of the day went with spectacular precision.

    It was picture postcard stuff in the summer sunshine.

    This is part of the annual calendar of big royal events and for the first time it was with King Charles in the leading role.

    It was a point even made in the thundering fly-past, with RAF jets marking out CR - Charles Rex, Latin for King - in the London skies.

    But there might have been a moment of poignancy for him too.

    A year ago, at the Platinum Jubilee, it had been his mother on the same balcony, appearing before the crowds. Much has happened for him in the year since then.

  3. 'Worth travelling 10,000 miles for'published at 13:50 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    Our team outside Buckingham Palace have spoken to a few people who came to watch today's events.

    Tony Langridge, 63, from Queensland, Australia outside Buckingham Place
    Image caption,

    Tony Langridge, 63, from Queensland, Australia said it was "fantastic" and a "once in a lifetime experience". It was definitely worth coming to the UK for, he said.

    Katy and Leanne McKay outside Buckingham Palace
    Image caption,

    Katy and Leanne McKay from Norfolk say they had an amazing day. They "loved the occasion and the pageantry" and the Red Arrows were "fantastic".

    Stefan, 37, from St Albans at Buckingham Palace
    Image caption,

    Stefan, 37, from St Albans, says: "I thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity to show my support to his Majesty, the King on his first Trooping the Colour as sovereign."

  4. In pictures: Aerial display over Buckingham Palacepublished at 13:47 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    Crowds on The Mall at King's birthdy flypastImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Crowds try to capture the moments as planes form CR in the sky above them

    Royal family members on balcony watching flypastImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Was Prince Louis dreaming of being a pilot?

    Red ArrowsImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    The Red Arrows aerobatic team ended the display

    Royals on balconyImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    For those in the crowd, there was a lot to photograph

  5. Ground-shaking moment as planes passedpublished at 13:39 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    Sean Coughlan
    Reporting from Buckingham Palace

    With a fly-past you really feel the moment as well as see it. There’s that sound of planes approaching and then the ground-shaking moment as they race overhead.

    You don’t have to be a planespotter to enjoy the spectacle and the crowds outside Buckingham Palace were lapping up the waves of different formations.

    The sight of fighter jets forming up the letters CR - for Charles Rex - in the sky was a particular crowd-pleaser.

    It must have been a great view from the balcony - and as the vapour trails faded, the King waved and disappeared back inside.

    Crowds watching flypastImage source, Getty Images
  6. Red Arrows end displaypublished at 13:19 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    red arrows

    The iconic Red Arrows aerobatic team have rounded off the flypast, leaving red, white and blue trails in their wake - with cheers from the crowd as the national anthem plays and the King waves from the balcony.

  7. Surprise! Aircraft form Charles Rex initialspublished at 13:09 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    CR in plane formationImage source, PA Media

    Earlier we were told that the flypast contained a secret formation as a surprise for the King.

    We should have guessed it really - 18 aircraft have just flown overhead forming the initials CR - for Charles Rex.

  8. Crowds watch as Battle of Britain aircraft fly pastpublished at 13:05 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    The two Hurricanes, one Lancaster and one Spitfire have now passed over the palace, as King Charles and the other senior royals crane their necks upwards to watch them.

  9. Aircraft soar over Buckingham Palacepublished at 13:00 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    Helicopters

    The first of at least 70 aircraft in the flypast are now approaching Buckingham Palace.

    First are a series of helicopters, including Wildcast Apache and Chinook Puma.

    These will be followed by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane planes.

    Then we'll see three C-130 Hercules - this is the final ceremonial flight of the transport plane, which has been used by the RAF since the 1960s.

    Next come an array of modern military planes, including Typhoon fighter jets.

  10. It's time - the Royal Family is in position on the balconypublished at 13:00 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    Charles Camilla

    The King and senior royals have now emerged onto the balcony at Buckingham Palace - including Prince William and Kate's children - Princes George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

    A huge cheer could be heard as they appeared and begin to wave, ahead of the flypast which is due to begin.

    Family on balcony
  11. What will we see in the flypast?published at 12:55 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    In five minutes' time, there'll be a huge flypast of 70 aircraft over Buckingham Palace. The scale of it will make up for the one that was scaled back at the Coronation because of bad weather.

    If you don't know your Chinooks from your Typhoons, or your Spitfires from your Hurricanes, this guide put together by our graphics team might come in handy.

    Remember we've also been promised a "very special signature formation" which has been kept under wraps as a surprise for the King.

    Graphic of flypast formationImage source, .
  12. Gun salute begins in Green Parkpublished at 12:52 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery are firing 41 rounds - 21 with marks the monarch's birthday, and another 20 because it is taking place in a Royal Park.

    The rounds will be fired at ten second intervals, which will take six minutes - leading up to the flypast over Buckingham Palace at 1300.

    There will also be a 62 gun salute at the Tower of London.

    Gun salute
  13. Cheers for the roadsweeperspublished at 12:50 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    Sean Coughlan
    Reporting from Buckingham Palace

    Street cleaners following the parade got a very good reception from the crowd – and they responded with some appropriate royal waves.

    They really milked the moment, and why not?

  14. Crowds streaming down The Mallpublished at 12:49 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    With the parade over, police are now leading thousands of spectators towards Buckingham Palace, where the King will appear shortly.

    crowds on the mall
  15. WATCH: Royal grandchildren watch from carriagepublished at 12:45 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    While we're waiting for the flypast, here's a look back to the start of the parade.

    Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte travelled down The Mall in a carriage with their mother, the Princess of Wales, and Queen Camilla.

  16. Calm horse and tidy flower beds as King returns to palacepublished at 12:43 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    Sean Coughlan
    Reporting from Buckingham Palace

    The King’s horse seems to have calmed down from looking a little lively earlier. Maybe it prefers this upbeat marching music being belted out as the parade returns.

    They’re now back at Buckingham Palace, trotting and marching past the newly-dug flower beds, which seem to have their own military precision. The lawns look trim enough for a match at Wimbledon.

    And members of the Royal Family are soon to take their places on the palace balcony, with a great view of this lavish spectacle.

    King Charles III rides horse during King's Birthday ParadeImage source, PA Media
  17. Why does the King have two birthdays?published at 12:40 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    Sean Coughlan
    Reporting from Buckingham Palace

    King CharlesImage source, Getty Images

    When there’s been talk of a “slimmed-down monarchy” it might seem a bit lavish for the monarch to have two birthdays in the same year.

    But the simple explanation is the weather.

    While the King’s actual birthday is in November, he has followed the tradition of holding the official celebration in the summer, when there’s a better chance of good weather for the birthday parade in central London.

    Even though the watching crowds might enjoy the sunshine, it might be more of a mixed blessing for some of those taking part in the heat.

  18. What happens next?published at 12:19 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    Parade on The MallImage source, Getty Images

    The main Trooping the Colour ceremony is now over, but stay with us as there's more to come.

    The royals are on their way back to Buckingham Palace, where they'll barely have time for a cup of tea and a sit down before it will be time to appear on the all-important balcony.

    They - and the crowds gathered nearby - will be treated to the spectacle of a 70-aircraft flypast at 13:00, just after a 41-round gun salute from nearby Green Park.

    Crowds on The MallImage source, Getty Images
  19. Why isn't Prince Harry taking part?published at 12:16 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    King Charles and Prince WilliamImage source, PA Media

    This is another display of the core of the current Royal Family, the “working royals” who will be most visible in the reign of King Charles.

    At its centre are the two couples – King Charles and Queen Camilla and Prince William and Catherine.

    Prince Edward and Sophie, now the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, have an increasingly prominent role.

    But it also highlights those who are outside that inner circle, such as Prince Harry and Meghan, no longer “working royals” and not part of this event.

  20. National anthem played as royals prepare to return to palacepublished at 12:08 British Summer Time 17 June 2023

    The Colour has been held low in a solemn moment as the ceremony draws to a close.

    King Charles - flanked by the other senior royals - now moves to the head of his guards for the procession back to Buckingham Palace.

    Then, preceded by the Household Cavalry, the Massed Bands will lead the royal procession along The Mall.

    National anthem played
    King Charles leading the procession back to Buckingham Palace.
    Image caption,

    King Charles leading the procession back to Buckingham Palace