Trooping the Colour: Guardsman first to wear turban

Guardsman Charanpreet Singh Lall hopes people from different religions and backgrounds will be encouraged to join the Army

A Coldstream Guards soldier has become the first to wear a turban during the Trooping the Colour parade.

About 1,000 soldiers took part in the ceremony marking the Queen's official birthday.

Guardsman Charanpreet Singh Lall, 22, a Sikh from Leicester, said he hoped it was looked upon as a "change in history".

He said he expected it would encourage those from different religions and backgrounds to join the Army.

Gdsm Lall was born in India but his family moved to the UK when he was a baby

"I hope that people watching, that they will just acknowledge it and that they will look at it as a new change in history," he said.

"I hope that more people like me, not just Sikhs but from other religions and different backgrounds, that they will be encouraged to join the Army."

Gdsm Lall, who joined the British army in January 2016, was born in Punjab, India, and his family moved to the UK when he was a baby.

The turban he wore featured a ceremonial cap star to match the bearskin hats worn by the other soldiers.

Gdsm Lall said it was a "high honour"

"I'm quite proud and I know that a lot of other people are proud of me as well," he said before the ceremony.

"For myself, being the first turban-wearing Sikh to troop the colour and to be part of the escort it is a really high honour for myself, and hopefully for everyone else as well.

"My mum was crying on the day I passed out so I wonder what is going to happen to her when she sees me in this."

Trooping the Colour has commemorated the birthday of the sovereign for more than 250 years and also functions as a display of army drills, music and horsemanship.