The annual Trooping the Color parade is typically a grand, lavish affair that is meant to celebrate the Queen’s birthday in style. This year, however, the parade was much more subdued, as it took place amidst the coronavirus pandemic that continues to make large gatherings impossible.

Fox News reported that while the Queen’s birthday was technically on April 21, her “official” birthday has always been celebrated during the Trooping of the Color parade in June. The “color” mentioned in the name of the parade refers to flags that represent the different regiments of the British Army.

The typically extravagant parade has only been cancelled once in the nearly 70 years the Queen has been on the throne, with the only cancellation coming in 1955, during a national rail strike. The show went on during this year’s subdued parade with a small number of soldiers and military musicians honoring the Queen at Windsor Castle, where she has been in quarantine for months with her 99 year-old husband, Prince Philip.

During the parade, the Queen was given a royal salute before she watched a display of soldiers march around the castle grounds in accordance with social distancing rules. This was her first public appearance since March, before she went in quarantine.

Close

This parade typically involves hundreds of parading soldiers and horses, a carriage procession by the royal family, and a Royal Air Force flypast over Buckingham Palace. This year marked the first time a sovereign’s birthday celebration was held at Windsor Castle since 1895, when a ceremony was held there for the birthday of Queen Victoria.

The ceremony was designed by Garrison Sergeant Major Warrant Officer Class 1 Andrew Stokes, who said in a statement to People magazine, “The Army teaches individuals many skills, but one of the greatest is teamwork, and this parade is a marvelous display of that: a collaboration of ideas and new thinking to celebrate the leadership of the Sovereign on her official birthday.”

“With fewer people on parade there is no hiding place, there never is, and only the highest standard is acceptable, but more spacing between individuals means that there is also no room for errors, and so the soldier has to really concentrate on their own personal drill, reaction to orders, dressing and social distancing,” he added.

Recommended
Join the Discussion

COMMENTS POLICY: We have no tolerance for messages of violence, racism, vulgarity, obscenity or other such discourteous behavior. Thank you for contributing to a respectful and useful online dialogue.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
More Stuff