The trooping was sort of skipped over in this video. It's a battlefield tradition. The Regimental Colours were trooped slowly through the ranks by a young officer before a battle so each soldier knew what to look for if he became disoriented during battle. Today we have modern communications, but we have kept the tradition. Each Regimental Colour has their own Battle Honours on it. So, though we no longer need to communicate like this, it's a time for each soldier to be proud of their Regiment and to remember those that gave their lives in times past.
Here in Singapore, which was once a British colony, we learnt everything about military parades and marching from the British. And man, they taught us well. Whenever I watch a military parade, I thank the British!
There two general types of march one is Marching in quick time which will be 120 steps per minute, and the second is marching in slow time which will be 60 steps per minute, these are the basic meaning between marching slow and quick time
Wasn't the march for HM the Queen's funeral march was 75 steps per minute reserved for funerals and the fact the sailors pulling the caisson required the time to start and stop.
My son in law is a kings guard. Also lead pallbearer at our late queens funeral. Received his mov from king charles then enjoyed a wonderful day in the royal box at Wimbledon with my beautiful daughter. Proud isnt a big enough word. Love our military, our English traditions, pomp,pageantry etc...forever a royalist and proud to be British 💂♂️🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧💂♂️
Your son in law is an amazing soldier especially being involved in the late Queens funeral . Those boys did such a fantastic final act for our late Queen .
My late husband served 22 years in the Irish Guards (the Micks) but never participated in The Trooping of the Colours. Usually a regiment has certain companies that do London duties and I remember #1 Company did most of the inspections for dignitaries as they all had to be 6 Ft. or over. My husband spent more time overseas than in the U. K. He served from 1958-1980.😀
I am not sure that you realised that for much of the time we were watching the King doing his duties on horseback. For a man of 74, I think that's pretty impressive. Riding with him were his sister Anne, his brother Edward and his son William. They all wore blue sashes.
This was a difficult ride for the King as he had a hip injury from a fall and osteoporosis in his back. His horse, Noble, is the most recent gift from the RCMP He chose her as she is smaller than the others, only 16.2, and has a sweet temper. This was her first outing, and she had a bit of a bounce in her step so you can see his pain. Princess Anne is an excellent rider. Rode in the 3 day eventing in the Olympics(dressage, cross country, and stadium jumping).
I actually remember The Queen riding side-saddle at The Trooping, and specially the time she was shot at and had to control her horse with everyone watching. The horse skittered a bit sideways and then she got it going forward as if nothing had happened. She didn’t stop, she didn’t look around, she just kept calm and carried on❗️
So do I. My father was a Grenadier guard and I used to watch the Trooping every year after he retired. He had taken part in the ceremony and naturally knew all the marches, music etc. Many lovely memories. Part of Britain's heritage now sadly slowly disappearing.
The King is the one with the blue sash on horseback at the frontSeveral have commented on his ability to ride a horse… forgetting no doubt that in his day he was a keen polo player .
I admire the King for riding for the Trooping of the Colour. It was an amazing ceremony, just like the Coronation. Great to see you almost dancing to the music!
And he and Camilla went fox hunting most weekends at the homes of their mutual aristocratic friends. He only gave that up when he and Camilla started living together because she worried he might fall off🙄
Playing polo in trousers and a tee shirt while young, fit, and healthy is totally different from riding while wearing full military uniform for a couple of hours when you're in your 70s.
The Coldstream Guard the camera zoomed in on just before the Band marched away is Garrison Sergeant Major Stokes. He is the most senior Warrant Office in the Guards Division responsible for planning and executing ceremonies such as The Sovereign's birthday parade (Trooping the Colour). He also choreographed last year's Queen's Jubilee and her Funeral ceremonies. Additionally he was responsible for organising the military presence at the King's Coronation. A very busy and accomplished solider. On this occasion he was signalling to the Office in Charge of the parade that the Royal Family's carriages had passed by the Approach Road that links Horse Guard's Parade with the Mall. This is necessary to allow the Massed Bands to march off leading the King, Royal Colonels and High Ranking Officers back to Buckingham Palace.
Not to mention Prince Philip's funeral the year before that, too. I watched a documentary recently, can't remember what it was called, on the Coldstream Guards (A Year in the Life or something like that). It was fascinating to watch.
There is a reason some buttons are arranged in one, two together, and four buttons together; to distinguish the order in which the early units were formed -- the Coldstream Guards were the second; and have two buttons then a space etc.
We Stokes's really get around. Maj Gen Sir John was my GGG Grandfather and CO of the Royal Engineers; Colonel Albert was an artillery officer in India; one of the many John Stokes's I can claim was Arch Deacon of Canterbury, and William, a GG Uncle a pastoralist who for a time owned about 3 million acres in the Northern Territory in the 1880's. My grandfather (another John) served in the 1st field ambulance in WW1 and Dad was a senior Sergeant in WW2 in the same reformed or 2nd/3rd Field Ambulance regiment. I was named after David John who died flying a Spitfire in the same conflict, I missed the draft so signed up in the Army Reserve 10 battalion RSAR (Royal South Australian Regiment)
why is it amazing? Yes.. they are active service soldiers.. but soldiers march.. its part of their job description and not out of the ordinary at all. Same with the other services. At one time my Father was a drill instructor in the RAF.
I am so proud that four top members of our Royal Family can ride with their troops right through crowds and crowds of people including from all over the world safely. So proud.
Harry says he’s not safe in England! The king and queen, the heirs to the throne and all the working royals are safe, why does Harry think he’s more important than them?
Thank you for appreciating our customs and the professionalism of HM Services. They all reflect well on our country as I think they show us at our very best.
Important to note too that all those helmeted, booted and spurred, Cuirass wearing Household Cavalry troopers are ALSO fully trained troops who take turns at THAT role...and might well be on Operational deployments at other times in their AFV's. They are most certainly NOT "Ceremonial Only".
I am proud of the fact that our royal family can walk, or ride, through the crowds.....sorry to say The Beast and a huge convoy of bullit proof cars doesn't do it for me
I am old enough to remember when newly inaugurated Presidents walked in at least part of the Inauguration parade and rode in open cars for the rest. JFK was, of course, in an open car when he was shot. Maybe the reason the British king can still do it is because he has so little political power-killimg him wouldn’t change anything.
Was amazing to see the King on horseback thought he did really well seeing as he is 74 yrs old I think , amazing all those horses and soliders they did us proud . 😊
And his sister Princess Anne who is also in her 70s! Edward, Duke of Edinburgh is the late Queen's youngest son but even he is nearly 60 years young. They were all amazing! ❤
@@jillosler9353 and the princess Royal is probably the best rider of them all! (at least on that parade, Zara is probably the best rider on the royal family overall currently Princess Anne is just a former Olympic 3 day eventer, Zara is an Olympic silver medalist in the same discipline)
I'm an American and I watch Trooping the Colours and Horse Guards Parade anytime they are there. When they march in the streets to get there is also amazing.
The "bouncy march" is just slow march, quick march is the standard march you usually see from the british army where they swing their arms level with their shoulder, or as was it was explained to me when I first learnt to march "it's walking with attitude"😂
You should watch a video of the royals marching past the cenotaph. They and every single soldier, serving or retired, pause and salute a concrete statue that represents fallen soldiers. Really emotional 😢
First you call it a cenotaph (quite correctly) then refer to it as "concrete statue" (which is totally incorrect)! There is no statue, it is and remains a cenotaph - the word is Greek, and meanss "empty tomb" - the coffin-shape at the top of the memorial. That's what they're saluting. It does not represent fallen soldiers, it represents ALL the fallen of the wars and was instituted in 1920. We all mistakes sometimes!
Two interesting sub texts to that is Royal Navy sailors and officers sign a 'Letter of Attestation' as they are the Senior Service and the King's Company Grenadier Guards do not swear allegiance 'As their loyalty need never be questioned'. It is their colour that was laid on the late Queen's coffin at Windsor before she was laid to rest. At that point their title changed from 'Queens Company' to 'Kings Company'.
@1chish all Soldiers take their oath before they start basic training, Officers included and that would include those going on to serve in The Kings Company.
@@davidhumphreys7035 OK lets go along with your idea. As a recruit they are not in any regiment (or indeed the Army technically) so on enlistment for training they swear that oath. However my words were pretty clear: Soldiers who are IN the King's Guard do not swear allegiance to a new sovereign.
They missed the most important part of the ceremony when the colour (flag) party collects the flag (party FOR the colour, once the colour has been collected it becomes the party TO the colour). The two lines of the regiment then TROOP the colour (in slow march) through the rest of the regiment so that on the battlefield they would recognise their colour (flag). the most moving part of the ceremony in my opinion. It was a total disgrace to the regiment if the enemy took the colour in battle. All our armed forces swear allegience to the monarch as he/she is their colonel-in-chief.
Thank you for your respect for our wonderful ceremonies and troops. Thank you for showing such an interest. Youre seeing fighting Kings Men carrying out ceremonies we have had for centuries and its living history. Thank you for your service to your country too. Im so proud of our troops and these wonderful ceremonial events we have and hope they may long continue as its very humbling thinking of all the kings queens and people who have gone before and yet this still remains and gives our country such pride in its solidity ❤
While the Trooping marks the official celebration of the sovereign’s birthday, it has its origins in a ceremony where the colours (the regimental flags) of the Household Division are “trooped,” or shown, down the ranks so they are recognized and used as rallying points in battle. Essentially, that’s still what happens during the ceremony, and the King takes the salute from each regiment. This year, The King took the salute on horseback. Behind him, during the parade, were the Royal Colonels: The Prince of Wales; Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh; and Ann, The Princess Royal - all on horseback and in uniform. The Princess of Wales, the Queen Consort, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and other senior royals arrived by carriage. The Late Queen, during much of her reign, also took the salute on horseback (and often riding side saddle!). She stopped in the late 1980s when her favourite horse was retired. So in later years of her reign she arrived by carriage. As an added bit of trivia - she was shot at while on horseback during a Trooping in the 1980s and very skillfully kept her horse in control as it spooked from the gunshots and the screams from the crowd.
The other Royal Colonels of the Guards regiments were on the dais - the Queen, the Princess of Wales and, in uniform, the Duke of Kent who is now a little too old and frail at 87 to ride in the parade.
When I was a child back in the 60s and early 70s we would go to see Trooping the Colour, and I remember seeing the Queen on horseback in uniform and in, I think, a long black skirt, riding side-saddle.
Burmese jumped a bit but settled very quickly as usual. She was a gift from the RCMP and also did service as a police horse when not doing ceremonial work.
I just read all your comments here. What a font of knowledge- there is more information here than you will ever get from commentary from the media. I guess we Brits and Commonwealth folk are so happy that you are showing an interest. 😀 We are proud of our soldiers who can do this and then go fight on the battlefield.
The parade shows just one part of the British Army. Marching pace is normally120 paces to the minute. For mixed troops including women it’s 110 paces. However if you see the Light iInfantry, Royal Green Jackets, The Gurkhas for instance march at 140 paces to the minute. Did you know that there was a Battalion of light infantry know as The American Rifles armed with the Baker Rifle, fought alongside British Light Infantry in the Penninsular War? They were known as the 60th Foot. 12:57
An odd collection of snippets from a ceremony that lasted nearly two hours. What a pity they didn't show the mounted bands with their magnificent drum horses. Also I don't know if you picked up on the fact that riding behind the King who rode alone were his brother and sister, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal, and his son, the Prince of Wales .
At 2:00 in the first procession, in the first carriage was the Duchess of Edinburgh with Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Lawrence, husband to the Princess Royal. Second carriage was the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and in the car was the Duke of Kent, colonel of the Scots Guards with his son the Earl of St Andrew’s. Behind the King was william, Prince of Wales Colonel of the Welsh Guards. Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, colonel of the London Guards reserve regiment. Anne, the Princess Royal, Colonel of the Blues and Royals. Following in the carriage behind was HM the Queen, Colonel of the Grenadier Guards. The Princess of Wales, Colonel of the Irish Guards and Prince’s George and Louis of Wales and Princess Charlotte of Wales. Hope this helps.
Thank you for your nice comments, but as other commenters have pointed out, the main part of the ceremony, the actual Trooping of the Colour, when a small detachment of a Regiment, in this case the Welsh Guards, parades the Colour through the rest of its ranks, was left out! There are 5 main Regiments of Foot Guards, the Grenadier Guards, the Coldstream Guards, the Scots Guards, the Irish Guards, and the Welsh Guards, with subtle differences in their uniforms; there seems to be a reserve Regiment too, the London Guards. All 6 were present. All 6 have Colonels, 5 of which are Royals. Grenadier, Queen Camilla (which was why she was wearing red); Coldstream non-Royal; Scots, the Princess Royal; Irish, the Princess of Wales (which was why she was in green); Wales, the Prince of Wales; the new Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Edward), the London Regiment. Notice the Royal Family are often brilliant riders. Two of the Royal Family, including the Princess Royal, have been Olympic competitors! We were proud of our King at the ceremony, riding assuredly on a new mare, at the age of 74! There is a prestigious order of Knighthood, the Order of the Garter. Its blue sash is a way to tell the royalty apart from the rest.
Someone already explained the slow vs quick march. The rider giving the final salute to the monarch to indicate the troops are ready to march out is The Field Officer in Brigade Waiting.
For added pomp and ceremony with some Commonwealth and other countries added in, have a look at the Royal Edinburgh Military tattoo, absolutely fabulous
Slow-march, half stepping or "hover stepping" is usually used for funeral marching. All British males used to learn it to walk behind a coffin but nowadays only the military use it (and maybe some funeral directors). The only other time it's really used is when the Colours of a regiment are marched out in front of the troops. The chap zoomed in on was GSM Stokes, he organises a lot of the big events. From a Brit let me tell you, it's nice to see the King on Horseback. HM the Late Queen was always inspirational on horseback so it's nice to see it back in play. The music throughout is regimental music as well not just random pieces. There's an interesting clip where HM the Late Queen was shot at on horseback on parade one year and She just continued on as if a mere bullet would be entirely beneath her Concern. (1981 Trooping the Colours)
Behind the King are Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Prince William. The King also had a new horse that was a bit nervous. Some of the press said the King was having trouble controlling her but he was managing fine despite one of the grooms coming out instantly to assist him which was not necessary but a precaution
Rule Britannia is a very majestic piece played often in these events. From the late 1700's it stirs pride in the UK & is often played with visiting royals too.
In the days of gunpowder smoke obscuring the battlefield, it was vital that soldiers could recognise their Regimental Colour. Back then, the Colour would be paraded regularly in front of the regiment so that men got to know their Colour. This was especially important if a new Colour was issued. Every year at the King's Birthday Parade, one battalion of the Foot Guards is given a new Colour. All line and guard battalions have two Colours, the King's Colour and the Regimental Colour. The Colours were the rallying point for the battalion. Artillery has no Colours; their rallying point was always the guns. Also, The Rifles, because of their historic role as skirmishers, do not have Colours.
The Brits do it best!! You Americans may have a big military but you will never out the UK for Tradition!!!🇨🇦🇬🇧❤️🙏🏼 remember. Canadians are part of the Commonwealth! 🇨🇦❤️🇬🇧🧸
It would be difficult to react to the Colour being Trooped as it wasn’t shown in this video!! Others have explained exactly what it is and entails in earlier comments though. I noticed reading through the comments that some are unnecessarily harsh and rude. You’re an American, you’re trying to understand, of course you’ll get some things wrong like many here would with American military!! Wishing you all the best in your endeavours 😊
If you liked the field artillery watch the Royal tournament field gun race where two teams used to dismantle the limber and gun carriage over an obstacle course .when they got to the other side it was reassembled and 3 shots fired ,and then all over again to the start .It will blow your mind .
Wonderful to see the new royal cypher, especially good shot of it at the very end of the video. The amount of embroidery done in such a short time to replace E2R with C3R must have been immense.
These days, I imagine it's done by computer programming on an automatic embroidering machine. It's incredible how far we've come in the computerized age. We don't have thanks embroider unless we want to.
It took me a minute or so to realize that it was the King 👑 behind the band and leading his troops as they exited the Palace. I had to get up close to the TV and check out who was under that bearskin. For me that was an incredibly moving moment. It was as if i was back in time watching the King lead his men into battle.
first time to your channel, it's a shame there was no commentary for you to listen to, just to make what you were seeing more informative for you! I watched the entire ceremony (woke at 5am to catch it here in Delaware) it was stunning. You mentioned about marching and playing instruments - what was not shown here in detail was the mounted band, riding horses and playing instruments. Including drums! Check out imaged for the beautiful 'drum horses' usually Shires, incredible.
The foot-drill on this parade re-creates 17th and 18th century battlefield drill. We no longer line up and march towards an enemy in red coats. Pleased you enjoyed what you saw of the parade.
If you watch a full Trooping of the Colour, you would see that Regimental Colour (flag) "trooped" through the ranks - old tradition to make sure new troops can recognise their flag in the smoke of battle as their rallying point. The Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery do a brilliant "musical ride" which I vividly remember one Royal Tournament in Earls Court. Well worth a watch!
God bless my beautiful country thank you for educating yourself of our culture you'll love this if you visit remember though you need to explore all our beautiful islands here in UK 🇬🇧 thanks
You have every right to be proud of your arty heritage. Here in UK I am certain the highest number of VCs awarded to a praticular 'branch' would be the RA. (Royal Artillery). To abandon your cannon was a most heinious act. So they had to fight it out. Like to see more of you buddy!
I think that the Royal Regiment of Artillery has more VCs than any other Corps with 65; however, not than any other branch. Within the Infantry alone, The Rifles claim 117 VCs.
You would enjoy the Equestrian show put on for the Queen for last year's Jubilee - under lights at night. It had field artillery led by horses from different corners, running at the centre, perfectly interleaving between each other. Very impressive.
I served in the Welsh guards , in Iraq and Afghanistan , im actually native American Choctaw nation at13 I moved to the UK to live with my Welsh dad i went into the Welsh guards great mates people and im proud to say i was the only native American to serve , my father's sister flew spitfires and Lancaster's in the ATA during WW 2
If you like marching bands, it’s a pity you didn’t watch a longer presentation. There was a fully mounted band participating. I believe the drum horses are quite famous. The full pageantry is quite amazing!
There's a wide choice of other "trooping the colour"(or Queen's or King's Birthday Parades) videos available on RUclips. A number with the whole ceremony covered - and often with comprehensive commentaries.
At the end of its life, when it starts looking tatty, the old Colours (battle standard) is sewn into a net bag and hung in the regimental chapel - usually part of a cathedral - and left for centuries to turn to dust. The new colours are presented to the regiment by the sovereign.
GSM WO1 STOKES OF THE COLDSTREAM GUARDS Is one of the 4 most senior WO1s in the British Army and is the Senior Warrant Officer 1 of the London District. He is the most Senior Warrant Officer in charge of all the official parades and events.
The monarch reviewing his troops on horseback for the first time since the 80’s was something else. The King did a fantastic job of it and so did his troops.
Trooping the Colour is a Military Review celebrating the Official Birthday of the Monarch. It is done every year. The Flags around the Parade Ground should be those of the Commonwealth Countries (I'm sure I saw the Canadian Maple Leaf there).
Yes, you did see it! Every Commonwealth country would have been represented - there's no way we'd miss anyone off as we appreciate anyone who's part of the Commonwealth family and will always show recognition.
Also a note on the King's Horse - Noble, a Canadian mare given to the King as a gift from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, as is tradition (HM the Queen had a very famous Canadian mare, named Burmese, whom she rode for many years).
When the camera zoomed in briefly on the single guardsman he was the parade sergeant major who basically organises everything, though it is just a case of following tradition, it doesn't change over the years.
The King's Troop would be very upset if they heard you calling them field Artillery. They are the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery. They were brought into being by King George VI, The late Queen's father. When he died ,the Queen instructed that they were not to change their name, so they have been the "king's" troop for their entire existence.
The Colour is the regimental flag and is presented by the Sovereign it shows all the battle honours of the regiment, back in the day and in the heat of battle the troops of a regiment required a rallying point so they would rally to the colour, before the troops entered battle the colour would be trooped along the lines of the regiment so they could recognise the regimental flag hence Trooping The Colour 👍🇬🇧🇬🇧
Have said it before.....I am so proud that our King and his siblings and families can ride through the streets and crowds. The Beast and all the cars just don't compare.
Small note: 10:58 The Regimental Colour that was paraded was that of The Welsh Guards. The King and Prince William are both wearing Welsh Guard uniforms (note the green and white hackle attached to their bearskin head dress) the music at this point is a couple of traditional Welsh folk tunes.
There are better videos of previous trooping the colour available with commentary As stated below, they completely omitted the part of the ceremony where the colour is trooped. This was an historic trooping as it was the first one for Charles III as King. When the appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace the fly past took place, which included the elements which had been omitted after the Coronation due to adverse weather conditions. There is a video of this available, which you should check out.
The British Forces have a Quick March and a Slow March, the one you picked up on was the slow march where the arms aren’t swung and the feet are pointed towards the ground. The quick march has 33 inch paces, it is 116 beats per minute and the arms are swung to shoulder height fully extended.
The changing of the keys at the Tower of London is little known about, but awesome. The longest lasting, never broken military hand over for over 320yrs. Worth a watch.
There is another clip which is from the BBC with commentary called "Trooping the Colour Escort to the Colour". Top right hand corner (part of the way through) shows a little of trooping through the ranks.
The marching bands (plural) are all fully trained elite soldiers in the Guards Regiments. In battle they serve as stretcher bearers - the bravest of the brave.
The members of the Irish Guards and Scots Guards pipes and drummers and the fife and drummers of the other guards regiments also serve as stretcher bearers.
Trooping The Colour (British), not American. He He. There is two marches, slow march and quick march. The man the camera zoomed into is RSM Billy Mott and he is in charge of the Trooping.
At 2:30 It is important to recognise that the first person on horseback , the person leading the parade, is the King himself. He is followed by Anne the Princess Royal, , William Prince of Wales and Edward Duke of Edinburgh. Just to add to the information re the Trooping of the Colour. Each year one of the eight regiments represented her is select to Troop thier Regiments; Colours. That regiment comes to the centre of the Parade Ground, and an Esign carries the colours along the ranks. If a new Colour has been presented by the Monarch, then there is a ceremony where one is lowered and an exchange is made. . At 6:00, each regiments had its own quick march, and its own slow march. The slow march is generally achieve by holding the forward foot above the ground for a fraction of a second. Interestingly, there is a great little bit of tourist video that shows a police horse in front of the regiment, doing a perfect slow march. He has the technique just right. at 7:13, the three people on the podium are the Duke of Kent, Catherine Princess of Wales, and Queen Camilla. The Duke of Kent is in uniform as a regimental colonel, and has always ridden in the process, but is nearly 90, and too frail.
About three hundred years ago the Commander of the Forces(British) would sit atop a nearby Hill keeping a check on the progress of the Battle and could then signal any Battle placements and strategies by watching his Troops Colours... At the end of the Day's battle the Ceremony of the Colours would gather the troops behind their Colours, enabling the Battle Commander to assess losses and strength for the next day.
I checked through these comments and I don't think anyone explained that for most of her reign the late Queen rode down the Mall from the Palace to Horseguard Parade, at the head of her guards, just as we saw her son, the King doing.
The individual you asked about is WO1 'Vern' Stokes, the Garrison Sergeant Major, the second senior ranked WO1 in the British Army. The senior WO1 is the Regimental Sergeant Major at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst
As a Brit, as with all of us, we tend to find that Americans don't actually speak any European languages when they come here... so please continue with your Spanish!! great video... glad you like the Trooping of the Colour* (*see how we spell it my friend!) make more vids if you can... I enjoy them.
The majority of the marching is “quick time” the other marching you mentioned is “slow time” used at funerals mostly. We were taught “ downwards & outwards” giving the swaying motion.
Origins of Trooping the Colour Regimental flags of the British Army were historically described as ‘Colours’ because they displayed the uniform Colours and insignia worn by the soldiers of different units. The name ‘Colour’ continues to be used to this day. The principal role of a regiment’s Colours was to provide a rallying point on the battlefield. This was important because, without modern communications, it was all too easy for troops to become disoriented and separated from their unit during conflict. If Troops were to know what their Regiment’s Colours looked like, it was necessary to display them regularly. The way in which this was done was for young officers to march in between the ranks of troops formed up in lines with the Colours held high. This is the origin of the word ‘trooping’. So, what today is a great tradition began life as a vital and practical parade designed to aid unit recognition before a battle commenced. The Guards are amongst the oldest regiments of the British Army and have served as the personal bodyguards of The Sovereign since the monarchy was restored after the English Civil War in 1660. The ceremony of Trooping the Colour is believed to have been performed first during the reign of King Charles II (1660 - 1685). In 1748, it was decided that this parade would be used to mark the official birthday of the Sovereign and it became an annual event after George III became King in 1760.
The individual the camera zoomed in on was the Garrison Sergeant Major for London District, one of the most senior Warrant Officers in the Army, and he is responsible for the organisation of the drill for all ceremonial events in London (and Windsor). In a normal year this would include The Trooping of the Colour (official title the King’s Birthday Parade), State Openings of Parliament, State Visits by foreign heads of state. In this GSM’s tenure he has had to deal with organising the drill during lockdown restrictions, Prince Philip’s lying in state and his funeral procession (during lockdown so restrictions in place), the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, The Queen’s Lying in State and Funeral processions, and the Coronation of King Charles! So in the last 4 years he has been a very busy chap!
i was told that the bright solid red uniforms were a form of camouflage, as the enemy finds it harder to count the lines of troops and get estimates on numbers during musket era of fighting, or it could it just looks coolAF who knows?
The man you asked about at around 8.42 is a regimental sergeant major (aka god to the grunts) he was preparing to issue orders in a very loud voice but it was cut from the footage.
Official birthday of the King....not his birth date. Trooping the Colour for the Welsh Guards this year. on the battlefield the Colour was trooped so that all soldiers recognised their own muster point and positions etc. Colours of all regiments of Guards have every battle and engagement in their history....hugely important as you will know.
There was a long video presented on Sky that had a good commentator who explained a lot. The slow march is too tough for long marches but is used to show the colours to the troops and for the King to look into every soldiers eyes as they pass him in a march past, like when preparing for battle. It looks awesome. I studied the closeup clips and they start taking a step then glide the raised foot forward before placing it back on the ground which gives it that elegant look.
There are three paces commonly used on parade. Quick March, slow march and Double time (effectively jogging - traditionally used by Gurkhas and Light Infantry).
As other people have stated the video has missed out on the most important part of the trooping. The actual Trooping of the Colour where the flag is trooped through the regiment so they would recognise their flag on the battllefield - in olden days. This goes back to the 17th century. The gold coloured uniforms date from that time the only difference is the insignia has changed of the monarch from G for George, V for Victoria, E for Edward and so on. Now C for Charles. Over time the ceremony was to celebrate the sovereigns' birthday every year. I love to watch it every year sitting down in front of the television from about 10.00am til 13.00pm when the planes fly over Buckingham Palace. Terrific.
The next video to watch is the Royals on the palace balcony and the fly past. We only got a small fly past on Coronation day due to cloud cover.After the trooping there was a full fly past.
The riding past the ranks is not the Review but the Inspection. The Review is the marching past, first in Slow March and second in Quick March, of the Troops. The whole dates back to the Landsknecht Armies, literally mercenaries, then became part of standing Armies following the French model. It used to be the end of day procedure, the Regiment formally assembled, the Colours were marched past and put under guard into their lodgings, generally the Commander's tent in the field, at that the duty day was over. The last thing done was the striking of the tap, or Tattoo, Provost, Fifer, Tambour and Guard would clear the Taverns or gatherings and all had to be in quarters. This version came with the Dutch under Wilhelm III and Churhannover under Georg Ludwig to the UK, the first Trooping the Colour for a Birthday was for his son Georg August, or George II if you like it better, after Dettingen. His grandson George III had them more regular, not annually, but most years till the Napoleonic Wars, George IV and William IV didn't have them annually either. Only Victoria made them officially her Birthday Parade, either on her birthday or as close as weather permitted to it, but never on a weekend.
This is one of my favorite events to watch! I love to watch the soldiers go through their marching paces as well as the marching band. It's so impressive! This is a ceremony to celebrate the monarch's birthday, regardless of when it actually is, as well as an opportunity for the regiment of that year (they rotate) to present their colors, or flag, to the monarch. Originally, they did this so the troops would be able to recognize their colors in battle. I think the King has said that he will be there this year in spite of his cancer treatment, but he has not been cleared by his doctors to ride his mare. He will be riding in a carriage and inspect the troops from there. If all goes well, he might be able to ride his mare again next year.
As you mentioned The King that was Princess Anne [an Olympic Equestrian rider] riding side-saddle for the review. The Queen also rode side-saddle [as is tradition] for the trooping.
I’m a Monarchist from my hair roots to my toenails. The trooping of the colours is the most historical meaningful parade that I never tired from Tradition is a powerful thing. I’m so glad I’m able to enjoy it the orchestration, absolutely fantastic. I’m proud to be a royalist God save our king.🙏
The trooping was sort of skipped over in this video. It's a battlefield tradition. The Regimental Colours were trooped slowly through the ranks by a young officer before a battle so each soldier knew what to look for if he became disoriented during battle. Today we have modern communications, but we have kept the tradition. Each Regimental Colour has their own Battle Honours on it. So, though we no longer need to communicate like this, it's a time for each soldier to be proud of their Regiment and to remember those that gave their lives in times past.
Yes they did not show the troop
The Royal Horse Artillery has its guns as its colours.
@annemariefleming AH thank you, I wondered why everyone was saluting the guns.
@annemariefleming AH thank you, I wondered why everyone was saluting the guns.
That's the thing that struck me - the actual trooping of the colour was omitted from this.
Here in Singapore, which was once a British colony, we learnt everything about military parades and marching from the British. And man, they taught us well. Whenever I watch a military parade, I thank the British!
I was in Singapore as a Merchant seaman, absolute loveliest people on this planet.
@@rab1688 One of my favourite places too.
What a lovely comment, thank you 🇸🇬🇬🇧
I've seen your troops on parade, they're good (so are the Indian troops).
Thats a lovely comment.
There two general types of march one is Marching in quick time which will be 120 steps per minute, and the second is marching in slow time which will be 60 steps per minute, these are the basic meaning between marching slow and quick time
It called the slow march. It’s half time of the normal pace. To get the cadence you pretend you are rolling a pencil under your foot on each step.
Not quite half. Slow march is 70 bpm, quick march is 116 bpm.
Wasn't the march for HM the Queen's funeral march was 75 steps per minute reserved for funerals and the fact the sailors pulling the caisson required the time to start and stop.
@@BomberFletch31 it depends on regiment, gurkhas have quick march to 90 much higher than quick march in other regiments
I agree with the other comments, but just add that squaddies might "step short" in order to dress their ranks.
@@katmen24 I believe all RIFLE(light infantry) regiments march at this pace
My son in law is a kings guard. Also lead pallbearer at our late queens funeral. Received his mov from king charles then enjoyed a wonderful day in the royal box at Wimbledon with my beautiful daughter. Proud isnt a big enough word. Love our military, our English traditions, pomp,pageantry etc...forever a royalist and proud to be British 💂♂️🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧💂♂️
Your son in law is an amazing soldier especially being involved in the late Queens funeral . Those boys did such a fantastic final act for our late Queen .
Wow you have every right to be proud.
You should be proud! That's an amazing thing. 🫡
I'm an American, and we cried too for the Queen. We Love the British people 🇬🇧🇺🇸
did yo mean British as opposed to English. Remember there are other home nations other than the English in service. Irish, Scots and Welch guards
My late husband served 22 years in the Irish Guards (the Micks) but never participated in The Trooping of the Colours. Usually a regiment has certain companies that do London duties and I remember #1 Company did most of the inspections for dignitaries as they all had to be 6 Ft. or over. My husband spent more time overseas than in the U. K. He served from 1958-1980.😀
I am not sure that you realised that for much of the time we were watching the King doing his duties on horseback. For a man of 74, I think that's pretty impressive. Riding with him were his sister Anne, his brother Edward and his son William. They all wore blue sashes.
The blue sashes are the insignia of the Order of the Garter
The last time the late Queen Elizabeth rode a horse, she was 94 yr's old!
@@roselewsley4125for pleasure.. not on parade with full military uniform and regalia.
My apologies, I did not realise that I had to define the "exact " reason, she was horse riding at 94 yrs old !
@@sarahjscooper Sorry, did I mention Trooping the Color ? I stated the fact, that the last time she was on horseback she was 94 yrs old !
This was a difficult ride for the King as he had a hip injury from a fall and osteoporosis in his back. His horse, Noble, is the most recent gift from the RCMP
He chose her as she is smaller than the others, only 16.2, and has a sweet temper. This was her first outing, and she had a bit of a bounce in her step so you can see his pain.
Princess Anne is an excellent rider. Rode in the 3 day eventing in the Olympics(dressage, cross country, and stadium jumping).
Am I right in thinking she also rode in a few horse racing events? I'm sure she was a jockey at some point.
@@cragraven8949 I believe she rode as an amateur at Epsom 1 time in 1985.
I actually remember The Queen riding side-saddle at The Trooping, and specially the time she was shot at and had to control her horse with everyone watching. The horse skittered a bit sideways and then she got it going forward as if nothing had happened. She didn’t stop, she didn’t look around, she just kept calm and carried on❗️
So do I. My father was a Grenadier guard and I used to watch the Trooping every year after he retired. He had taken part in the ceremony and naturally knew all the marches, music etc. Many lovely memories. Part of Britain's heritage now sadly slowly
disappearing.
..and Anne's attempted kidnapping by the IRA whe she responded "Not bloody likely!" Two incredibly strong women 🙏🏼🙏🏼
The horse was a gift from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
@@helenjones4550 There was a horse named Burma, I remember. It may have been one of the drum horses, not too sure.
The late Queen was awesome and her son isn't a patch on her!
The King is the one with the blue sash on horseback at the frontSeveral have commented on his ability to ride a horse… forgetting no doubt that in his day he was a keen polo player .
I admire the King for riding for the Trooping of the Colour. It was an amazing ceremony, just like the Coronation. Great to see you almost dancing to the music!
He handled the young, inexperienced mare well when she got a little anxious.
And he and Camilla went fox hunting most weekends at the homes of their mutual aristocratic friends. He only gave that up when he and Camilla started living together because she worried he might fall off🙄
Fox hunting has been illegal in most of UK since 2004
Playing polo in trousers and a tee shirt while young, fit, and healthy is totally different from riding while wearing full military uniform for a couple of hours when you're in your 70s.
The Coldstream Guard the camera zoomed in on just before the Band marched away is Garrison Sergeant Major Stokes. He is the most senior Warrant Office in the Guards Division responsible for planning and executing ceremonies such as The Sovereign's birthday parade (Trooping the Colour). He also choreographed last year's Queen's Jubilee and her Funeral ceremonies. Additionally he was responsible for organising the military presence at the King's Coronation. A very busy and accomplished solider. On this occasion he was signalling to the Office in Charge of the parade that the Royal Family's carriages had passed by the Approach Road that links Horse Guard's Parade with the Mall. This is necessary to allow the Massed Bands to march off leading the King, Royal Colonels and High Ranking Officers back to Buckingham Palace.
Not to mention Prince Philip's funeral the year before that, too. I watched a documentary recently, can't remember what it was called, on the Coldstream Guards (A Year in the Life or something like that). It was fascinating to watch.
You can catch GSM Stokes on a series called Battlestripes where he completed Senior Brecon, the jump from Corporal to Sergeant.
There is a reason some buttons are arranged in one, two together, and four buttons together; to distinguish the order in which the early units were formed -- the Coldstream Guards were the second; and have two buttons then a space etc.
We Stokes's really get around. Maj Gen Sir John was my GGG Grandfather and CO of the Royal Engineers; Colonel Albert was an artillery officer in India; one of the many John Stokes's I can claim was Arch Deacon of Canterbury, and William, a GG Uncle a pastoralist who for a time owned about 3 million acres in the Northern Territory in the 1880's. My grandfather (another John) served in the 1st field ambulance in WW1 and Dad was a senior Sergeant in WW2 in the same reformed or 2nd/3rd Field Ambulance regiment. I was named after David John who died flying a Spitfire in the same conflict, I missed the draft so signed up in the Army Reserve 10 battalion RSAR (Royal South Australian Regiment)
@@davidstokes8441 My paternal grandmother was a Stokes.
Great to get a US soldier’s reaction. The Brits do ceremony so well.
What's also amazing is that outside of their ceremonial uniforms they are all fully active soldiers!
Why is that amazing? It is normal over here.
Our R.C.M.P. do the same. Ceremonial Red Surges (with the Famous pointed Mountain Hat) and then a regular uniform for work.
why is it amazing? Yes.. they are active service soldiers.. but soldiers march.. its part of their job description and not out of the ordinary at all. Same with the other services. At one time my Father was a drill instructor in the RAF.
I marched when training to be a Police officer.. every day on parad ein the morning then moving between outside classrooms and the sports areas.
It is wonderful! They are a joy to watch!
I am so proud that four top members of our Royal Family can ride with their troops right through crowds and crowds of people including from all over the world safely. So proud.
Harry says he’s not safe in England! The king and queen, the heirs to the throne and all the working royals are safe, why does Harry think he’s more important than them?
Thank you for appreciating our customs and the professionalism of HM Services. They all reflect well on our country as I think they show us at our very best.
Important to note too that all those helmeted, booted and spurred, Cuirass wearing Household Cavalry troopers are ALSO fully trained troops who take turns at THAT role...and might well be on Operational deployments at other times in their AFV's. They are most certainly NOT "Ceremonial Only".
I am proud of the fact that our royal family can walk, or ride, through the crowds.....sorry to say The Beast and a huge convoy of bullit proof cars doesn't do it for me
I am old enough to remember when newly inaugurated Presidents walked in at least part of the Inauguration parade and rode in open cars for the rest. JFK was, of course, in an open car when he was shot. Maybe the reason the British king can still do it is because he has so little political power-killimg him wouldn’t change anything.
President Kennedy had his brains blown out and President Reagan stopped a bullet. We do not want to see that again.
Unfortunately, we have too many guns and too many idiots
Agreed. 🇺🇸❤️🇬🇧
As an American I love to see those marches!!!! They are so fabulous and unique!!!❤❤❤
My son was on trooping the colour, serving with the Welsh guards.. totally blown away by the professional display. 🔵🔴🔵💂♂️🏴
much respect to your son, only the best get picked, I'm sure you were one very proud Mama
🤩
Was amazing to see the King on horseback thought he did really well seeing as he is 74 yrs old I think , amazing all those horses and soliders they did us proud . 😊
And his sister Princess Anne who is also in her 70s! Edward, Duke of Edinburgh is the late Queen's youngest son but even he is nearly 60 years young. They were all amazing! ❤
Recall that he used to be a very active polo player., with all that entails for excellent horse control.
the only slightly funny thing is that the King is in a colonel's uniform
whom Generals and Admirals salute
@@tihomirrasperic But the King is Colonel-in-Chief of the entire British Military!!!
@@jillosler9353 and the princess Royal is probably the best rider of them all! (at least on that parade, Zara is probably the best rider on the royal family overall currently Princess Anne is just a former Olympic 3 day eventer, Zara is an Olympic silver medalist in the same discipline)
I'm an American and I watch Trooping the Colours and Horse Guards Parade anytime they are there. When they march in the streets to get there is also amazing.
Thess regiments would have served in the Falklands islands war/Gulf wars / Afghanistan ...
Thank You, What part of America are you from..... Canada, the USA or central or south America..... just curious....
The "bouncy march" is just slow march, quick march is the standard march you usually see from the british army where they swing their arms level with their shoulder, or as was it was explained to me when I first learnt to march "it's walking with attitude"😂
I remember my early days on "the square" - you're dead right, we were drilled to march with attitude and, in my experience, "with pride, with pride."
You should watch a video of the royals marching past the cenotaph. They and every single soldier, serving or retired, pause and salute a concrete statue that represents fallen soldiers. Really emotional 😢
First you call it a cenotaph (quite correctly) then refer to it as "concrete statue" (which is totally incorrect)! There is no statue, it is and remains a cenotaph - the word is Greek, and meanss "empty tomb" - the coffin-shape at the top of the memorial. That's what they're saluting. It does not represent fallen soldiers, it represents ALL the fallen of the wars and was instituted in 1920. We all mistakes sometimes!
It's made of Portland Stone, not concrete
All the armed forces pay allegiance to the Monarch (now King Charles III) and not the state. The monarch is Head of all the UK Armed Forces
Two interesting sub texts to that is Royal Navy sailors and officers sign a 'Letter of Attestation' as they are the Senior Service and the King's Company Grenadier Guards do not swear allegiance 'As their loyalty need never be questioned'. It is their colour that was laid on the late Queen's coffin at Windsor before she was laid to rest. At that point their title changed from 'Queens Company' to 'Kings Company'.
@1chish all Soldiers take their oath before they start basic training, Officers included and that would include those going on to serve in The Kings Company.
@@davidhumphreys7035 OK lets go along with your idea. As a recruit they are not in any regiment (or indeed the Army technically) so on enlistment for training they swear that oath.
However my words were pretty clear: Soldiers who are IN the King's Guard do not swear allegiance to a new sovereign.
When you swear allegiance to the monarch, be it the late Queen or our Sovereign now, you accept the Queen's or King's shilling, if it's still going.
it's satisfying to see all the royalties and the King with all his soldiers and all the Kings men... what a show of force ..❤
As a Brit - Trooping the Colour always gives me goosebumps - I love it!
They missed the most important part of the ceremony when the colour (flag) party collects the flag (party FOR the colour, once the colour has been collected it becomes the party TO the colour). The two lines of the regiment then TROOP the colour (in slow march) through the rest of the regiment so that on the battlefield they would recognise their colour (flag). the most moving part of the ceremony in my opinion.
It was a total disgrace to the regiment if the enemy took the colour in battle.
All our armed forces swear allegience to the monarch as he/she is their colonel-in-chief.
ESCORT for/to the colour.
It's where "capture the flag" comes from.
You have to admit no other country can pull off a parade like this. Makes me very proud to be British 😊
Thank you for your respect for our wonderful ceremonies and troops. Thank you for showing such an interest. Youre seeing fighting Kings Men carrying out ceremonies we have had for centuries and its living history.
Thank you for your service to your country too.
Im so proud of our troops and these wonderful ceremonial events we have and hope they may long continue as its very humbling thinking of all the kings queens and people who have gone before and yet this still remains and gives our country such pride in its solidity ❤
While the Trooping marks the official celebration of the sovereign’s birthday, it has its origins in a ceremony where the colours (the regimental flags) of the Household Division are “trooped,” or shown, down the ranks so they are recognized and used as rallying points in battle. Essentially, that’s still what happens during the ceremony, and the King takes the salute from each regiment. This year, The King took the salute on horseback. Behind him, during the parade, were the Royal Colonels: The Prince of Wales; Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh; and Ann, The Princess Royal - all on horseback and in uniform. The Princess of Wales, the Queen Consort, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and other senior royals arrived by carriage. The Late Queen, during much of her reign, also took the salute on horseback (and often riding side saddle!). She stopped in the late 1980s when her favourite horse was retired. So in later years of her reign she arrived by carriage. As an added bit of trivia - she was shot at while on horseback during a Trooping in the 1980s and very skillfully kept her horse in control as it spooked from the gunshots and the screams from the crowd.
She did very well keeping calm and carrying on , I will add though they were blanks that were fired bit she was not to know that until later .
@@claregale9011 Yes, very true, they were blanks (thank goodness), and as you say she didn’t have any idea they weren’t live rounds at the time.
The other Royal Colonels of the Guards regiments were on the dais - the Queen, the Princess of Wales and, in uniform, the Duke of Kent who is now a little too old and frail at 87 to ride in the parade.
When I was a child back in the 60s and early 70s we would go to see Trooping the Colour, and I remember seeing the Queen on horseback in uniform and in, I think, a long black skirt, riding side-saddle.
Burmese jumped a bit but settled very quickly as usual. She was a gift from the RCMP and also did service as a police horse when not doing ceremonial work.
I just read all your comments here. What a font of knowledge- there is more information here than you will ever get from commentary from the media. I guess we Brits and Commonwealth folk are so happy that you are showing an interest. 😀 We are proud of our soldiers who can do this and then go fight on the battlefield.
We are the best at the pomp and Pageantry, so proud of our military. Its one of great events to watch ❤
The parade shows just one part of the British Army. Marching pace is normally120 paces to the minute. For mixed troops including women it’s 110 paces. However if you see the Light iInfantry, Royal Green Jackets, The Gurkhas for instance march at 140 paces to the minute. Did you know that there was a Battalion of light infantry know as The American Rifles armed with the Baker Rifle, fought alongside British Light Infantry in the Penninsular War? They were known as the 60th Foot. 12:57
An odd collection of snippets from a ceremony that lasted nearly two hours. What a pity they didn't show the mounted bands with their magnificent drum horses. Also I don't know if you picked up on the fact that riding behind the King who rode alone were his brother and sister, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal, and his son, the Prince of Wales .
Did you mean the Duke of Kent? - The late Duke of Edinburgh died a couple of years before Charles became King.
@@Sgt_Bill_T_Co Prince Edward is now the Duke of Edinburgh.
@@jeanettehuggins4964 Thankyou for your correction, at 78 I tend to forget some things.
@@Sgt_Bill_T_CoNo, I meant the current Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward, who is the late Queen 's youngest son and the King,'s brother.
At 2:00 in the first procession, in the first carriage was the Duchess of Edinburgh with Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Lawrence, husband to the Princess Royal. Second carriage was the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and in the car was the Duke of Kent, colonel of the Scots Guards with his son the Earl of St Andrew’s. Behind the King was william, Prince of Wales Colonel of the Welsh Guards. Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, colonel of the London Guards reserve regiment. Anne, the Princess Royal, Colonel of the Blues and Royals. Following in the carriage behind was HM the Queen, Colonel of the Grenadier Guards. The Princess of Wales, Colonel of the Irish Guards and Prince’s George and Louis of Wales and Princess Charlotte of Wales. Hope this helps.
Thank you for your nice comments, but as other commenters have pointed out, the main part of the ceremony, the actual Trooping of the Colour, when a small detachment of a Regiment, in this case the Welsh Guards, parades the Colour through the rest of its ranks, was left out!
There are 5 main Regiments of Foot Guards, the Grenadier Guards, the Coldstream Guards, the Scots Guards, the Irish Guards, and the Welsh Guards, with subtle differences in their uniforms; there seems to be a reserve Regiment too, the London Guards. All 6 were present.
All 6 have Colonels, 5 of which are Royals. Grenadier, Queen Camilla (which was why she was wearing red); Coldstream non-Royal; Scots, the Princess Royal; Irish, the Princess of Wales (which was why she was in green); Wales, the Prince of Wales; the new Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Edward), the London Regiment.
Notice the Royal Family are often brilliant riders. Two of the Royal Family, including the Princess Royal, have been Olympic competitors! We were proud of our King at the ceremony, riding assuredly on a new mare, at the age of 74!
There is a prestigious order of Knighthood, the Order of the Garter. Its blue sash is a way to tell the royalty apart from the rest.
Someone already explained the slow vs quick march. The rider giving the final salute to the monarch to indicate the troops are ready to march out is The Field Officer in Brigade Waiting.
For added pomp and ceremony with some Commonwealth and other countries added in, have a look at the Royal Edinburgh Military tattoo, absolutely fabulous
Slow-march, half stepping or "hover stepping" is usually used for funeral marching. All British males used to learn it to walk behind a coffin but nowadays only the military use it (and maybe some funeral directors). The only other time it's really used is when the Colours of a regiment are marched out in front of the troops.
The chap zoomed in on was GSM Stokes, he organises a lot of the big events.
From a Brit let me tell you, it's nice to see the King on Horseback. HM the Late Queen was always inspirational on horseback so it's nice to see it back in play. The music throughout is regimental music as well not just random pieces. There's an interesting clip where HM the Late Queen was shot at on horseback on parade one year and She just continued on as if a mere bullet would be entirely beneath her Concern. (1981 Trooping the Colours)
It was wonderful to see the siblings ride together with PW, stunning sight.
The Royal Horse Artillary is so special, with the lead gun being equal to the Ensign for the other regiments and it is therefore saluted.
Behind the King are Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Prince William. The King also had a new horse that was a bit nervous. Some of the press said the King was having trouble controlling her but he was managing fine despite one of the grooms coming out instantly to assist him which was not necessary but a precaution
Rule Britannia is a very majestic piece played often in these events. From the late 1700's it stirs pride in the UK & is often played with visiting royals too.
In the days of gunpowder smoke obscuring the battlefield, it was vital that soldiers could recognise their Regimental Colour. Back then, the Colour would be paraded regularly in front of the regiment so that men got to know their Colour. This was especially important if a new Colour was issued.
Every year at the King's Birthday Parade, one battalion of the Foot Guards is given a new Colour. All line and guard battalions have two Colours, the King's Colour and the Regimental Colour.
The Colours were the rallying point for the battalion. Artillery has no Colours; their rallying point was always the guns. Also, The Rifles, because of their historic role as skirmishers, do not have Colours.
The Brits do it best!! You Americans may have a big military but you will never out the UK for Tradition!!!🇨🇦🇬🇧❤️🙏🏼 remember. Canadians are part of the Commonwealth! 🇨🇦❤️🇬🇧🧸
where is the Australian flag sir >>>?
It would be difficult to react to the Colour being Trooped as it wasn’t shown in this video!! Others have explained exactly what it is and entails in earlier comments though. I noticed reading through the comments that some are unnecessarily harsh and rude. You’re an American, you’re trying to understand, of course you’ll get some things wrong like many here would with American military!! Wishing you all the best in your endeavours 😊
If you liked the field artillery watch the Royal tournament field gun race where two teams used to dismantle the limber and gun carriage over an obstacle course .when they got to the other side it was reassembled and 3 shots fired ,and then all over again to the start .It will blow your mind .
They are horse artillery not field artillery. The field gun race was a naval tradition dating back to the Boer Wars
Wonderful to see the new royal cypher, especially good shot of it at the very end of the video. The amount of embroidery done in such a short time to replace E2R with C3R must have been immense.
These days, I imagine it's done by computer programming on an automatic embroidering machine.
It's incredible how far we've come in the computerized age. We don't have thanks embroider unless we want to.
It took me a minute or so to realize that it was the King 👑 behind the band and leading his troops as they exited the Palace. I had to get up close to the TV and check out who was under that bearskin.
For me that was an incredibly moving moment. It was as if i was back in time watching the King lead his men into battle.
Yep the easiest mounted royal to actually recognise is Princess Anne, the King, Prince Edward and Prince William are all hidden underneath bearskins
first time to your channel, it's a shame there was no commentary for you to listen to, just to make what you were seeing more informative for you! I watched the entire ceremony (woke at 5am to catch it here in Delaware) it was stunning. You mentioned about marching and playing instruments - what was not shown here in detail was the mounted band, riding horses and playing instruments. Including drums! Check out imaged for the beautiful 'drum horses' usually Shires, incredible.
The foot-drill on this parade re-creates 17th and 18th century battlefield drill.
We no longer line up and march towards an enemy in red coats.
Pleased you enjoyed what you saw of the parade.
If you watch a full Trooping of the Colour, you would see that Regimental Colour (flag) "trooped" through the ranks - old tradition to make sure new troops can recognise their flag in the smoke of battle as their rallying point. The Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery do a brilliant "musical ride" which I vividly remember one Royal Tournament in Earls Court. Well worth a watch!
I agree about the ride... it's hair raising! When the guns are galloped at full tilt towards each other I always hold my breath
Loved the horses I was lucky to be at the front they were so impressive, they don’t seem to show them in these videos
Even the crowd couldn’t recognize the monarch! They started to cheer when they spotted the Catherine’ s green hat 😂😅😂
God bless my beautiful country thank you for educating yourself of our culture you'll love this if you visit remember though you need to explore all our beautiful islands here in UK 🇬🇧 thanks
You have every right to be proud of your arty heritage. Here in UK I am certain the highest number of VCs awarded to a praticular 'branch' would be the RA. (Royal Artillery). To abandon your cannon was a most heinious act. So they had to fight it out. Like to see more of you buddy!
I think that the Royal Regiment of Artillery has more VCs than any other Corps with 65; however, not than any other branch. Within the Infantry alone, The Rifles claim 117 VCs.
You would enjoy the Equestrian show put on for the Queen for last year's Jubilee - under lights at night. It had field artillery led by horses from different corners, running at the centre, perfectly interleaving between each other. Very impressive.
I served in the Welsh guards , in Iraq and Afghanistan , im actually native American Choctaw nation at13 I moved to the UK to live with my Welsh dad i went into the Welsh guards great mates people and im proud to say i was the only native American to serve , my father's sister flew spitfires and Lancaster's in the ATA during WW 2
How wonderful you have that connection, at 83 years I have read and seen lots and you are the first one to be on both sides.cGod bless 🤗
If you like marching bands, it’s a pity you didn’t watch a longer presentation. There was a fully mounted band participating. I believe the drum horses are quite famous. The full pageantry is quite amazing!
There's a wide choice of other "trooping the colour"(or Queen's or King's Birthday Parades) videos available on RUclips. A number with the whole ceremony covered - and often with comprehensive commentaries.
At the end of its life, when it starts looking tatty, the old Colours (battle standard) is sewn into a net bag and hung in the regimental chapel - usually part of a cathedral - and left for centuries to turn to dust. The new colours are presented to the regiment by the sovereign.
GSM WO1 STOKES OF THE COLDSTREAM GUARDS Is one of the 4 most senior WO1s in the British Army and is the Senior Warrant Officer 1 of the London District. He is the most Senior Warrant Officer in charge of all the official parades and events.
The monarch reviewing his troops on horseback for the first time since the 80’s was something else. The King did a fantastic job of it and so did his troops.
Trooping the Colour is a Military Review celebrating the Official Birthday of the Monarch. It is done every year. The Flags around the Parade Ground should be those of the Commonwealth Countries (I'm sure I saw the Canadian Maple Leaf there).
Yes, you did see it! Every Commonwealth country would have been represented - there's no way we'd miss anyone off as we appreciate anyone who's part of the Commonwealth family and will always show recognition.
Also a note on the King's Horse - Noble, a Canadian mare given to the King as a gift from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, as is tradition (HM the Queen had a very famous Canadian mare, named Burmese, whom she rode for many years).
I think all 4 of the royals were riding horses gifted by the Canadians. Lovely horses.
@@gaywalker2117 And always so beautifully turned out.
When the camera zoomed in briefly on the single guardsman he was the parade sergeant major who basically organises everything, though it is just a case of following tradition, it doesn't change over the years.
Garrison Sgt Major Vern Stokes.
My daughter and I were there too. Awesome site, royals, trooping of the colours, the military flyover. Felt privileged to be there. Amazing time
The King's Troop would be very upset if they heard you calling them field Artillery. They are the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery. They were brought into being by King George VI, The late Queen's father. When he died ,the Queen instructed that they were not to change their name, so they have been the "king's" troop for their entire existence.
Yes, and many of those Troopers are young women
@@juliamaitland7160 That is true for the entire Guards Brigade and Household Cavalry.
The Colour is the regimental flag and is presented by the Sovereign it shows all the battle honours of the regiment, back in the day and in the heat of battle the troops of a regiment required a rallying point so they would rally to the colour, before the troops entered battle the colour would be trooped along the lines of the regiment so they could recognise the regimental flag hence Trooping The Colour 👍🇬🇧🇬🇧
Have said it before.....I am so proud that our King and his siblings and families can ride through the streets and crowds. The Beast and all the cars just don't compare.
Small note: 10:58 The Regimental Colour that was paraded was that of The Welsh Guards. The King and Prince William are both wearing Welsh Guard uniforms (note the green and white hackle attached to their bearskin head dress) the music at this point is a couple of traditional Welsh folk tunes.
There are better videos of previous trooping the colour available with commentary As stated below, they completely omitted the part of the ceremony where the colour is trooped. This was an historic trooping as it was the first one for Charles III as King. When the appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace the fly past took place, which included the elements which had been omitted after the Coronation due to adverse weather conditions. There is a video of this available, which you should check out.
The British Forces have a Quick March and a Slow March, the one you picked up on was the slow march where the arms aren’t swung and the feet are pointed towards the ground. The quick march has 33 inch paces, it is 116 beats per minute and the arms are swung to shoulder height fully extended.
The march with a pause in the step is the slow march.
Tradition is so important to us in Britain. It’s in our blood.
The changing of the keys at the Tower of London is little known about, but awesome. The longest lasting, never broken military hand over for over 320yrs. Worth a watch.
The artillery gun is itself is the regimental colour, so the King snd orhers salute tgeckead gun as if it were a flag or standard
There is another clip which is from the BBC with commentary called "Trooping the Colour Escort to the Colour". Top right hand corner (part of the way through) shows a little of trooping through the ranks.
The marching bands (plural) are all fully trained elite soldiers in the Guards Regiments. In battle they serve as stretcher bearers - the bravest of the brave.
The members of the Irish Guards and Scots Guards pipes and drummers and the fife and drummers of the other guards regiments also serve as stretcher bearers.
Trooping The Colour (British), not American. He He. There is two marches, slow march and quick march. The man the camera zoomed into is RSM Billy Mott and he is in charge of the Trooping.
At 2:30 It is important to recognise that the first person on horseback , the person leading the parade, is the King himself. He is followed by Anne the Princess Royal, , William Prince of Wales and Edward Duke of Edinburgh.
Just to add to the information re the Trooping of the Colour.
Each year one of the eight regiments represented her is select to Troop thier Regiments; Colours. That regiment comes to the centre of the Parade Ground, and an Esign carries the colours along the ranks.
If a new Colour has been presented by the Monarch, then there is a ceremony where one is lowered and an exchange is made. .
At 6:00, each regiments had its own quick march, and its own slow march. The slow march is generally achieve by holding the forward foot above the ground for a fraction of a second. Interestingly, there is a great little bit of tourist video that shows a police horse in front of the regiment, doing a perfect slow march. He has the technique just right.
at 7:13, the three people on the podium are the Duke of Kent, Catherine Princess of Wales, and Queen Camilla. The Duke of Kent is in uniform as a regimental colonel, and has always ridden in the process, but is nearly 90, and too frail.
About three hundred years ago the Commander of the Forces(British) would sit atop a nearby Hill keeping a check on the progress of the Battle and could then signal any Battle placements and strategies by watching his Troops Colours... At the end of the Day's battle the Ceremony of the Colours would gather the troops behind their Colours, enabling the Battle Commander to assess losses and strength for the next day.
He is the Garrison Sargent Major of the Guards and responsible for the parade along with the Field Colonel appoint for the day.
I checked through these comments and I don't think anyone explained that for most of her reign the late Queen rode down the Mall from the Palace to Horseguard Parade, at the head of her guards, just as we saw her son, the King doing.
The individual you asked about is WO1 'Vern' Stokes, the Garrison Sergeant Major, the second senior ranked WO1 in the British Army. The senior WO1 is the Regimental Sergeant Major at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst
As a Brit, as with all of us, we tend to find that Americans don't actually speak any European languages when they come here... so please continue with your Spanish!! great video... glad you like the Trooping of the Colour* (*see how we spell it my friend!) make more vids if you can... I enjoy them.
The majority of the marching is “quick time” the other marching you mentioned is “slow time” used at funerals mostly. We were taught “ downwards & outwards” giving the swaying motion.
Origins of Trooping the Colour
Regimental flags of the British Army were historically described as ‘Colours’ because they displayed the uniform Colours and insignia worn by the soldiers of different units. The name ‘Colour’ continues to be used to this day. The principal role of a regiment’s Colours was to provide a rallying point on the battlefield. This was important because, without modern communications, it was all too easy for troops to become disoriented and separated from their unit during conflict.
If Troops were to know what their Regiment’s Colours looked like, it was necessary to display them regularly. The way in which this was done was for young officers to march in between the ranks of troops formed up in lines with the Colours held high. This is the origin of the word ‘trooping’. So, what today is a great tradition began life as a vital and practical parade designed to aid unit recognition before a battle commenced.
The Guards are amongst the oldest regiments of the British Army and have served as the personal bodyguards of The Sovereign since the monarchy was restored after the English Civil War in 1660. The ceremony of Trooping the Colour is believed to have been performed first during the reign of King Charles II (1660 - 1685). In 1748, it was decided that this parade would be used to mark the official birthday of the Sovereign and it became an annual event after George III became King in 1760.
Just always bear in mind the King and his sister are in their 70s and still riding to Trooping the Colour. It makes you proud. ♥️🇬🇧
The individual the camera zoomed in on was the Garrison Sergeant Major for London District, one of the most senior Warrant Officers in the Army, and he is responsible for the organisation of the drill for all ceremonial events in London (and Windsor). In a normal year this would include The Trooping of the Colour (official title the King’s Birthday Parade), State Openings of Parliament, State Visits by foreign heads of state. In this GSM’s tenure he has had to deal with organising the drill during lockdown restrictions, Prince Philip’s lying in state and his funeral procession (during lockdown so restrictions in place), the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, The Queen’s Lying in State and Funeral processions, and the Coronation of King Charles! So in the last 4 years he has been a very busy chap!
i was told that the bright solid red uniforms were a form of camouflage, as the enemy finds it harder to count the lines of troops and get estimates on numbers during musket era of fighting, or it could it just looks coolAF who knows?
The man you asked about at around 8.42 is a regimental sergeant major (aka god to the grunts) he was preparing to issue orders in a very loud voice but it was cut from the footage.
Official birthday of the King....not his birth date. Trooping the Colour for the Welsh Guards this year. on the battlefield the Colour was trooped so that all soldiers recognised their own muster point and positions etc. Colours of all regiments of Guards have every battle and engagement in their history....hugely important as you will know.
The slow march is used in review or solemn occasions. Finest light armoured troops in the world. Both fighters and ceremonial.
There was a long video presented on Sky that had a good commentator who explained a lot. The slow march is too tough for long marches but is used to show the colours to the troops and for the King to look into every soldiers eyes as they pass him in a march past, like when preparing for battle. It looks awesome. I studied the closeup clips and they start taking a step then glide the raised foot forward before placing it back on the ground which gives it that elegant look.
There are three paces commonly used on parade. Quick March, slow march and Double time (effectively jogging - traditionally used by Gurkhas and Light Infantry).
As other people have stated the video has missed out on the most important part of the trooping. The actual Trooping of the Colour where the flag is trooped through the regiment so they would recognise their flag on the battllefield - in olden days. This goes back to the 17th century. The gold coloured uniforms date from that time the only difference is the insignia has changed of the monarch from G for George, V for Victoria, E for Edward and so on. Now C for Charles.
Over time the ceremony was to celebrate the sovereigns' birthday every year.
I love to watch it every year sitting down in front of the television from about 10.00am til 13.00pm when the planes fly over Buckingham Palace. Terrific.
The next video to watch is the Royals on the palace balcony and the fly past. We only got a small fly past on Coronation day due to cloud cover.After the trooping there was a full fly past.
The riding past the ranks is not the Review but the Inspection. The Review is the marching past, first in Slow March and second in Quick March, of the Troops.
The whole dates back to the Landsknecht Armies, literally mercenaries, then became part of standing Armies following the French model. It used to be the end of day procedure, the Regiment formally assembled, the Colours were marched past and put under guard into their lodgings, generally the Commander's tent in the field, at that the duty day was over. The last thing done was the striking of the tap, or Tattoo, Provost, Fifer, Tambour and Guard would clear the Taverns or gatherings and all had to be in quarters.
This version came with the Dutch under Wilhelm III and Churhannover under Georg Ludwig to the UK, the first Trooping the Colour for a Birthday was for his son Georg August, or George II if you like it better, after Dettingen. His grandson George III had them more regular, not annually, but most years till the Napoleonic Wars, George IV and William IV didn't have them annually either. Only Victoria made them officially her Birthday Parade, either on her birthday or as close as weather permitted to it, but never on a weekend.
This is one of my favorite events to watch! I love to watch the soldiers go through their marching paces as well as the marching band. It's so impressive! This is a ceremony to celebrate the monarch's birthday, regardless of when it actually is, as well as an opportunity for the regiment of that year (they rotate) to present their colors, or flag, to the monarch. Originally, they did this so the troops would be able to recognize their colors in battle. I think the King has said that he will be there this year in spite of his cancer treatment, but he has not been cleared by his doctors to ride his mare. He will be riding in a carriage and inspect the troops from there. If all goes well, he might be able to ride his mare again next year.
These are the guards people disrespect at the arches on their horses. 🇬🇧
It makes me very angry to see tourists disrespecting the Kings Guards. These people should be fined.
Australian Viewer.
Me too New Zealand 🇳🇿 viewer hate the way those soldiers are disrespected at Horse Guards,the tourists are lucky to be allowed in there.
As you mentioned The King that was Princess Anne [an Olympic Equestrian rider] riding side-saddle for the review. The Queen also rode side-saddle [as is tradition] for the trooping.
I’m a Monarchist from my hair roots to my toenails.
The trooping of the colours is the most historical meaningful parade that I never tired from
Tradition is a powerful thing. I’m so glad I’m able to enjoy it the orchestration, absolutely fantastic.
I’m proud to be a royalist God save our king.🙏