Thousands gathered in central London under bright sunshine on Saturday to celebrate King Charles III's official birthday with the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony. The event, a significant royal and military spectacle, saw the King and Queen Camilla lead a procession from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade.

The King and Queen travelled in an open-top Ascot Landau carriage, passing cheering crowds lining The Mall. This year's ceremony featured the Colours of the Grenadier Guards, with over 1,400 members of the armed forces, 200 horses, and 400 musicians participating in the parade.

The royal family concluded the event by appearing on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch the iconic Red Arrows flypast. Among those present were the Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Eight-year-old Prince Louis was noted for his composed behaviour during the aerial display.

The balcony appearance, featuring King Charles alongside future monarchs Prince William and Prince George, underscored a sense of royal continuity. The King wore the uniform of the Grenadier Guards, adorned with Queen Elizabeth II's cypher and ten medals, including the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal and the Platinum Jubilee Medal.

Other members of the royal family also took part in the procession. The Duchess of Edinburgh and Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence travelled in the first carriage. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester rode in the second. The Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Duke of Edinburgh, all holding royal colonelcies, rode on horseback as part of the military parade.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, followed in a separate carriage with her three children. Queen Camilla, who holds the title Colonel of the Grenadiers, was also present for the traditional military display.

Trooping the Colour, historically marking the monarch's official birthday, is a tradition dating back centuries. The "Colours" refer to the flags representing different regiments within the British Army, with a different regiment's colours being "trooped" each year.

The ceremony serves as a key date in the royal calendar, drawing large crowds and significant media attention, particularly for the balcony appearance and the Red Arrows display, which provides a colourful conclusion to the day's events.