The Queen: On Thursday, the Platinum Jubilee weekend officially begins.
New information about the Queen’s birthday parade, Trooping the Colour, has been released by Buckingham Palace ahead of the event on Thursday morning.
The military display, which officially kicks off the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, will see Her Majesty take the salute from the palace balcony rather than riding in a carriage as is customary.
The 96-year-old monarch, who is an accomplished equestrian, competed in the military event on horseback when she was younger.
Prince Charles, Prince William – who is colonel of the Irish Guards regiment – and Princess Anne will travel by horseback to Horse Guards Parade on Thursday, where Charles will take the salute and inspect the Troops of the Household Division on behalf of his mother.
Meanwhile, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duchess of Cambridge, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their children, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence are expected to arrive in carriages at Horse Guards Parade, where they will watch the parade from the Major General’s Office with other members of the royal family.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who arrived in the UK on Wednesday after flying in from the United States, are expected to be among the other members.
The Queen will then take a salute from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, accompanied by the Duke of Kent, Colonel, Scots Guards, upon the return of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and the Guards. Later, the monarch will return to the balcony with a few members of her family to watch the RAF flypast.
The Queen, who now uses a walking stick, was expected to appear on the balcony to take the salute, rather than having to travel to Horse Guards Parade by carriage or sit on a dais for an extended period of time.