Colour on parade for Queen's 83rd

Published on Saturday 13 June 2009 20:03

THOUSANDS of well wishers celebrated the Queen's official birthday yesterday as the milestone was marked by a Trooping the Colour parade full of pomp and pageantry.

The Monarch took the royal salute during the military spectacle as senior members of the royal family looked on.

For decades the Queen has taken part in the event, staged every June in London's historic Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall. This year the ceremony marked the 83rd birthday of the Sovereign.

Among the royal party were Prince William and Prince Harry, their stepmother the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Prince of Wales took part in the event, along with his sister the Princess Royal.

The Queen first took the royal salute in 1951, when she deputised for her ill father George VI.

Her first duty yesterday was to inspect the long line of troops – wearing their famous red tunics and bearskin hats –from the four Foot Guards regiments of the Household Division taking part – the Irish, Grenadier, Scots and Coldstream Guards.

Trooping the Colour originated from traditional battle preparations when Colours, or flags, were carried down the ranks so they could be seen and recognised by the soldiers.

The colour yesterday was carried byLieutenant Andrew Campbell, 24, who has been in the 1st Battalion of the Irish Guards for five months.