20 Quick and Interesting Facts About The Trooping of the Colour

Facts About The Trooping of the Colour

1. Trooping of the Colour is a ceremony held in the United Kingdom, at Horse Guards Parade, London. It is performed by regiments of the British and Commonwealth armies.

 

2. The Trooping of the Colour has been held on the British Monarch's official birthday since 1748.

 

3. The actual traditions of the Trooping of the Colour go back even further.

 

4. A regiment's colours (flags) are extremely important to those who serve in that regiment. The colours are venerated amongst the officers and soldiers of all ranks.

 

5. The loss, or capture, of the regimental colours by an enemy brought great shame to that regiment.

 

6. Likewise, the capture of an enemy's colours was celebrated and are the biggest achievement on a battlefield bringing huge glory to those who captured them.

 

7. Only infantry regiments of the line carry colours.

 

8. There is one exception: The Honourable Artillery Company has colours.

 

9. The Trooping of the Colour used to be performed on the battlefield before and after a battle. The battalion would fall in by companies in ranks. The "colour" party would march the colours through the ranks of troops making sure each soldier saw the colours were intact.

 

10. The Trooping of the Colour, and the Sovereign's official birthday, also coincides with the publication of the Birthday Honours list. It's where the Monarch awards knighthoods, dames, CBE, MBE, OBE, and other honours to those who have served the country well, been outstanding in their fields of expertise, and such.

 

11. Although the Trooping of the Colour marks the Queen's official birthday, her actual birthday is the 21st April.

 

12. On the day, Union Flags are flown from every government building to mark the occasion.

 

13. Gun salutes are fired at noon.

 

14. The troops are taken from the Household Division of the Army, whose normal duty is to guard the monarch, who happens to be their Colonel-in-Chief.

 

15. The Colours "Trooped" are the Queen's Colours, from one of the Foot Guards Battalions; Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish, or Welsh Guards.

 

16. Although they mainly perform ceremonial duties, all are fully-trained, operational troops.

 

17. It wasn't normal for the Monarch to personally take the salute at the Trooping of the Colour. It became common practice in 1901 when Edward VII became king.

 

18. The Queen has only missed one Trooping of the Colour; In 1955 it was called off due to a rail strike.

 

19. Up until 1986 the Queen took the salute on horseback. Since then, she has used an open horse-drawn carriage.

 

20. During the Trooping of the Colour ceremony in 1981, teenager Marcus Sarjeant fired six shots at Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen did pretty well. The shots fired, even though they were blanks, startled her horse. She managed to bring it under control, and comforted it. She continued with the rest of the parade as if it was just another day in the park. What a trooper.
Read more about the Trooping of the Colour here.