2015 Trooping the Colour

Today (June 13, 2015), almost the entire British royal family turned out to officially celebrate the Queen's birthday t the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony. Her Majesty turned 89 years old on April 21 but the celebration is always held on the second Saturday in June for better weather.

Trooping the Colour is carried out by the Household Division (Foot Guards and Household Cavalry) of which Her Majesty is Colonel-in-Chief, and this year, as they mark their centenary, The Queen’s Colour of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards was carried down the ranks, or 'trooped'.

 

 The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh riding in a carriage during the Trooping the Colour processional.

 

 

 
 The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh inspecting soliders during the Trooping the Colour processional.

Crowds gathered in front of Buckingham Palace to watch the Trooping the Colour flyover.

 

 

 Prince George waving good-bye to the crowds as he left a balcony at Buckingham Palace 
after watching the Trooping the Colour flyover.

L-R: Prince Andrew, the Duchess of Cambridge, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, waiting for the Trooping the Colour flyover
 
 

For today's Trooping the Colour, the Duchess of Cambridge wore an ivory and blue silk 'Astrid' coatdress by Catherine Walker. The new piece featured a contemporary pencil line and a rounded collar. Kate accessorized the outfit with a blonde £895 'Marisabel' hat, handcrafted by Sylvia Fletcher, Lock Hatters leading milliner. The hat was sculpted using sinamay and finished with a curled feather in a matching tone.

 

The Duchess of Cornwall, the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry riding in a carriage during the Trooping the Colour processional.

 

Prince George, being held by Nanny Maria, watching the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge 
participate in Trooping the Colour from a Buckingham Palace window.

 

Trooping The Color: The British royal family in 1984 and 2015. Prince George wore the same outfit Prince William wore in the top photo. Both future kings were two years old when the pictures were taken.

Like father, like son! Prince William in 1984 and Prince George in 2015, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Colour, both wearing the same outfit.

 

Prince Harry on June 11, 1988, and Prince George on June 13, 2015, watching the Trooping 
the Colour ceremony from Buckingham Palace.

Prince George holds baby sister Princess Charlotte in family pictures taken by Kate Middleton.

Four photographs taken by the Duchess of Cambridge of her two children Prince George and Princess Charlotte are published today

Members of the public have been invited to share in Princess Charlotte's christening this Sunday by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The royal couple have asked for the paddock outside St MaryMagdalene Church, Sandringham, to be opened to the public so they can see the baby before and after her baptism. The church itself will be open to invited guests only, but thousands of people are expected to turn out for a rare opportunity to see the fourth in line to the throne.

It will be the first time in living memory that the christening of such a senior member of the Royal family has involved the public in any way.

When Prince George was christened two years ago, the ceremony was held in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace, meaning there was no access to the public at all. The same was true of Prince William, the Prince of Wales and the Queen, who were all christened at Buckingham Palace, and Prince Harry, who was baptised at Windsor Castle. 

But for Princess Charlotte's christening, Kensington Palace said that: "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be pleased to welcome well-wishers into the paddock outside the church. "The Duke and Duchess are hugely grateful for the warm wishes they have received since Princess Charlotte's birth - many of them from local people in Norfolk - and are delighted the paddock can be opened on the day of the christening."