British pomp, pageantry mark queen’s 93rd birthday, officially
LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II marked her official birthday Saturday with the annual Trooping the Colours parade, a traditional display of British pageantry. About 1,400 soldiers in scarlet coats and bearskin hats marched past in a ceremony on Horse Guards Parade in Westminster.
Royals taking part included Prince Charles, Prince William and his wife, Kate, and Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan — who appeared in her first public outing since giving birth to their son, Archie, to watch the birthday flyby of military aircraft.
Baby Archie did not appear, but another young royal almost stole the queen’s limelight when he made his debut on Buckingham Palace’s balcony. Prince Louis, 1, the youngest child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, waved frantically at the first sight of helicopters.
The queen marks her birthday twice a year — an official ceremony is always held in June, in hopes of holding the parade in good weather. Her actual birthday, April 21, is usually celebrated with close family only. She turned 93.
Thousands of spectators lined the parade ground and gathered in nearby St. James’s park to watch the spectacle in sparkling sunshine. They then walked down the road leading to Buckingham Palace, gathering at the gates to honor the monarch ahead of the fly-past.
The queen waved and smiled as she emerged on the balcony and the crowd roared.
The ceremony originated from traditional preparations for battle. The colors — or flags — were “trooped,” or carried down the lines of soldiers, so they could be seen and recognized in battle.