LONDON - Britain's King Charles celebrated his inaugural birthday parade as sovereign on Saturday, riding on horseback to inspect soldiers in a ceremony that has been an annual event since 1760.
The parade, known as "Trooping the Colour", came just weeks after Charles's coronation on May 6, another ceremony featuring soldiers marching in scarlet coats and bearskin fur hats in central London accompanied to music played by military bands.
By appearing on horseback Charles, 74, revives a tradition which his mother, Queen Elizabeth, gave up in 1986 when she was 60.
In what is the British military's annual tribute to the monarch, Charles was greeted by a Royal Salute, and carried out an inspection of soldiers in front of 8 000 spectators, followed by his son the Prince of Wales, his sister Princess Anne and his brother the Duke of Edinburgh also on horseback.
Queen Camilla and the Catherine, Princess of Wales and her children, followed in a carriage.
The colour, or regimental flag, which was trooped in the ceremony belongs to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards.
The June parade tradition began in 1748 under King George II, who wanted a celebration in better summer weather, as his own birthday was on October 30.
The televised event kicked off with a procession from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade in central London.
Some 1 400 soldiers, 400 musicians and 200 horses are took part, led in the parade by Juno, a 10-year-old shire mare, alongside three other Drum Horses – Perseus, Atlas and Apollo.
Drum Horses are the most senior animals in the army and hold the rank of major. They are traditionally named after figures from Greek mythology.
The minutely choreographed event has its origins in the display of colours or flags of different regiments to allow their soldiers to identify them in battle.
The 1st Battalion Welsh Guards will troop, or parade, their colour up and down the ranks this year.
Charles – as head of state is commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
Heat
The UK is currently experiencing a hot spell making it difficult for the troops in their ceremonial black bearskin hats and thick red tunics.
William – an honorary colonel of the Welsh Guards – inspected troops from the Household Division group of senior regiments last weekend, and the high temperatures saw several soldiers faint.
Millions of people across parts of southern Britain will be banned from using garden hoses as a hot spell sparks record demand for drinking water, authorities said on Friday.
A temporary ban for people living in the southern Kent and Sussex areas will come into force on June 26 as forecasters predict the summer will see little rainfall.
South East Water said demand in June had broken records despite the company providing an extra 120 million litres of water a day.
A lack of water for sanitary facilities on Friday forced three schools in East Sussex to partially close.
Fly-past
Charles returned to Buckingham Palace with his family where they gathered on the building's famous balcony to watch a fly-past of about 70 military aircraft and helicopters starting at midday.
Clear skies allowed crowds to gather along the route between the Mall and Horse Guard's Parade to see a full air display, including Typhoon fighters and Red Arrows, jets which were prevented from joining the coronation fly-past in May due to low cloud cover.
The C-130 Hercules also took part, the transport plane's final ceremonial flight before being retired after almost 60 years of service.
Charles became king when his mother Queen Elizabeth died, aged 96, in September.
Trooping the Colour marks the official dirthday of Britain's monarch and is usually held in June while Charles's actual birthday is November 14.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) and REUTERS