King’s Birthday: How To Watch The Trooping Of The Colour In 2026

Music, military precision and his majesty the King: all will take to Horse Guards Parade on Saturday 13 June 2026. It’s all in celebration of King Charles III’s official birthday and includes the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony near Buckingham Palace with all of its associated fanfare.

Here’s what it all means, plus how to see it.

When Is King Charles III’s Birthday?

King Charles III was born on 14 November 1948, so why are we celebrating him now? The second Saturday in June is the British monarch’s ‘official birthday’, following in the footsteps of his late mother Elizabeth II, who was born in April but celebrated her ‘official birthday’ on the second Saturday of June.

It’s a tradition that stretches back several centuries in the British monarchy. The first monarch to celebrate an ‘official birthday’ was King George II in 1748. Like Charles, George was born in November, a month closely associated with the miserable weather in the capital. To make his birthday a grander public affair, he combined the already existing annual summer military parade, Trooping the Colour, with a celebration of his natal day.

Despite the fact that King George II’s successor, King George III, was actually born in June, he solidified the tradition of combining the monarch’s birthday celebrations with a grand military affair. And when his successor, King George IV, decided to Troop the Colour on St George’s Day in April, ahead of his actual birthday in August, it was decided: the British monarch would mark their birthday by Trooping the Colour every summer, and their actual birthday in private, separately, whenever it fell.

Trooping The Colour

The Trooping the Colour ceremony dates back even further than its association with the monarch’s ‘official birthday’, and is believed to have come to be in the reign of King Charles II (1660–85).

The ‘colours’ of the name refer to the British Army’s regimental flags, which traditionally display the uniform Colours and insignia worn by the soldiers of different units. Before modern communications, Colours – a term still used today – were vital in assisting troops in finding their unit after being separated or disoriented on the battlefield. The ‘trooping’ refers to the young officers who would mark between the ranks of troops with the Colours held high.

Trooping the Colour is still performed by the Guards – personal bodyguards to the British sovereign and one of the oldest regiments of the British Army, dating back to the 1660 restoration following the English Civil War (which put Charles II on the throne).

Today, it mainly takes place on Horse Guards Parade on the opposite side of St James’s Park from Buckingham Palace. During the ceremony, however, the monarch processes down The Mall from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade accompanied by the Sovereign’s Escort of Household Cavalry (mounted troops or horse guards). After a royal salute to the monarch, he inspects the troops of the Household Division and the King’s Troop.

Around 400 musicians soundtrack the affair, with around 1,400 officers and soldiers, 200 horses and the King himself all involved. The impressive spectacle culminates with the annual RAF flypast and an appearance from the royal family on the iconic Buckingham Palace balcony.

The Flypast

You know an occasion is very special when the RAF co-ordinates a flypast – and this is an annual feature of the British monarch’s birthday. Also known as the ‘red arrows’, a type of military aircraft that frequently features, make sure you look into the skies to catch a glimpse of these impressive jets, leaving a trail of red, white and blue in the sky.

Timings

Events begin at approximately 10.20am on Saturday 13 June 2026. It’s a long ceremony: the RAF fly-past follows at 1pm.

The Red Arrows will take off from RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire at around 12.30pm. They will then fly over East Anglia, Ipswich, Colchester and Essex before making it to east London at around 1pm, and flying over Hackney, Shoreditch, the City and Westminster before finally passing over Buckingham Place at around 1.06pm.

The planes will then continue west, over Belgravia, Kensington, Hammersmith and Brentford, reaching Heathrow Airport by 1.09pm. By 1.10pm, the speedy jets will fly over Windsor Castle before heading back home to Lincolnshire.

Other Troopings

If you don’t happen to be in London on the 13 June, there are two other opportunities to see the Trooping the Colour – just note that the King himself won’t be there.

The first is The Major General’s Review, which took place on 30 May, two weeks ahead of the main parade. The Colonel’s Review follows a week later on 6 June, a week ahead.

How To Watch It

Members of the public are welcome to come and watch the King’s birthday celebrations, with standing areas on The Mall or on the edge of St James’s Park available. You don’t need a ticket, but expect lots of crowds.

If you would like to sit, there is a grandstand surrounding Horse Guards Parade, with tickets starting from £10. Because there is such high demand, they are allocated by ballot. Find out more here.

If you’re not in London, the King’s Birthday Parade will be broadcast live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 10.30am on Saturday 13 June. Clare Balding will host the live coverage, with Michelle Ackerley on the ground chatting to the people involved.

Highlights from the day will be broadcast from 7.05pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

WATCH: bbc.co.uk