“Enormous pride” presenting the new colours to the Coldstream Guards at Trooping the Colour, King Charles says

The King said he had “enormous pride” in the Coldstream Guards after the new colours were presented to the regiment during Trooping the Colour at Horse Guards Parade in central London.

King Charles III, as Colonel-in-Chief, said it was important, given the regiment celebrated its 375th anniversary this year.

Trooping the Colour marks the King’s official birthday, and over 1,350 soldiers from the Household Division, 200 horses and 400 musicians were involved in the parade this year.  

“It gives me enormous pride, as your Colonel-in-Chief, to be able to present these new colours to you today in the presence of the wider regimental family, particularly in the year you celebrate your impressive 375th anniversary,” King Charles said.

The King referenced the regiment’s role in modern conflicts, as the Coldstream Guards have been deployed around the world from Kenya to the USA.

The Coldstream Guards have been deployed to Cyprus, Uganda, Germany, Brunei, Albania, Holland, Poland, and were part of Nato’s Allied Reaction Force, ready to respond at a moment’s notice to any threat throughout this year.

The battalion has also assisted in training the Ukrainians in Operation Interflex.

“The regiment has continued to serve with immense distinction, including your significant contribution to operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as in supporting security forces in Africa,” he added.

“Meanwhile, at home, you played an indispensable role during the Covid pandemic and have most recently done so much to support Ukraine, and the United Kingdom’s own security, by training Ukrainian forces to enable them to defend their homeland.”

To illustrate the global nature of the ceremony, the senior royals wore black arm bands and a one-minute silence was held to show “respect” to those who lost their lives in the Air India crash in Ahmedabad, India.  

The Coldstream Guards are the Army’s oldest continuously serving regiment, having been formed in 1650.

King Charles said the colours “are a gallant testament to the outstanding courage, fortitude, and spirit that the regiment has always displayed”.

The brand-new silk flags were covered in 44 of the Guards’ 133 battle honours and, for the first time in 70 years, the King’s Crown.

The design reflected the long history of the Coldstream Guards and symbolises the sacrifices of all those who died fighting in their name.

The King’s Birthday Parade is the Household Division’s opportunity to wish His Majesty a happy birthday and illustrated all that is important about soldiering: discipline, detail, teamwork, commitment and endurance.

During the parade, the soldiers wore red tunics and the famous bearskin, while their boots were polished to a mirror shine.

It is known as Trooping the Colour, when the sovereign’s colour (regimental flag) is trooped in front of the King, the regiment’s Colonels, watched on by members of the Royal Family and tens of thousands of members of the public, while millions more watched it on TV.

At the end of the parade, the personnel marched past His Majesty The King at Buckingham Palace.

Then, the King’s Horse Artillery fired a 41-gun salute in Green Park in honour of his birthday.

The King returned up the Mall to Buckingham Palace at around 12:20 pm.

The Royal Family later came out of the historic balcony to see the Red Arrows flypast.