Overview
Number 9 Company Irish Guards will Troop their Colour in the presence of His Majesty The King on Saturday 15th June 2024. Taking part will be over 1350 soldiers of the Household Division and King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, including over 300 musicians from the Massed Bands.
Trooping the Colour reviewed by His Majesty The King also includes 250 soldiers from the Foot Guards who will line the processional route along The Mall.
The ceremony of Trooping the Colour is believed to have been first performed during the reign of King Charles II, who was Monarch from 1660 to 1685. In 1748 it was decided that this parade would be used to mark the official birthday of the Sovereign. It became an annual event after George III became King in 1760. Guards taking part are drawn from the Regiments of the Sovereign’s Household Troops; it has become the practice for Regiments of Foot Guards to troop their Colour in turn.
His Majesty’s actual birthday is 14th November. The Sovereign’s official birthday is marked by the ceremony of Trooping the Colour, which this year falls on Saturday 15th June 2024.
How to watch
Members of the public can watch the parade from the stands on Horse Guards Parade by applying for tickets through the online ballot.
Alternatively, a limited view can be obtained by standing on The Mall or on the edge of St James’s Park overlooking Horse Guards Parade from 9.00am, noting that the view from these positions may be obscured by troops on parade. These public vantage points are indicated with black dotted lines on the map.
The parade begins at Horse Guards Parade at 10.30am and will finish by 12.25pm. On the day of the King’s Birthday Parade (15th June), a fly-past by the Royal Air Force will take place at 1.00pm, which can be watched from The Mall.
The King’s Birthday Parade is broadcast live on the BBC in the UK on 15th June 2024.
Tickets and prices
For Trooping the Colour reviewed by His Majesty The King, seated tickets on Horse Guards Parade are allocated by ballot. This ballot will run from 4th March 2024 to 24th March 2024. Entrants can apply for between 1 and 4 seated tickets. Successful entrants will be informed via email and invited to purchase their tickets from 26th March 2024.
Please note, each wheelchair-accessible ticket includes a space for a wheelchair and a seat for one companion. You will not need to purchase a separate ticket alongside a wheelchair-accessible ticket to allow a companion to attend with the wheelchair user.
Ticket prices are as follows:
Trooping the Colour – The Major General's Review
Seated: £10
Wheelchair (+ 1 companion): £10
Trooping the Colour – The Colonel's Review
Seated: £15
Wheelchair (+ 1 companion): £15
Trooping the Colour – The King's Birthday Parade
Seated: £30
Wheelchair (+1 companion): £30
There is no group purchase of tickets for multiple events. Tickets for each event must be purchased separately.
If you choose to print your tickets, please be careful with them when attending the event for which you have booked as we are not liable for lost or stolen tickets and cannot replace them.
Venue
Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall, London SW1A 2AX
Dates
Origins of Trooping the Colour
Regimental flags of the British Army, historically described as ‘Colours', are consecrated and display insignia worn by the soldiers of respective units along with the unit’s Honorary Distinctions, or ‘Battle Honours’. Historically, the primary role of a Regiment's Colour was to provide a rallying point on the battlefield. This was vitally important because, without modern communications, it was all too easy for soldiers to become disoriented and separated from their unit during conflict.
For soldiers to recognise their Regiment's Colour, it was necessary to display them. This was accomplished by young officers marching between the formed-up ranks of soldiers with the Colour held high; this is the origin of the term ‘trooping'. What is today a great ceremonial spectacle began life as a vital wartime parade designed to aid unit recognition before a battle commenced.
The Foot Guards are amongst the oldest Regiments of the British Army and have served as the personal bodyguards of the Sovereign since the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660 following the English Civil War. The ceremony of Trooping the Colour is believed to have been performed first during the reign of King Charles II (1660 – 1685). In 1748, it was determined that this parade should mark the official birthday of the Sovereign, becoming an annual event when King George III ascended the throne in 1760.
Although His Majesty The King's actual birthday is 14th November, the spectacular ceremony of Trooping the Colour remains the single national celebration of the Sovereign's Official Birthday.
Venue
Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall, London SW1A 2AX
Dates
How to get there
Please note that Central London is expected to be extremely busy on Saturday 15th June 2024. We suggest you plan your route in advance and allow plenty of time to travel. For the latest information on how services are operating, use the TfL Go app or visit www.tfl.gov.uk. Please note there will be NO parking or dropping off facilities available in Whitehall or the surrounding areas of Horse Guards for these events. Vehicles will not be allowed within these areas.
Arriving by Train:
The nearest Railway Stations are Charing Cross, Waterloo and Victoria.
Arriving by Tube:
The nearest Tube Stations are Westminster, Embankment, Charing Cross, St James’s Park and Victoria.
On Arrival in Westminster area:
Depending on which stand you have been allocated, you will need to go through the correct security checkpoint as follows
- Stands A, B, C - via The Mall, Horse Guards Road (north) and Admiralty Citadel.
- Stands D, E, F, G, Wheelchair – via Whitehall and Horse Guards Arch.
- Stands H & J - via Downing Street and Treasury Passage (for the Trooping the Colour The Major General's Review
and Trooping the Colour The Colonel's Review only).
On the day of Trooping the Colour The King's Birthday Parade,
stand G will access the same as Stands D, E,F (above) and stands H & J will access the same as stands
K, L, M, N (below).
- Stands K, L, M, N - via Birdcage Walk / Great George Street and Horse Guards Road (south) and
Churchill War Rooms.
Limited toilet facilities are available please refer to (What to expect) section between stands C & D.
Please check the map provided on your ticket to view the entrance points for each stand. You must use the entry point specified for your stand. If you try to use an incorrect entry point you will be re-directed to the correct one, which will involve more walking and take more time.
Please arrive in good time (minimum of 50 minutes in advance) to allow for security searches. Children over the age of 2 cannot be admitted without a ticket.
Venue
Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall, London SW1A 2AX
Dates
What to wear
This is a formal State Ceremonial Parade. Those attending are required to dress accordingly.
As a guide, you should dress in a similar manner as you would for attending a wedding. Morning dress, lounge suit or jacket, tie and trousers for gentlemen and the equivalent for ladies (strictly no denim, shorts or sandals).
Serving Military personnel may wear Ceremonial Day uniform or equivalent (with medals; no swords or sidearms). Headdress is optional but is recommended for paying the correct compliments to, the lead Gun, the Standard and the Colour as they pass , as well as giving the necessary protection from the sun.
Umbrellas/parasols are not permitted to avoid obstructing views.
Please also consider bringing a coat as the Stands are not covered and the weather can change during the course of the parade.
NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE DRESS CODE WILL RESULT IN REFUSAL OF ENTRY.
Venue
Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall, London SW1A 2AX
Dates
