Summary

  • Crowds are gathering in central London ahead of Trooping the Colour, the King's birthday parade

  • King Charles and Queen Camilla will join the military procession as it makes its way along The Mall - here's how to watch

  • The annual event marks the sovereign's official birthday. More than 1,400 troops are expected to take part - a 41-gun royal salute will greet the King before he sets off

  • Later, the King will be joined by members of the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for a Red Arrows flypast

  • The balcony is dressed and is being cleaned ahead of its big moment, our royal correspondent Sarah Campbell reports from The Mall

  • And our reporter at the event has spoken to royal watchers who have travelled across the pond for a glimpse of the King and Queen

Live Reporting

Edited by Craig Hoyle and Alys Davies, with Daniela Relph, Sarah Campbell and Tinshui Yeung reporting from The Mall

  1. Here's where people are watching

    The Red Arrows aircraft are shown flying over Buckingham Palace, leaving a trail of red, white and blue smokeReuters

    The Red Arrows fly over Buckingham Palace at last year's celebration

    The Trooping the Colour route begins at Buckingham Palace before processing along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade and returning to the palace.

    An online ballot for tickets for the seated stands on Horse Guards Parade closed in late March, but big crowds are expected to line the edges of St James's Park and The Mall to watch the spectacle.

    Members of the Royal Family gather at Buckingham Place for the RAF flypast at 13:00 from the iconic Red Arrows.

    It's a moment usually met with cheers from thousands of onlookers.

    Members of the Royal Family wave to crowds from the balcony at Buckingham Palace.Reuters

    Members of the Royal Family wave to crowds from the balcony at the Trooping the Colour ceremony in June 2025

  2. More overseas fans joining the festivities

    Tinshui Yeung
    Live reporter, at The Mall

    Is it just coincidence? I’m trying to talk to people at random - and the second one I meet is also from the US.

    Karenna Tinnion from Mississippi tells me she’s in the UK primarily for Harry Styles, who is currently performing a record-breaking run of shows at Wembley Stadium.

    She says that in the US "we always idolise the Royal Family".

    She grew up watching Prince William and Catherine get married, and carry their children out of hospital.

    So now she’s very excited. "I am hoping to see a few members of the Royal Family pass by. Fingers crossed... I will get to see at least one member of the family, right?"

    Karenna holds a union flag and wears a denim jacket.BBC/Tinshui Yeung

  3. Today is also a big day for those on the King's Birthday Honours list

    A three-way split image shows Kevin Sinfield, Malorie Blackman and Julia DonaldsonPA/BBC

    Kevin Sinfield is knighted while Malorie Blackman and Julia Donaldson are made dames

    As part of the celebrations for the King's official birthday, we've also seen the release of the annual King's Birthday Honours list.

    Rugby league star Kevin Sinfield, who has raised millions of pounds for charities tackling motor neurone disease after his teammate Rob Burrow was diagnosed with the condition in 2019, is knighted.

    Children's authors Malorie Blackman and Julia Donaldson are made dames.Their best-known works - The Gruffalo and Noughts & Crosses - have both been adapted for the screen.

    Peter Lord and David Sproxton - the founders of Aardman Aninmations, the studio behind Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run - are also knighted.

    You can read more about who has been honoured in our story here.

  4. Royal Standard raised above palace

    Sarah Campbell
    Royal correspondent, reporting from The Mall

    The large Royal Standard used for ceremonial occasions is now flying above Buckingham Palace.

    This is the personal flag of the monarch, and is flown when the King is present at royal residences.

    The Royal Standard flag can be seen flying above Buckingham Palace, with the lawn in the foreground. Police vehicles and security are also in view.BBC/Sarah Campbell

  5. How are you celebrating Trooping the Colour?

    Whether you're among the crowds along The Mall today or are marking the King's official birthday by watching the parade from the comfort of your own home, we want to hear from you.

    You can get in touch in the following ways:

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    In some cases a selection of your comments and questions will be published, displaying your name and location as you provide it unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published.

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  6. Weather 'as good as it gets' for Trooping the Colour, says brigade major

    Lieutenant Colonel Charles Foinette stands in front of Buckingham Palace in full military dress holding his black hat

    Lt Col Charles Foinette will be leading the parade during today's Trooping the Colour.

    The brigade major tells BBC Breakfast that regiments taking part in the procession have been left "sunburned" and "nearly drowned" during rehearsals as the weather seesawed over the past week.

    But he says today's conditions are "as good as it gets".

    Col Foinette explains that he will be focused on getting his timings exactly right during the ceremony and holding his strong-willed horse back.

    "We get on quite well but one has to keep a little bit of an eye on what they're up to," he says.

    Col Foinette also points out that the troops on parade are fighting soldiers and carry the rifles they fight with during the event.

    "It is not unusual for soldiers to be crawling up a rainy ditch in South Wales and the next day having scrubbed the mud off their weapons, be on parade to change the guard. That is normal for us."

  7. Royal fan travels from Seattle to watch the procession

    Tinshui Yeung
    Live reporter, at The Mall

    Hello from The Mall - I’m soaking up the sunshine here and I hope you’re out there enjoying this beautiful day, too.

    It’s still over an hour until the event kicks off, but people are already gathering.

    I’ve just spoken to Corrigan Gommenginger, one of the first to arrive. He told me he was here at 04:00 today. And yes, he’s come all the way from Seattle, Washington for the event.

    "I love the royal family. They do a lot of great things for the country. They inspire people to do good things for humanity and for the world," he says.

    No surprise at his enthusiasm - this isn’t his first royal rodeo. He got his crown back at the coronation a few years ago.

    "I'm hoping to see the royal family and their carriages, and the horses, and the military today," he tells me.

    Corrigan Gommenginger stands in a suit and holds the royal standard flag. He is wearing a plush novelty crown.BBC/Tinshui Yeung

    Corrigan Gommenginger snagged his crown at the King's coronation

  8. Buckingham Palace is almost ready

    Sarah Campbell
    Royal correspondent, reporting from The Mall

    The balcony is officially dressed, and vacuuming is under way.

    Buckingham Palace's balcony is draped in red ahead of the flypast later.BBC/Sarah Campbell
    A palace staff member cleans the balcony. she is holding a hoover and can be seen working behind the red drapes hung over the balcony.Reuters

    A palace staff member vacuums the balcony ahead of the Red Arrows flypast

  9. What happens at Trooping the Colour, and when?

    Soldiers of the Household Division and The King's Troop Royal Horse ArtilleryGetty Images

    Trooping the Colour will see more than 1,400 officers and soldiers march down The Mall in an event marking the official birthday of the King.

    Here's what to expect from the coming hours:

    • 10:30 BST: the parade begins from Buckingham Palace to the Horse Guards Parade in St James's Park
    • The King will be greeted by a royal salute on Horse Guards Parade and a 41-gun salute fired by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery
    • He then conducts an inspection of the troops
    • The colour of the regiment is then "trooped" (carried) through the ranks of foot guards
    • The foot guards will march past the King followed by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and the Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry
    • The King leads his guards back to Buckingham Palace where a further salute takes place before the troops return to barracks
    • 13:00 BST: the Red Arrows flypast will be watched by members of the Royal Family from the balcony at Buckingham Palace

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  11. Here's the route the parade will take

    The parade starts at 10:30 BST and will finish around 12:25.

    Beginning at Buckingham Palace, the officers, soldiers and horses will progress along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade and back again.

    Map of central London showing the Trooping the Colour parade route. A red line marks the route running along The Mall from Buckingham Palace at the west to Horse Guards Parade at the east, beside St James’s Park. Black dotted lines indicate recommended viewing areas along both sides of The Mall and around Horse Guards Parade. Nearby landmarks labelled include Green Park, Piccadilly Circus to the north, and Westminster to the east. A small inset map shows London’s location. Scale bar indicates 200 metres / 1,000 feet.

  12. A key moment in the royal year

    Daniela Relph
    Chief royal correspondent, reporting from The Mall

    From a royal perspective, Trooping the Colour is quite the show.

    It’s one of the few moments we see the Royal Family together on official duty.

    With no jubilees, no big royal weddings nor any major national celebrations on the horizon, Trooping the Colour is a key moment for the royals this year.

  13. King's birthday celebrations to get under way with Trooping the Colour

    King Charles III salutes during the Trooping the Colour ceremony on 14 June 2025Jeff Overs/BBC

    King Charles III salutes during the Trooping the Colour ceremony on 14 June 2025

    Every June, there is a celebration of the reigning monarch’s official birthday - a dazzling parade called Trooping the Colour.

    This year, the military spectacle takes place in central London on Saturday 13 June.

    Trooping the Colour marks the official birthday of King Charles, not his personal birthday, which is actually on 14 November.

    The title comes from the'Colours' - the name given to the flags representing the different regiments in the British Army.

    The army used these flags so that soldiers could easily spot their unit when they were in the thick of battle.

    Officers would march up and down in front of the troops (called ''trooping'') waving their flags (or ''colours'') so everyone could see which flags belonged to which regiment.

    Each year at Trooping the Colour, a different regiment's colours are trooped.

    The parade is steeped in history, and taking part is seen as a huge privilege.

    Stay with us as we bring you live updates from today's festivities.