Prince George + Prince William
Are they really abandoning the “Trooping the Color” tradition?
Prince George and Prince William
© Karwai Tang / Getty Images
King Charles will enjoy the first Trooping the Color parade in his honor in June 2023. In the case of Prince William and Prince George, however, it is assumed that the future kings could do without the tradition.
Is Prince William, 40, doing away with a centuries-old tradition? That’s exactly what the Royal correspondent Richard Palmer now suspects to the “Daily Express”.
King Charles is sticking to the “Trooping the Color” tradition
It’s about Trooping the Color, an annual military parade held since 1748 to honor the birthday of the British monarch. Usually this parade takes place in the summer when the current king or queen has a birthday in the winter. The birthday is then celebrated twice a year. However, if the date of birth is in the summer, “Trooping the Color” is usually avoided.
“George V gave it up because his birthday was in the summer and I think I’m right in saying Edward VIII did the same. George VI, who has a birthday in the winter, returned for a summer celebration, and Queen Elizabeth II, whose birthday was in April, carried on the tradition,” explains Richard Palmer.
King Charles, who celebrated his 74th birthday just a few days ago on November 14, also adheres to the custom and is expected to enjoy the first Trooping the Color parade held in his honor in June 2023.
How will Prince William and Prince George decide?
But how will Prince William and Prince George, 9, decide one day? Richard Palmer said: “It will be interesting to see what happens when Prince William becomes king because his birthday is in June. One could imagine that he could again give up two birthdays and go back to one. The same is true for Prince George because his birthday is in July – but who knows? The royal calendar is pretty jam-packed in June.”
William’s birthday also usually coincides with Royal Ascot Race Week, a multi-day horse race sponsored by the royal family. July, on the other hand, marks the start of the holiday season, which members of the royal family usually spend in Balmoral.
Of course, nothing has yet been decided as to how William and George will deal with tradition. As long as Charles is king, the British will probably not have to worry about their annual parade. You will see what comes after that.
Sources used: express.co.uk, mirror.co.uk