The celebrations for the King's official birthday have begun - and the British royal family is showing itself in full splendor on London's Mall. Particularly Princess Kate's (44) appearance with her three children at the traditional military parade "Trooping the Colour" sparked enthusiasm among the onlookers.
Kate shared a carriage with her three children, Prince George (12), Princess Charlotte (10), and Prince Louis (7). Husband Prince William (43), on the other hand, is taking part in the ceremonial procession on horseback.
An outfit with nostalgic note
For the ceremonial occasion, the Princess of Wales has chosen a light blue dress by Catherine Walker with white piping, which she combined with a striking, large hat by Philip Treacy. Her accessories include the elegant "Floral Burst" pearl earrings by Cassandra Goad. She already wore these pieces of jewelry earlier this year at the inauguration of the new Archbishop of Canterbury, as well as in 2018 at the christening of her youngest son, Prince Louis.
At first glance, her outfit today strongly recalls an outfit by Princess Diana from 1992, which also came from the house of Catherine Walker. Diana wore the outfit during a state visit to India.
Since her wedding to Prince William in 2011, Kate has not missed a single "Trooping the Colour" celebration. Over the years, she has mostly relied on creations by Alexander McQueen and Catherine Walker for this parade, often opting for spring-like, light colors.
Also a proven tradition: The Wales family once again opted for a coordinated color scheme. Prince Louis, who took his seat in the carriage next to his mom, and Prince George wore light blue ties with their suits. Princess Charlotte also wore a light blue ensemble. Only Prince William breaks the pattern: The heir to the throne wore military uniform.
Grand balcony moment at noon
The procession leads the royals from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade. This historic location has served as the backdrop for the celebration of the royal birthday for more than 260 years. King Charles III (77) and Queen Camilla (78) lead the procession, with the Wales family traveling behind. In addition to Prince William, Princess Anne and Prince Edward also join the parade on horseback. It is Charles' fourth "Trooping the Colour" as reigning monarch.
At 12 noon local time follows the moment everyone has been waiting for: the Royal Air Force flyover, which the senior members of the Royal Family will watch from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. This creates a colorful family photo of the royals every year.
