Prince William inspected the troops at the Colonel’s Review ahead of next week’s Trooping the Colour. The event saw hundreds of soldiers and horses carrying out battlefield drills to the tune of military music. However, the rising temperatures proved to be a little too much for some soldiers, with at least three fainting due to the heat. Despite this, one of the fainters, who was in the Massed Bands of the Household Division, quickly returned to his feet and was applauded by the crowd before being escorted away by medical personnel.
The Prince of Wales thanked the soldiers for their participation in the event and personally highlighted the temperature, stating on Twitter, “A big thank you to every soldier who took part in the Colonel’s Review this morning in the heat. Difficult conditions but you all did a really good job. Thank you. W.”
The Colonel’s Review is the final evaluation before the Trooping of the Colour, which marks the monarch’s official birthday. For his inspection, Prince William wore a bearskin cap and red dress uniform while riding a horse named Darby. The horse was a gift from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and led the Queen’s funeral procession last year.
After the ceremony, members of the royal family gather on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch a flypast. This year, it is expected that only working members of the royal family, including the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and their kids, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex, will be in attendance, in line with last year’s event and the recent coronation.
The parade was formed by King George II back in 1748, who decided to celebrate his birthday in the warmer months to prevent his subjects from catching a cold. Over 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses, and 400 musicians come together in a great display of military precision, horsemanship, and fanfare for the ceremony. The streets are lined with crowds waving flags as the parade moves from Buckingham Palace and down The Mall to Horse Guard’s Parade, alongside members of the royal family on horseback and in carriages.
Shutterstock’s royal photographer Tim Rooke, who has been capturing the royals for over 25 years, previously revealed that he captured some of the “nicest family photos” at the 2019 ceremony, where Prince Louis made his adorable debut. Rooke even managed to capture some incredible off-duty photos of Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Louis with their royal nanny before the Queen and her family assemble on the balcony at Buckingham Palace.
Despite the heat causing some soldiers to faint, the Colonel’s Review was a successful evaluation ahead of the Trooping of the Colour. The event serves as an important tradition for the royal family and the British public alike, showcasing the country’s military precision and horsemanship.
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