Not everybody knows that you don't have to wait for a coronation to see a Royal Parade. Such an opportunity occurs every June during Trooping the Colour - the ceremonial celebration of the monarch's birthday. For us, it was our first Royal event, and it was a huge success! This was definitely thanks to careful preparation - we knew where to stand and where to go to get the best view of the parade, and then to reach Buckingham Palace as one of the first, for the best 'balcony' view. In this post, we'll share practical tips with you - the perfect recipe for Trooping the Colour :)
What does the name mean?
The term 'Colour' refers to the battalion flag, which is carried along the ranks of soldiers during the ceremonial procession known as 'trooping.' Traditionally, such a march served to familiarize soldiers with their unit's flag - during battles, it served as a rallying point (akin to today's 'assembly point for evacuation', though the circumstances were quite the opposite to evacuation back then ;)) For 250 years, the official birthday of the monarch, as the head of the Armed Forces, has been celebrated with the grand Trooping the Colour ceremony. The parade always takes place in June, regardless of the actual birthday date (for Queen Elizabeth II, it was in April, for King Charles III - November).
Where does Trooping the Colour take place?
The parade commences at Buckingham Palace, proceeding along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, where the main military ceremonies take place. After approximately an hour, the parade retraces its route back to the palace. Finally, the King, Queen, and close members of The Royal Family appear on the palace balcony to witness the flypast of the Royal Air Force, including the iconic Red Arrows, leaving a trail of smoke in the colours of the British flag.
Scouting the Best Spot: Where to Position Yourself for the Parade?
Our choice was guided by the location of the gates, which open first onto The Mall and lead to the Buckingham Palace - namely, at the end of The Mall, on St. James's Park's side. It turned out to be an ideal spot for enjoying the parade. Firstly, it's a substantial stretch without trees or masts blocking our view. Secondly, it's just before the turn to Horse Guards Parade, providing a wide angle for observing the parade and maximizing the moment when we see The Royals passing by. Thirdly, the spot for the ceremonies at Horse Guards Parade is so close that we had no problem stepping away from the barriers for a moment to catch a glimpse of what was happening there (taking turns to watch our belongings and the spot). Fourthly, there are toilets and a café nearby.
You can easily locate this spot by searching for the South African Royal Artillery Memorial on Google Maps. Later in the post, we'll include a map with directions from the nearest tube station.
What time to arrive?
The parade itself started at 10 a.m. last year. Various blogs and forums suggested that arriving between 7-8 a.m. would suffice for a good spot right at the barriers. The Queen's Jubilee year (2022) was an exception - the crowds were definitely larger. We were on The Mall precisely at 7:50 a.m., and it was empty - essentially, the only ones in "our spot" were the early bird seat savers ;) This only reassured us that we chose a really good spot! After the whole event, there were murmurs that the King didn't interest as many people, hence the "emptiness". But from our research beforehand, Trooping the Colour never attracted big crowds, and you don't need to camp out the night before to get a good spot. Perhaps we took a risk by arriving so late, but we're not such die-hard Royal enthusiasts to sacrifice our precious sleep :D We dare say that even arriving at the last minute, somewhere along the length of The Mall, you'll find a decent spot to see the parade. And after it passes, you can head to the aforementioned spot for the gate opening.
How to get there?
We recommend traveling to St James's Park underground station (District and Circle lines), from where you can easily reach the "best" spot. If you're arriving at Green Park station (Piccadilly and Victoria lines), there's no problem crossing The Mall - although the street is barriered off, there are pedestrian crossings operated by volunteers.
How to prepare for the day?
Those who were there from the early morning hours and elderly individuals often equip themselves with folding chairs. For us, this wasn't a necessity - essentially, one just stands around for the first two hours until the start of the first parade. It's worth having water and snacks (especially if you're heading out without breakfast), maybe something to read (unless you're standing next to an excited child who won't let you focus ;)). Also, keep in mind that as the crowd thickens, the mobile reception and therefore the internet on your phone gets worse or disappears altogether - so don't necessarily rely on your phones to, for example, locate someone in the crowd.
What is the parade like?
The parade commenced promptly at 10 o'clock, and the initial procession unfolded rather intermittently - groups didn't march continuously but with several-minute intervals. Among them were various military units and the orchestra, including the mounted band, a captivating sight indeed! Musicians, adorned with large instruments, played while gracefully mounted on horses - a truly remarkable spectacle! The Royal entourage passed by shortly before 11, with King Charles III leading on horseback, followed by William, Edward, and Anne also on horseback, and Queen Camilla alongside Kate and the children in a carriage. Identifying Charles was made easier thanks to a (patchy) internet connection - otherwise, he could easily have been missed under his bearskin hat ;) The ceremonies at Horse Guards Parade lasted for about an hour. As the familiar sound of "God Save The King" filled the air, we knew it was time to prepare for the return of the procession. The subsequent parade moved more swiftly as each group followed closely behind the other, with The Royals passing by around 12:15. Following the parade, the guests who had participated in the Horse Guards Parade proceeded towards Buckingham Palace.
Unlocking the Gates: Navigating the Entrance to The Mall
Positioned precisely between two gates, the odds of one of them opening were 50:50 - one designated for pedestrian passage to our left, and the other to our right, primarily utilized by authorities. Some people have asked the policemen near us, but their responses varied, not out of discourtesy, but perhaps due to differing directives to maintain crowd uncertainty. Although indications favoured the gate to our right, suddenly, the officer nearby vanished. It seemed the crowd's patience wore thin as one man took the initiative, opening the gate himself and leading his family out. After a moment of collective hesitation, observing the police's disregard, the rest of us followed suit, finding ourselves on The Mall!
Which gate would the authorities have opened? It remains unclear, yet according to seasoned observers of Royal events, it's invariably one of those two gates. Therefore, positioning yourself between them is your best bet. Given the relatively short distances, you'll gain entry to The Mall among the first, regardless of which gate opens. While we're unsure if the gate for pedestrian passage also triggers the opening of the opposite gate, we suggest standing on the park side. Above all, avoid gravitating towards Buckingham Palace, as no gates extend to that point. Despite the instinct to head in that direction, to access The Mall, you must move in the opposite direction!
Down The Mall towards Buckingham Palace
First and foremost, no one is rushing ;) Leading the way are the police, followed by elegantly dressed guests (including women in high heels who are not moving too quickly either). It's relatively easy to politely navigate past some of the people and find yourself perhaps 3-4 rows behind the police. As you get closer, the crowd thickens. It's at this point where things are so tightly packed that there's genuinely no need to push or jostle ;) And indeed, nobody was doing so.
Based on our preliminary research, we knew it was better to head to the right side (I'll explain why later). It's also advisable to take a wider path around Queen Victoria Memorial (further from the monument) - this broader route brings you closer to the palace gate. The police were cordoning off the central area in front of the palace - only guests from the Horse Guards Parade & Scouts were standing there, and we found ourselves right near them, behind the police line, with an ideal view of the balcony. Considering that we didn't enter The Mall first, we couldn't believe our luck standing so close without encountering major crowds (the crowd was surprisingly sparse)!
Grand Finale: Royal Balcony and RAF Flypast
At precisely 1 PM, the King and Queen, accompanied by other members of The Royal Family including Prince William with Kate and their children, stepped onto the balcony. Amidst resounding cheers, the aerial spectacle unfolded. While the flypast of military aircraft might not have left as enduring an impression (it was perhaps the most martial moment of the entire day), the formation flight of aircraft depicting the King's monogram (CR for Charles Rex, from Latin for King Charles), followed by the Red Arrows, were a true highlight of the show. The Royal Family bid farewell to the crowd, leaving us to begin our journey back.
Now, let's revisit that "right side." Initially, we couldn't recall its significance, but now we understand it had to do with the return horse procession (from the palace to Horse Guards Parade) - however, since we didn't witness it, we're not certain if it occurred as scheduled (it should have taken place immediately after the balcony appearance, but we didn't see it). Instead, we headed back towards Wellington Arch, and to our surprise, a car carrying William, Kate, and the children passed by us! It caught us a bit off guard, as we hadn't anticipated the Royals to depart the palace so promptly (we don't have a photo of the encounter itself to verify the exact time, but it was around 1:15 PM - practically right after the balcony farewell). It was a perfect conclusion to our royal day :)
We highly recommend experiencing Trooping the Colour at least once - especially as it offers a relatively straightforward opportunity to catch a glimpse of The Royal Family in person!
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