ON HORSEBACK FOR HIS HISTORIC BIRTHDAY PARADE

THE KING RECEIVES STALWART SUPPORT FROM HIS FAMILY OF ROYAL COLONELS

Riding out into history, His Majesty leads (from left) the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal on his inaugural Trooping as King

The Queen and the Princess of Wales join the procession in the open-top Ascot Landau carriage with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis

‘The first King’s birthday parade since 1951, our first one in 72 years and the first time the King has taken the salute since 1950’

Major Lt Col James Shaw

Making history at his first officialBirthday Parade as monarch and supported by members of his family, the King took part in Trooping the Colour on horseback last week.

Riding out from Buckingham Palace, His Majesty became the first reigning monarch to attend on horseback since 1986, when Queen Elizabeth II, then aged 60, rode her beloved steed Burmese – a gift from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – to the ceremony for the final time.

Despite being nearly 15 years older than his mother then was, the King, 74, was determined to ride in the parade, as he has done since 1975.

He showed expert horsemanship as he appeared on Noble – also a gift from the Mounties earlier this year – patting her reassuringly to calm her nerves as they set off.

Kate gave a nod to her role with the Irish Guards — a gold shamrock badge on her dress

Kate, wearing sapphire earrings once owned by Diana, Princess of Wales, honours her new role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Irish Guards in green Andrew Gn with matching Philip Treacy hat. The hatmaker is also the milliner of choice for Her Majesty (above right)

The Duchess of Edinburgh and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence were first to appear, to cheers from the crowds

Taking part in the ceremony for the first time with her new title, the Duchess of Edinburgh (also below) travels with Princess Anne’s husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence

His Majesty wore the tunic of the guard of honour order, the Welsh Guards, his blue Garter sash and a bearskin. A year after his late mother celebrated her final Birthday Parade, his uniform still bore her EIIR cypher, following the tradition where monarchs wear their precedessor’s cypher.