Again, I’m pretty shocked by the lack of gossip around this year’s Trooping the Colour. Last year’s Trooping was high drama, as it was the big reemergence of the Princess of Wales following her health issues. It was also King Charles’s first Trooping since he was diagnosed with cancer. Kate got more attention last year, and I imagine it will be the same this year. Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace seemingly spends all day, every day bitching on the Royal Rota WhatsApp about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Well, the WhatsApp was given one piece of news about Trooping: Charles is officially retiring from riding a horse in the parade.
He’s one of the royal family’s most accomplished equestrians, but King Charles is stepping away from the saddle for one of the most important annual occasions. For years, Charles rode in Trooping the Colour, the monarch’s birthday parade, first for his mother’s official celebrations, and then at his own. This year, however, Charles will travel in a carriage for the procession from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade and back again.
King Charles first rode as monarch in 2023, the first time the sovereign had ridden in the parade since Queen Elizabeth rode her trusty mare Burmese in 1986. After Burmese was retired, the Queen travelled by carriage from 1987 until her final appearance in 2022, when she took the salute from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. On 14 June, it’s reported that Charles will follow in his mother’s footsteps by moving from a horse to a carriage, and is not expected to ride at the parade again.
It’s said that the King’s cancer diagnosis has curtailed the tradition he briefly revived, and it is one of the few concessions he has made to living with the disease while maintaining a full schedule. Unlike his siblings, who are still keen riders, Charles – who was once an accomplished polo player as well as an amateur jockey – is said to no longer ride for pleasure.
I actually forgot that Charles was on horseback in 2023 for Trooping. He avoided riding a horse last year, and now we’ll never see him on a horse again (other than Camilla). It’s time, though. Instead of claiming this is related to his cancer status, it probably would have been wiser to just say it’s because of his age? The man is 76 years old. He doesn’t need to be on horseback at his age, with a bad back. Anyway, here you go – the big Trooping gossip this year. The palace really needs to work harder on providing some drama and pizzazz, my god.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
