King Charles will lead the nation in a moment of solemn reflection during the Trooping the Colour ceremony on Saturday, June 14, 2025. The King has requested a minute's silence to honor the 241 passengers and crew who tragically lost their lives in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, India, on Thursday. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, en route to London Gatwick Airport, crashed shortly after takeoff.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that the King wished to include this tribute "as a mark of respect for the lives lost, the families in mourning, and all the communities affected by this awful tragedy." The minute's silence will take place after the King's inspection of the guardsmen at Horse Guards Parade and will be marked by a bugler sounding the Last Post, followed by the Reveille.
In addition to the minute's silence, King Charles and senior members of the Royal Family participating in the parade will wear black armbands as a further sign of respect. This includes the Prince of Wales, Colonel of the Welsh Guards, the Princess Royal, Colonel Blues and Royals, and the Duke of Edinburgh, Colonel Scots Guards, who are expected to be on horseback during the ceremony. The Queen, the Princess of Wales, and the Duchess of Edinburgh are also expected to be in attendance. However, royal family members not participating in the parade and watching from the Duke of Wellington's former office will not be wearing black armbands. Coachmen and women from the Royal Mews driving carriages will also wear the armbands.
The King issued a message expressing his condolences shortly after the crash, stating he was "desperately shocked by the terrible events" and conveying his "deepest possible sympathy" to those affected. Flags at royal residences have been lowered to half-mast as a further mark of mourning.
Trooping the Colour is an annual military ceremony performed by regiments of the British Army to celebrate the official birthday of the British Sovereign. While King Charles' actual birthday is on November 14th, the official celebration traditionally takes place in June, offering a higher chance of favorable weather. This year's event will see over 1350 soldiers of the Household Division and King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, including over 300 musicians from the Massed Bands, participate. Furthermore, 250 soldiers from the Foot Guards will line the processional route along The Mall.
The Trooping the Colour procession will begin at approximately 10:45 am from Buckingham Palace, proceeding to Horse Guards Parade. The event will conclude with the RAF flypast at 1:00 pm, a spectacle viewed by the Royal Family from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Senior royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children, are expected to join the King and Queen on the balcony.
King Charles, who is undergoing cancer treatment, is expected to travel in a carriage with the Queen, rather than on horseback, as he did in the previous year. The Trooping the Colour ceremony will be broadcast live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, beginning at 10:30 am.
