Royals in mourning: King Charles honors the crash victims in London

Royals in mourning: King Charles honors the crash victims in London

London, Vereinigtes Königreich - On June 14, 2025, the annual military parade "Trooping the Color" took place in London, which in honor of King Charles III. was organized. However, the celebrations were overshadowed by a tragic note, since the Royals commemorated the victims of a plane crash in India during the parade, in which over 240 people, including many British, were killed. The parade was under bright weather and pulled thousands of spectators on the route.

King Charles III, who had only been crowned six weeks ago, wore a black armband as a sign of grief during the ceremony. Together with Queen Camilla, who appeared in a uniform of the Grenadier Guards, he traveled from Buckingham Palace to the Horse Guards Parade. Prince William, Princess Anne and Prince Edward accompanied the king and also bore mourning bandages. Charles led the parade up to Ross, on his black mare "Noble", a gift from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

the parade and its tradition

"Trooping the Color" has its roots in the 18th century and is an important military ceremony that is held annually to celebrate the birthday of the British monarchy annually. The parade traditionally takes place in June, although Charles is the actual birthday on November 14th. This year, over 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians took part in the event, which establishes a connection between the historical military tradition and the modern identity of Great Britain.

The ceremony included an impressive parade in which various regiments, including the Grenadier Guards and the Coldstream Guards, presented their colors. The highlight of the event was the overflight of 70 military aircraft, which formed the letters "CR" for Charles Rex. After the parade, the Royals gathered on the balcony of the Buckingham Palace to wave to the cheering viewers.

family moments and return to public life

Princess Kate, who was participating in the entire event for the first time since her cancer, appeared in a turquoise outfit with a broad hat and shared a carriage with her children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. The latter caused humorous moments during the carriage ride. Kate had previously withdrawn from public life for months because her chemotherapy has been completed and she is now back in public.

The day was not only a solemn event, but also a moment of commemoration. The Royals were united in their grief for the deceased, while the people along the boulevard “The Mall” were waiting for the royal family. Despite the severe thoughts, King Charles seemed visibly gripped and exhausted after the parade.

Important absentee were Duchess Meghan, Prince Harry and Prince Andrew, who did not take part in the event because they are no longer official representatives of the crown. Overall, the parade was considered a success by those present, which highlighted both tradition and human aspects of royal life.