King Charles presents new colours at Windsor Castle ahead of Trooping the Colour
The new colours presented today will be those trooped at Trooping the Colour on Saturday, King Charles's official birthday parade in London.
King Charles inspects The Irish Guards at Windsor Castle
King Charles said he is “very much looking forward” to Trooping the Colour on Saturday as he presented new colours to the Irish Guards at Windsor Castle this afternoon.
Charles, who is Colonel in Chief of the seven Guards regiments of the Household Division, wore his Field Marshall Frock Coat and a wealth of medals and decorations to inspect the guardsmen and officers on parade.
The Chaplain General then consecrated the colours with a blessing and the King presented the colours to two junior officers.
The new colours will be those trooped at Trooping the Colour on Saturday, the King's official birthday parade in London.
His Majesty will attend the staple royal event, but he will inspect the soldiers from a carriage rather than on horseback.
The presentation of new colours to No 9 and No 12 Company started with the Band of the Irish Guards marching them into Windsor Castle’s Quadrangle via the George IV Gate.
They were led by the Irish Guards' regimental mascot - an Irish wolfhound named Turlough Mor.
The Old Colours were marched off parade and the New Colours were laid on a drum stack altar.
His Majesty arrived on the Quadrangle from the Sovereign’s Entrance and proceeded to a dais facing the parade where he was greeted with a Royal Salute and a rendition of the National Anthem.
He then performed his ceremonial duty of presenting the new colours and addressed the parade before they dispersed.
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The King said: “It has been a remarkable eighty-four years since my grandfather, King George VI, presented new Colours to the Second Battalion Irish Guards in Wellington Barracks during the opening months of the Second World War.
“After that terrible War, whose signal anniversaries we are in the midst of commemorating, the Second Battalion was placed in suspended animation but, I am delighted to say, has been reinstated.”
He said it is with “the greatest pride” that he is able to present the new colours today.
Acknowledging the Regiments’ recent achievements, such as their work training Ukrainian forces, the 75-year-old monarch said: "In this ever-changing world, it is no exaggeration to say that the whole Regiment finds itself occupying a central role in Defence’s contribution to the myriad challenges which societies must face.
"In all of this, you bring to your duty a blend of professionalism, courage and humour which has always marked out Irish Guardsmen."
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Concluding his short speech, the King turned his attention to his birthday parade and said: "As your Colonel in Chief, I give these Colours into your safe-keeping in the knowledge that you will continue to uphold the standards and spirit of your Regiment whatever challenges you may face in the future.
“I very much look forward to seeing the King’s Colour again in just five days’ time, under the steady hand of Lieutenant Harry Winterbottom, on the occasion of Trooping the Colour.”
The Reigment then took off their hats and gave three cheers for the King, which echoed around the quadrangle.
They gave a final Royal Salute and rendition of the National Anthem before the parade marched off.
His Majesty briefly spoke with friends and family of the Irish guardsmen on parade before leaving.
'Colours' was the name given to the flags representing the different regiments in the British Army and were originally used as rallying points for troops on the battlefield. Each year at Trooping the Colour, a different regiment's colours are trooped.
It is still not clear whether the Princess of Wales, who continues to undergo cancer treatment and is Colonel in Cheif of the Irish Guards, will attend Trooping.
It has been suggested that she may decide to step out on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the traditional RAF Flypast, as Kensington Palace has not explicitly ruled this out.
However, aides maintain that she will only return to royal duties when medics give her the green light.
Kate sent a letter to the regiment to apologise for not being able to take the salute and to wish them luck for the Colonel's Review in London on Saturday.
She spoke of her pride in them and added that being Colonel "remains an honour".
