Trooping The Colour

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31085, 14 June 1966, Page 23

Trooping The Colour

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) LONDON, June 12.

The Queen, in a scarlet tunic and a black tricorne, yesterday rode a grey police horse at the head of a glittering birthday parade of her finest troops.

She took the salute at the annual Trooping-the-Colour ceremony in Horseguards Parade, Whitehall. The 210-year-old military pageant, the most colourful in the British Army, recalls the times when ruling monarchs personally led their troops into battle. Tourists from many countries were among thousands of sightseers jamming central London on a hot sunny day to watch the rows of guardsmen in 71b bearskins parade with plumed cavalrymen in gleaming breastplates. King Frederick, of Denmark, and his daughter, Prin-

cess Benedikte, watched the ceremony with other members of British royalty from a window overlooking the parade ground. Also among onlookers were the American evangelist, Dr. Billy Graham, and his wife. Crowds packed the broad tree-lined Mall, leading from Buckingham Palace to the parade ground, where three centuries ago the first Queen Elizabeth attended tournaments in her honour. Supersonic Salute The pageant ended with a jet age salute by 16 supersonic Lightning fighters that screamed over Buckingham Palace at 1000 feet. The Queen’s grey horse, Doctor, from the metropolitan police, stood motionless in the hour-long trooping ceremony.

This year, colours were paraded by the Irish Guards, marching to Irish melodies played by the massed bands of the Guards Brigade—lrish Guards, Grenadier Guards, Scots Guards and Welsh

Guards—and the mounted bands of the Household Cavalry. About 1500 troops wore traditional parade uniforms. A 41-gun salute in Hyde Park followed the parade.