The Sovereign's Official Birthday is celebrated on the second Saturday in June, and to mark this occasion the Household Division mounts a parade on Horse Guards that has come to be known as 'Trooping the Colour'.

The parade is based on an old military practice of displaying the regimental colours at a special parade so all ranks would be able to identify their own colours as a rallying point during the heat of battle.

From these beginnings the parade has evolved into a major annual event. Taking part are 800 Guardsmen and 205 Musicians from the five regiments of Foot Guards, The Grenadier, The Coldstream, The Scots, The lrish and The Welsh Guards; 118 Troopers, 51 mounted Musicians and 169 horses from the two Household Cavalry Regiments, The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals; and the six field guns, 60 soldiers and 85 horses of The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery.