King Charles III will participate in his annual birthday parade next month from a carriage rather than on horseback, as he continues to battle cancer. The 75-year-old monarch will inspect the soldiers taking part in the June 15 Trooping the Colour ceremony from a royal carriage, a change from last year’s parade where he rode on horseback.
The decision comes after the king’s cancer diagnosis in February, which led to a brief hiatus from public engagements. However, he has recently resumed his official duties and has been increasingly visible in public, including attending the Chelsea Flower Show last week.
The Trooping the Colour ceremony marks the sovereign’s official birthday and is one of the highlights of the royal calendar. While the king will be present, his daughter-in-law, Kate, the Princess of Wales, is unlikely to attend due to her ongoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer.
The king’s wife, Queen Camilla, and his elder son, Prince William, will accompany him to the ceremony, as well as to an event in northern France on June 6 to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
This year’s parade will be a significant event, as it marks the king’s first public appearance since his cancer diagnosis. The royal family’s participation in the ceremony is a long-standing tradition, and the king’s decision to ride in a carriage instead of on horseback is a nod to his ongoing health issues.
