TROOPING THE COLOUR 2026
Louise Anderbjörk
Today, on the 13th of June 2026, I had the opportunity to photograph one of Britain's most iconic ceremonial events: Trooping the Colour, the King's Birthday Parade. Held annually on Horse Guards Parade, this year's event celebrated the 77th birthday of King Charles III and featured more than 1,400 officers and soldiers of the Household Division, over 200 horses, and around 400 musicians from ten bands and Corps of Drums. The Grenadier Guards were also centre stage this year as they trooped their new Colour before the King.
Although the parade itself was scheduled to begin at 10am, the day started much earlier for the media. We were called for 7:30am to collect accreditation, pass through security checks, and be escorted from the media compound at Canada Gate to the Queen Victoria Memorial directly in front of Buckingham Palace. Once there, we would remain in our positions until the event concluded shortly after 2pm.
This made for quite a unique assignment. After crossing onto the memorial, we were effectively committed to staying there for the day as the surrounding pavements quickly filled with spectators. Fortunately, there are few better vantage points in London. From the memorial, we had clear views of Buckingham Palace, the Palace forecourt, the Mall, and the nearby barracks where the Guards begin their journey to Horse Guards Parade. Even early in the morning, thousands of people had already lined the route, and the crowds only continued to grow throughout the day.
Photo: Louise Anderbjörk
The first action of the day only arrived at around 9:40am when the troops and military bands left the barracks and marched down the Mall towards Horse Guards Parade. The wait beforehand, however, proved useful as it gave me the opportunity to get to know some of the other photographers covering the event, including official Army photographers who shared some helpful insight into the timings and movements of the parade. Shortly afterwards, the cavalry emerged to escort the Royal Procession. Prince William, Prince Edward, and Princess Anne rode on horseback in full ceremonial uniform, while King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and members of the Wales family travelled in the royal carriages. Watching the procession pass directly in front of Buckingham Palace was an impressive sight and provided some of the first standout photographic moments of the day.
One of the biggest challenges from a photography perspective was the sheer scale of the event. With more than 1,400 troops involved, it was easy for images to become cluttered. While wider shots helped showcase the atmosphere, I often found myself focusing on tighter portrait-style images of individual guardsmen, cavalry riders, and members of the Royal Family. These frequently produced cleaner and more impactful results.
Once the procession had departed for Horse Guards Parade, there was a fairly long wait before its return. I used the time to photograph the growing crowds around Buckingham Palace, as well as the guards who remained on duty around the Palace grounds throughout the ceremony. Some of these quieter moments actually produced some of my favourite images of the day, giving me more freedom to experiment with different compositions than during the fast-moving ceremonial sections.
By this point, the weather had also transformed into a beautiful summer's day with bright sunshine and clear blue skies. While ideal for spectators, it made both photographing and on-the-go editing during the wait slightly more challenging. Eventually, we could hear the parade beginning to return from Horse Guards Parade and we could soon see them marching back up the Mall towards Buckingham Palace. This was by far one of the most important segments to capture well as, unlike earlier in the morning, the troops were now facing directly towards our position as they marched between rows of Union Flags and cheering spectators.
Photo: Louise Anderbjörk
Photo: Louise Anderbjörk
Then, after the King and accompanying members of the Royal Family on horseback took the salute from the returning troops, attention turned towards the most anticipated part of the afternoon: the balcony appearance and Royal Air Force flypast. With around thirty photographers positioned at the Queen Victoria Memorial all looking for the same shot, competition for space quickly intensified. Fortunately, I managed to secure a fairly central position on one of the memorial steps, giving me a clear view of both the balcony and the aircraft overhead. By this point, spectators had been allowed much closer to the Palace gates too, and cheers echoed across the crowd throughout the flypast, and only intensified as the iconic Red Arrows came flying over The Mall and Buckingham Palace.
As the aircraft disappeared into the distance, the Royal Family retired back into Buckingham Palace and the troops returned to barracks, bringing the 2026 Trooping the Colour to a close. It marked the end of a remarkable assignment, leaving me with multiple memory cards full of images from one of Britain's most iconic ceremonies from a perspective that very few people get to experience.
This article was first published on PRISMA’s website on the 14th of May 2026.