What time does Trooping the Colour start? Full 2026 timings schedule revealed
13 June 2026, 08:00
From King Charles's parade from Buckingham Palace to the Royal Salute and the all-important Red Arrows flyover - here's the Trooping the Colour timings you need to know about.
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Trooping the Colour is the important royal date in the dairy where King Charles celebrates his public summer birthday with the country despite his actual birthday being in November.
A day full of military and royal traditions, the British public will see the monarch plus his family, including wife Queen Camilla, son Prince William and daughter-in-law Kate Middleton, all dress in their best to celebrate the long-standing ritual.
With a packed 2026 schedule, which includes the royal parade from Buckingham Palace, the Royal Salute, the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery fire and of course, the Red Arrows flyover, it's a day the royal family and fans love.
So when does Trooping the Colour start? And what time is the RAF flyover? Here's all the timings from the schedule worth noting.
What time does Trooping the Colour start?
Like with many royal events, the timings of the day are typically executed with precision and efficiency.
Coverage of Trooping the Colour will begin from 10am as the troops and bands begin to gather at the Horse Guard in central London.
The full Trooping the Colour timings are:
10:45am: The Royal Procession
To mark the official start of the celebrations, the royal family will begin their procession beginning at Buckingham Palace. They will travel down The Mall, which will be aligned with crowds and security, to the Horse Guards Parade where the official ceremony will take place.
King Charles is expected to be joined by his family including Queen Camilla, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Princess Anne and more.
They are expected to travel by royal carriage.
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11am: The Royal Salute
Joining the thousands of soldiers, military, musicians and service personnel, King Charles will embark on a series of traditions to mark the Trooping the Colour event beginning with the Royal Salute.
Simultaneously, the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery fires a 41-gun salute in Green Park.
11:05am-12pm - Trooping the Colour ceremony
The King carries out his inspection, the Massed Bands Troops, the Trooping the Colour and the Foot Guards marching past the king.
12:20pm - Royal procession return
The King and royal family take the procession back to Buckingham Palace. King Charles will return at the head of his Guards.
12:55pm - Buckingham Palace balcony
The royal family gather on the balcony at Buckingham Palace to wave to the crowds and watch the flyover finale.
What time is the Red Arrows flyover?
To make the end of Trooping the Colour, the royal family and public are treated to a flyover from the Red Arrows.
This is scheduled for 1pm and marks the end of the birthday celebrations.
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