Trooping the Colour

Mounted Bands at Trooping the Colour 2007. The rider of the black-and-white drum horse, working the reins with his feet, crosses drumsticks above his head in salute.

倫敦萬軍齊發——賀英女皇壽辰
香港新浪網 - Hong Kong
(綜合報道)英國人很傳統，很愛護英女皇，不少人都以能見英女皇一面為榮，作為平民百姓，每年6月便有機會，因為在6月第二個星期六，倫敦鬧市便會上演名為Trooping of the Colour的閱兵巡遊盛典，英女皇及一眾皇室人員齊齊出席，我早前也混在人群中，見證這個盛大場面。 ...

Trooping the Colour is a ceremony performed by regiments of the Commonwealth and the British Army. It has been a tradition of British infantry regiments since the 17th century, although the roots go back much earlier. On battlefields, a regiment's colours, or flags, were used as rallying points. Consequently, regiments would have their ensigns slowly march with their colours between the soldiers' ranks to enable soldiers to recognise their regiments' colours.

Since 1748 Trooping the Colour has also marked the official birthday of the British Sovereign ^[1] It is held in London annually on the second Saturday in June.^[2]

A regiment's colours embody its spirit and service, as well as its fallen soldiers. The loss of a colour, or the capture of an enemy colour, were respectively considered the greatest shame, or the greatest glory on a battlefield. Consequently, regimental colours are venerated by officers and soldiers of all ranks, second only to the sovereign.

Only battalions of infantry regiments of the line carry colours; the Royal Artillery's colours, for example, are their guns. Rifle regiments did not form a line and thus never carried colours. Their battle honours are carried on their drums. The exception to this is the Honourable Artillery Company who have both a stand of colours and guns.

Trooping the Colour is an old ceremony whereby the battalion would fall in by companies and the colour-party would "troop" or march the colours through the ranks so that every man would see that the colours were intact. This was done before and after every battle. This ceremony has been retained through time and is today largely ceremonial.