The Earl of Wessex, James, has once again not attended Trooping the Colour, marking his fourth consecutive absence from the annual celebration. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh's son last appeared at the event in 2022, during Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee.
Family Attendances
Neither James nor his sister, Lady Louise Windsor, joined the Royal Family at the parade. Their mother, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, rode in an open carriage alongside Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence. Meanwhile, Prince Edward, their father, travelled on horseback as the Colonel of the Scots Guards.
James was recently seen at his cousin Peter Phillips' wedding to Harriet Phillips in Gloucestershire, accompanied by his parents.
Balcony and Public Appearances
The young royal has not appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony since King Charles's Coronation in 2023. However, he did join the family at the Easter Sunday Matins service at St George's Chapel, Windsor, where he was photographed walking with his father and speaking to the Princess of Wales.
Social media users commented on the interaction, with one saying: "A lovely interaction between the Princess of Wales and James, Earl of Wessex." Another added: "The Princess of Wales will be a good guide for the young royals. She's so down to earth, I think they will feel at ease in her presence." A third remarked: "I love how close Wales and Edinburgh families are."
About Trooping the Colour
Trooping the Colour, also known as the King's Birthday Parade, has been held for over 260 years. It features over 1,500 soldiers, 200 horses, and 400 musicians marching before the King on Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall. The tradition began during King Charles II's reign and became annual in 1760 under King George III.
This year, the Grenadier Guards troop their Colour in front of the King. Their Colonel, Queen Camilla, will take the salute from a dais on Horse Guards Parade. The celebration starts and ends at Buckingham Palace, where the Royal Family gathers on the balcony to watch an RAF flypast, culminating in the Red Arrows' display.
