The royal family delighted fans with a rare behind-the-scenes look at this year’s Trooping the Color celebrations, sharing a series of candid photographs on Instagram with the caption: “Behind the scenes at Buckingham Palace yesterday for the King’s Birthday Parade.”
Among the remarkable images was what many royal watchers will recognize as one of King Charles’ favorite traditions: feeding carrots to royal horses.
The touching first photograph shows the monarch enjoying a quiet moment while feeding the animals before the big celebrations.
Another image showed Queen Camilla beaming alongside King Charles in a vibrant red dress, while a third photograph featured the ever-elegant Duchess of Edinburgh.
Sophie looked radiant in an off-white belted dress with a pointed collar, paired with a matching white hat adorned with floral details.
At her side was Princess Anne’s husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, who joined the royal family for the special occasion.
The collection also included a photograph of King Charles walking through Buckingham Palace, as well as a powerful image of Princess Anne in full military uniform carrying a sword.
The Princess Royal once again took part in the ceremony on horseback as a Royal Colonel.
Two further photographs showed the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attending Trooping the Color at Buckingham Palace on June 13, 2026, before the final image showed King Charles and Queen Camilla coming out for the historic celebration.
Crowds gathered in central London for the annual Trooping the Color ceremony marking the official birthday of King Charles III.
The parade began at Buckingham Palace, with the King and Queen traveling in a carriage along the Mall to Horse Guards Parade.
