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Trying to keep the rain out! -
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The King and Queen's carriage -
Lunch at the East India club -
Prepared for the weather!
Trooping the Colour
15th June 2024We were kindly invited by the Irish Guards to attend the Trooping of the Colour, which was particularly special as it was the new Irish Guards Colour that was being paraded, which had been presented to nos 9 and 12 companies by the King on Monday.
IPM Elise Rasmussen and Fanmaker IPM Peter Dove also joined us, and other Masters and Consorts were also close by in our seating block.
The parade was a fantastic demonstration of complex precision drill, with all the soldiers and horses showing off their best performances.
The King was dressed in Irish Guards uniform which was a great complement to the regiment.
It was also wonderful that the Princess of Wales, who is Colonel of the Irish Guards, chose this occasion to be seen in public for the first time in several months.
Fortunately, the rain more or less stayed away until the end of the parade when the troops were departing. The heavens then opened with lightning and a torrential downpour, soaking the soldiers - how they get their bearskins dry is anybody's guess!
We then had to walk for the best part of 20 minutes to get to the East India Club for lunch, getting very wet on the way, even though I wore a long waxed overcoat!
Fortunately, the Club provided us with towels to dry off before we proceeded to the bar to try and warm up. Then of course the sun came out just in time for the RAF flypast!
We then had a lovely lunch hosted by Major Robbie Wilmont, Assistant Regimental Adjutant to the Irish Guards, joined by many members of the Irish Guards family.
All in all, a fantastic day, despite the rain!