Pomp and circumstance, fanfare and stiff upperlips.  These will all be on display tomorrow at the Trooping the Colour.  This event happens every year in the middle of June to mark the Queen’s Birthday.

This year will be extra special as the nation celebrates the Queen’s 80th.  As usual there will be the military parade and march-past by Household Troops on Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall.  But to make this year more special, the Queen and other members of the Royal family will gather together on the Buckingham Palace balcony to view a special flypast from the RAF with the Red Arrows.

After the flypast there will be a ‘Fey de Joie’ (Fire of Joy) where members of the Old Guard and the New Guard will fire blanks in the air.  Interspersed will be bars from the National Anthem.  This is the first time in the whole of her Majesty’s reign to receive a Feu de Joie.

If you are hoping to see the Trooping the Colour the best place to watch the processions are from Horse Guards Parade.  The event begins at 11:00am tomorrow Saturday 17 June.

For more information go to the official Royal Website