On June 10, 2024, King Charles III of the United Kingdom met with the Irish Guards at Windsor Castle to present them with their new flag, under which they will parade this Saturday. The Princess of Wales, who is the colonel of the Irish Guards, apologized for her absence.
This Saturday, the traditional Trooping the Colour military parade will take place. This event, held in honor of the sovereign’s public birthday, brings together regiments around their « colours, » meaning their flags and banners.
On Monday, June 10, troops from the Irish Guards regiment gathered in the rectangular courtyard of Windsor Castle to receive their new flag. The Princess of Wales, who became the colonel of this regiment following the accession of her father-in-law to the throne, was supposed to be present on Monday and was scheduled to be present on Saturday. However, Princess Catherine will not be able to attend Trooping the Colour this year due to her cancer treatment.
The Irish troops were accompanied by their mascot, the Irish wolfhound named Turlough Mor, also known as Seamus. The Irish Guards are one of the seven regiments that make up the royal guard, with the sovereign serving as the colonel in chief. Each year, one of these regiments takes turns to parade and present its flag during Trooping the Colour. This year, it is the turn of the Irish Guards, who will present the flag given to them by the king on Monday.
The Princess of Wales sent a letter to the troops to apologize for her absence. « I wanted to write to you and let you know how proud I am of the entire regiment ahead of the colonel’s review and flag parade. I appreciate that everyone participating this year has been training for months and dedicating many hours to ensure that their uniforms and drills are impeccable. »
« Being your colonel remains a great honor, and I am truly sorry that I cannot receive the salute at this year’s colonel’s review, » continued Prince William’s wife. « Please convey my apologies to the entire regiment, however, I hope that I will be able to represent you again very soon. Please send my best wishes and good luck to everyone involved. »