QUEEN ELIZABETH MARKS OFFICIAL BIRTHDAY WITH TROOPING THE COLOUR

THE QUEEN HAS MARKED HER 84th OFFICIAL BIRTHDAY ON SATURDAY AT THE TROOPING THE COLOUR PARADE. THOUSANDS OF SPECTATORS GATHERED TO WATCH THE TRADITIONAL ANNUAL DISPLAY OF MILITARY POMP AND PAGEANTRY ON LONDON'S HORSE GUARDS PARADE, IN WHITEHALL, CENTRAL LONDON. THE QUEEN WORE A SUMMERY LILAC OUTFIT AND HAT FOR THE TELEVISED MILITARY SPECTACLE INVOLVING HUNDREDS OF SOLDIERS BOTH ON FOOT AND MOUNTED ON HORSEBACK. SHE CELEBRATED HER ACTUAL BIRTHDAY ON 21.APRIL, WHEN SHE TURNED 84, BUT THE RECENT CEREMONY MARKED HER OFFICIAL BIRTHDAY, WHICH IS ALWAYS IN JUNE. THE PARADE STARTED UNDER CLOUDY SKIES BUT IT QUICKLY BEGAN TO CLEAR AS THE MORNING WENT ON, ALLOWING THE WARM SUN THROUGH. THE 1st BATTALION GRENADIER GUARDS WERE PARADING THEIR FLAG COLOUR THIS YEAR. MANY OF THE BATTALION'S SOLDIERS RETURNED FROM AFGHANISTAN TWO MONTHS AGO. AFTER TAKING THE ROYAL SALUTE, THE QUEEN AND SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY HEADED BACK TO BUCKINGHAM PALACE FOR A 30 AIRCRAFT STRONG RAF FLY-PAST, THIRTEEN DIFFERENT TYPES OF AIRCRAFT WERE DUE TO TAKE PART IN THE FLY-PAST, INCLUDING WORLD WAR II SPITFIRE, HURRICANE AND LANCASTER, MODERN TYPHOON FIGHTERS AND THE RED ARROW AEROBATIC DISPLAY TEAM. BEFORE THE PARADE THE COLONEL OF THE REGIMENT, THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH, WHO RECENTLY UNDERWENT MINOR SURGERY ON HIS LEFT HAND, PAID TRIBUTE TO THE ARMED FORCES. HE SAID: 'ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS THAT THE SERVICES CAN DO IS THAT THEY TAKE ORDINARY PEOPLE AND TURN THEM INTO EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE. I THINK THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS, AND ONCE THEY'RE GIVEN THE PROPER TRAINING AND MOTIVATION THAT INTERESTS THEM, THAT REALLY TURNS THEM AROUND COMPLETELY AND THEY BECOME VERY REMARKABLE PEOPLE.' THE QUEEN FIRST TOOK THE ROYAL SALUTE IN 1951 WHEN SHE WAS DEPUTIZED FOR HER FATHER KING GEORGE VI WHEN HE WAS SICK. SHE HAS ATTENDED EVERY CEREMONY BAR ONE IN 1955 WHEN THERE WAS A NATIONAL RAIL STRIKE. THE TRADITION OF TROOPING THE COLOUR ORIGINATES BACK TO PREPARATIONS FOR BATTLE WHEN FLAGS, KNOWN AS COLOURS, WERE CARRIED ALONG THE RANK OF SOLDIERS SO THEY COULD BE SEEN AND RECOGNIZED. IN 1748, IT WAS DECIDED THE TROOPING WOULD ALSO BE USED TO HONOR THE SOVEREIGN'S BIRTHDAY.