Trooping the Colour – Meghan Markle gives Prince Harry loving look as she joins royal family on balcony for first time to celebrate Queen’s birthday
Meghan experienced the pomp and pageantry of the event for the first time when she arrived on Horse Guards Parade with Harry in a carriage, along with the Queen's cousin the Duke of Kent
Royal fans gathered from early this morning to see Meghan and Harry, fresh from their honeymoon, exchanging loving looks and sharing jokes on the iconic balcony.
Meghan experienced the pomp and pageantry of the traditional summer spectacle for the first time when she arrived on House Guards Parade with Harry in a carriage, along with the Queen's cousin the Duke of Kent.
Kate and Wills were in another carriage while a third carried Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, the Countess of Wessex and her daughter Lady Louise.
Meghan, the new Duchess of Sussex, wore a dress by Carolina Herrera and a hat by Philip Treacy.
Kate wore a dress by Alexander McQueen and a hat by Juliette Botterill, while Camilla was in a pale blue silk dress and coat by Bruce Oldfield and a hat by Philip Treacy.
The Queen, who recently had a successful eye operation to remove a cataract, wore a sky blue coat and dress by Stuart Parvin, and a hat by Angela Kelly.
She made her entrance onto House Guards in an Ascot Landau after making her journey from Buckingham Palace.
Her procession was accompanied by a Sovereign's Escort of the Household Cavalry, made up of Life Guards and Blues and Royals, in their silver and gold breastplates and plumed helmets.
The 7,500 guests seated in stands lining the parade ground stood as a mark of respect as the monarch arrived and began inspecting the massed ranks of the troops.
The Duke of Edinburgh, who celebrates his 97th birthday on Sunday, has retired from official public duties and did not attend.
But the Queen was accompanied by the royal colonels, all on horseback: Prince of Wales, Colonel of the Welsh Guards, the Princess Royal, Colonel of the Blues and Royals, and the Duke of Cambridge, Colonel of the Irish Guards.
Also riding in the ceremony for the first time was the Duke of York in his new role as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards.
The royals later gathered on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch the RAF flypast, with the Red Arrows providing the finale.
The Queen was flanked by her sons, the Prince of Wales and Duke of York, at the front of the balcony, while the newlyweds stood behind her, surrounded by other members of the royal family.
Following her recent eye operation to remove a cataract, the Queen showed no ill effects and was not wearing sunglasses as she has at some outdoor events.
As the planes flew overheard, seven-year-old Savannah Phillips - daughter of Peter and Autumn - was seen covering Prince George's mouth and telling him to hush while the national anthem was played.
Princess Charlotte clapped excitedly when the thousands of people gathered at the gates of Buckingham Palace applauded the aerial display.
Other members of the royal family on the balcony included the Duchess of Cornwall, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, the Princess Royal, the Countess of Wessex and her children, Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn, but the Earl of Wessex was not present as he is thought to be returning from an overseas trip.
The hot June weather led to one of the riders fainting on his way to the palace.
Welsh Guardsman Field Marshal Lord Guthrie, 79, was taken away by an ambulance for further treatment having fallen off his horse.
Pictures show Lord Guthrie on the ground, as officers rush to his aid while another officer leads his horse away.
Former SAS commander Lord Guthrie was head of the British Army until 1997 and then chief of defence staff until 2001.
RAF veteran John Nichol tweeted: "Hearing Field Marshal Lord Guthrie was thrown from his horse earlier. "#troopingofthecolour Really hope all is OK - a nicer General Officer you could not hope to meet. Wishing you well Sir."
A Ministry of Defence spokesman confirmed he was "receiving medical attention".
Trooping the Colour originated from traditional preparations for battle. Colours, or flags, were carried, or "trooped";, down the rank so that they could be seen and recognised by the soldiers.
In the 18th century, guards from the royal palaces assembled daily on Horse Guards to "troop the colours" and in 1748 it was announced that the parade would also mark the Sovereign's official birthday.
This year the ceremony saw the Colour of the 1st Battalion the Coldstream Guards being trooped.
Guardsman Charanpreet Singh Lall, 22, a Sikh from Leicester, became the first to wear a turban during the parade.
His turban features a ceremonial cap star to match the bearskin hats worn by the other soldiers.
"I'm quite proud and I know that a lot of other people are proud of me as well," he said.
"For myself, being the first turban-wearing Sikh to troop the colour and to be part of the escort it is a really high honour for myself, and hopefully for everyone else as well.
";My mum was crying on the day I passed out so I wonder what is going to happen to her when she sees me in this."
Trooping the Colour has commemorated the birthday of the sovereign for more than 250 years and also functions as a display of army drills, music and horsemanship.
Among the guests was Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, the Prime Minister Theresa May normally attends but is at a G7 meeting of world leaders in Canada.
The massed bands of the Household Division and the Mounted Band of the Household Calvary provided the musical backing for the ceremony.
While also taking part was the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, who fired a 41-gun salute in Green Park to mark the Queen's official birthday.
The Queen's actual birthday was on April 21 when she turned 92.
Kate left in the shade
THE Royal Family aren’t traditionally allowed to bare their shoulders.
But Meghan challenged protocol in a stunning pale pink Carolina Herrera dress next to a more conservative Kate.
Here, Fashion Editor Gabriele Dirvanauskas rates who came out top in the Battle of the Duchesses.
Kate
Hat: This elegant design by Juliette Botterill, decorated with flower and fan embellishments, narrowly edged Meghan’s. 9/10
Dress: The puffed sleeve of this pale blue Alexander McQueen looked stuffy next to Meghan’s more edgy design. 6/10
Hair: With her hair pinned back behind her ears, this unimaginative bun made her seem old beyond her years. 5/10
Make-up: Flawless as always. Heavy on the eye liner and added plenty of peachy blush to nail the classic English rose look. 8/10
Total: 28/40
Meghan
Hat: This sloping Philip Treacy design was a perfect fit. Sleek, minimalist and elegant, it complemented her new haircut. 8/10
Dress: The Bardot shoulder on this Carolina Herrera outfit was a bold statement, echoing her Givenchy wedding dress. 9/10
Hair: The usual bun was gone in favour of a Middleton-esque blow-dried wavy do that brought a touch of Hollywood glamour. 8/10
Make-up: Heavier than normal but her gorgeous freckles shone through. Rosy cheeks and pink lips boosted her glowing skin. 8/10
Total: 33/40
Winner: Meghan