Trooping The Colour Will Not Go Ahead In 'Traditional Form'

Trooping the Colour will "not go ahead in its traditional form" amid the coronavirus outbreak, Buckingham Palace has announced. 

The palace said a "number of options are being considered".

The announcement coincides with the Government's measures on social distancing in a bid to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The event is the annual national celebration of the Queen’s official birthday and is traditionally staged during June.

It normally involves more than a thousand soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians. 

Thousands of members of the public gather to watch the military parade from Buckingham Palace, down The Mall and to Horse Guard's Parade.

The event famously features a gathering of the royal family on Buckingham Palace’s balcony to acknowledge the crowds in The Mall.

It comes just a week after the ceremonial Changing of the Guard was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement, Buckingham Palace said the ceremony would be postponed "until further notice".

Cover image:  Soldiers parade alongside The Queen in 2018 (Picture: MOD).